State Board of Education has new executive director 

The California Board of Education has voted to appoint Roger Magyar as its new executive director. Magyar, 61, served as policy consultant to the Assembly Republican Caucus since 1989, during which time he dealt with legislation affecting K-12 and higher education, education funding issues and fiscal policies relating to personnel and retirement.

Before that he held a number of jobs that involved education, politics and public policy. He edited books on economic policy between 1987 and 1989, and was director of education policy studies for the Sequoia Institute from 1985 to 1987. He ran as a Republican for state Senate from the 17th District in 1984 and was special assistant to Gov. Ronald Reagan from 1972 until 1974.

In 1983, Magyar was the state director of the Parents Choose Quality Education campaign and taught economics, accounting, statistics and management at Sacramento City College from 1972 to 1974.

CSBA Executive Director Scott P. Plotkin, who worked closely with Magyar during Plotkin’s years as chief consultant and staff director for the Senate Committee on Education, said he was delighted with the appointment.

“While Roger and I have not always agreed on the issues,” Plotkin said, “there can be no question about his integrity, public policy expertise and commitment to doing the best for California children.”

Magyar, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1969 through 1972, earned a master’s degree in business administration from the Harvard School of Business in 1968. He received his bachelor’s from Occidental College in 1966.

In another education-related appointment, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell has named William L. Padia – longtime director of Policy and Evaluation Division at the state Department of Education – as deputy superintendent for the assessment and accountability branch of CDE.