Jim Yovino won’t seek another term as Fresno County’s superintendent of schools
Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Jim Yovino will not seek a third term as superintendent, his office announced Monday.
Yovino will continue to lead Fresno County schools until his term ends Jan. 2, 2023.
“Serving the school districts, families and students of our county has been my greatest honor,” Yovino said in a statement. “I am deeply grateful to all in our community and my staff who have been side-by-side with me as we positively change the lives of children through access to quality education and the support services enveloping them to ensure their mental, physical and emotional health.
“At the end of my term, I will leave FCSS with tremendous confidence that our dedicated team will continue to expand upon the incredible achievements we’ve had together.”
Yovino was appointed superintendent of schools in 2013 and elected in 2014. He previously served as deputy superintendent for Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.
In a news release issued Monday by spokesperson Lisa Birrell, Yovino was described as “a champion for all children by advocating for initiatives and programs addressing the issues of poverty, intervention, civility, homelessness and the importance of early education.”
Yovino was born in Fresno and raised in southwest Fresno. He is the father of two. He and his wife, Jennifer, also founded the nonprofit Halo Cafe, which provides free pet food to those in need.
As superintendent of schools, Yovino manages over 1,500 employees and an organizational budget of $359 million that serves around 205,500 Fresno County students across 32 school districts and over 345 schools. The Bee reported in 2019 that Yovino was the highest-paid local government elected official in the central San Joaquin Valley.
Yovino said he’s worked to “look beyond traditional approaches for innovative opportunities that will significantly improve the lives of all students and families in Fresno County.”
You can read more about his accomplishments below.
