State Superintendent Tony Thurmond was honored today by the California Legislative Jewish Caucus for his leadership in the area of Holocaust and Genocide Education. Thurmond was honored alongside leaders and educators from the Jewish Family & Children’s Services Holocaust Center as well as Holocaust survivors and their descendants who have chosen to share their stories as part of educational initiatives.

“I am deeply honored by this recognition from the California Legislative Jewish Caucus for our collective efforts in Holocaust and Genocide Education. Through education, we not only honor the memory of the victims but also strive to ensure that such atrocities never happen again,” Thurmond said. “By understanding the horrors of the past, we empower ourselves to build a future rooted in empathy, tolerance, and justice.”

Senate Concurrent Resolution 135 (Wiener), commemorating Yom HaShoah and honoring leaders in Holocaust Education, was supported by the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, Latino Caucus, Women’s Caucus, and Legislative Black Caucus in solidarity.

Source: SPI Honored for Holocaust and Genocide Education – Year 2024 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today hosted a California Apprenticeship Summit to raise awareness of apprenticeship opportunities and career technical education pathways that connect California’s youth to high-wage, high-growth career opportunities. The summit took place at the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California in Sacramento and featured a panel of industry experts, educators, and students.

“What makes registered apprenticeship unique as an educational opportunity is that it disrupts the myth that our young people need to choose between investing in their learning and earning right away. By becoming apprentices, students enter pathways that support their learning, provide mentorship, workplace protections, and a clear path to advancement that means a student’s first job out of high school can truly become their career,” Superintendent Thurmond said. “These job skills and technical knowledge—which can be obtained through apprenticeship programs—are the foundation for a strong economy and community in the years to come.”

Source: SPI Hosts California Apprenticeship Summit – Year 2024 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that 44 schools have been designated as 2024 Purple Star Schools. Now in its third year, the California Purple Star School Designation Program recognizes schools that are committed and equipped to meet the unique needs of military-connected students and their families.

“I commend the remarkable dedication and support shown by the winning schools of the California Purple Star School Designation Program. By embracing and enhancing services for military-connected students and their families, these schools exemplify our commitment to inclusivity, understanding, and excellence in education,” Thurmond said. “Their efforts not only enrich the educational experience but also foster a sense of belonging and appreciation for our military community.”

Purple Star Schools seek to reduce the burden on military-connected students and their families by providing the most critical transition supports. With more than 2.6 million active-duty service members and individuals serving in the National Guard and Reserves, the military is one of the United States’ largest workforces. In 2022, California had 242,624 active-duty service members and individuals serving in the National Guard and Reserves.

Source: SPI Announces 2024 California Purple Star Schools – Year 2024 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond was honored today with the Cesar E. Chavez Opportunity Award for his impactful work in empowering and influencing the lives of farm working families residing in predominantly rural communities. The award was presented to Superintendent Thurmond at the 8th Annual Cesar Chavez Legacy Breakfast, in celebration of Chavez’s 97th birthday, by The Farmworkers Institute of Education & Leadership Development (FIELD)

External link opens in new window or tab..“Extraordinary models of social justice inspire us to do better and be better. There are few that rival the inspiration of Cesar Chavez and FIELD, an organization he founded 46 years ago, and their work to support farm working and rural communities,” Thurmond said. “When I began my career in public service, I committed myself to lifting up our communities that needed it the most. That did not change when I began my service as State Superintendent of Public Instruction. I am truly honored and humbled by this award.”

During the COVID pandemic, Thurmond fought to secure resources—both public and private—to ensure children of rural and farmworker communities had access to digital devices and WiFi so they would not fall behind as classrooms closed. He also secured funding to provide water bottles to Coachella farmworkers during a scorching summer heatwave and secured personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution during the pandemic to support not only schools, but also farmworkers and Native American families, along with several nonprofits, including the UFW Foundation.

Source: SPI Tony Thurmond Honored with Cesar Chavez Award – Year 2024 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation. During the summit, which featured a panel of financial and education leaders, Thurmond also announced his recruitment efforts for a Personal Finance Task Force to inform implementation of personal finance education for K–12 students across the state, especially as a source of economic empowerment for those in marginalized communities.

“This effort is fundamentally about empowering our youth and uplifting our communities. Personal finance provides our young people with the tools to understand and improve their own economic situation, and by establishing personal finance as a requirement for California students through Assembly Bill 2927, we would ensure that this powerful opportunity is afforded to all,” said Thurmond. “If our children are equipped with the skills to understand and change their own financial situation, we can help shrink the gender wage gap and build generational wealth in our communities of color as our young people move forward and manage their money, grow their wealth, and understand value when making critical decisions for their own futures and their future families.”

Source: Personal Finance Education Summit Recap – Year 2024 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today announced two outstanding high school students to represent California in the 62nd annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Aaron Combs of San Diego (San Diego County), a senior at Canyon Crest Academy in the San Dieguito Union High School District, and Emi Sakamoto of Culver City (Los Angeles County), a senior at Culver City High School in the Culver City Unified School District, were selected for their exceptional leadership skills, noteworthy commitments to their schools and communities, and academic and extracurricular achievements as California’s delegates in this highly competitive program.

“I am incredibly proud of and impressed by these extraordinary students, who are doing so much in their schools and communities to make a difference in the lives of others. Their significant accomplishments speak to their impressive character and dedication,” Thurmond said. “They will make excellent representatives for California.”

Source: 2024 CA U.S. Senate Youth Program Representatives – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond will be honored on Saturday, October 7, with the Excellence Award for exceptional work in education. This award will be given to Superintendent Thurmond by the youth mentoring nonprofit organization, 100 Black Men of the Inland Empire, at their 7th Annual Gala for his efforts helping African American and underserved communities in the school system and his ongoing work at the California Department of Education (CDE) to address opportunity gaps.

“It is a great honor to be recognized with the Excellence Award for exceptional work in education by the 100 Black Men of the Inland Empire,” said Thurmond. “It’s also an honor and my mission to serve California schools and all our communities. I look forward to continuing my work collaborating with educators and communities across the state to ensure every student receives opportunities and the quality education they deserve.”

Source: SPI to Receive Professional Excellence Award – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today celebrated the signing of Assembly Bill (AB) 1078 (Jackson), which bans “book bans” in schools, prohibits censorship of instructional materials, and strengthens California law requiring schools to provide all students access to textbooks that teach about California’s diverse communities. AB 1078, an urgency statute, took effect immediately when it was signed yesterday, and California is only one of two states enacting a law to halt book bans. AB1078 was one of several bills Superintendent Thurmond sponsored to strengthen supports for more inclusive education that were recently signed by the Governor.

“AB 1078 sends a strong signal to the people of California—but also to every American—that in the Golden State, we don’t ban books, we cherish them,” said Superintendent Thurmond. “This law will serve as a model for the nation that California recognizes and understands the moment we are in—and while some want to roll back the clock on progress, we are doubling down on forward motion. Rather than limiting access to education and flat-out banning books like other states, we are embracing and expanding opportunities for knowledge and education, because that’s the California way.”

Source: SPI-Sponsored Bill to Halt Book Bans Signed – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

Eleven bills sponsored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and seven bills Thurmond supports have achieved a significant milestone: They were successfully passed by both the State Senate and the State Assembly. The bills, which largely address inclusive education, the teacher pipeline, and student well-being and success, are now on the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom, who has until October 14, 2023, to sign the bills into law.

“I’m pleased that these key pieces of legislation, which protect inclusive education, help open the teacher pipeline, and support the mental health and well-being of students, have passed the Legislature and are now being considered by the Governor,” Thurmond said. “This is an important step in building a brighter future for all of California’s students. I applaud the efforts of our legislators and everyone involved who worked on these important pieces of legislation.”

One of the key pieces of legislation to protect inclusive education is Assembly Bill (AB) 1078. Authored by Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Perris) and sponsored by Thurmond, AB 1078 will allow a fine to be assessed on any district that has insufficient instructional materials, especially in an attempt to discriminate against students of color or LGBTQ+ students. If signed into law by the Governor, an urgency clause would allow AB 1078 to take effect immediately.

Source: SPI Bills Now on Governor’s Desk for Signature – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

Against a backdrop of culture wars being waged by states and some California school districts, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the California Department of Education (CDE) are doubling down on efforts to promote inclusive education as a strategy to help improve student performance. Thurmond and the CDE announced a series of ethnic studies webinars that includes a “Train the Trainer” webinar on August 2 on how to use the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum guide that will be attended by more than 600 participants and a webinar on August 16 to help local educational agencies (LEAs) provide an ethnic studies graduation requirement by the 2026 state deadline to which all 1,000 LEAs in the state have been invited. Special guests and ethnic studies champions attending the August 16 webinar include labor movement icon Dolores Huerta; California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber; and former Assemblymember Jose Medina, who authored Assembly Bill (AB) 101, a bill that will make California the first state to require all students to complete a semester-long course in ethnic studies to earn a high school diploma. Thurmond sponsored AB 101.

Source: SPI Doubles Down on Inclusive Education Efforts – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond will host a Teacher Recruitment Summit at the California Department of Education (1430 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814) on August 14, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in State Board Room 1101. Thurmond and guests will address the media at 10:30 a.m.

The Teacher Recruitment Summit is open to individuals from all organizations focused on work in this area, which includes teacher credentialing programs, school districts and county offices of education, pipeline programs, and AmeriCorps programs. This event will formally launch a coalition to engage in direct recruitment of teacher candidates on a statewide basis.

Source: SSPI Convenes Teacher Recruitment Summit – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

Against a backdrop of culture wars being waged by states and some California school districts, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the California Department of Education (CDE) are doubling down on efforts to promote inclusive education as a strategy to help improve student performance. Thurmond and the CDE announced a series of ethnic studies webinars that includes a “Train the Trainer” webinar on August 2 on how to use the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum guide that will be attended by more than 600 participants and a webinar on August 16 to help local educational agencies (LEAs) provide an ethnic studies graduation requirement by the 2026 state deadline to which all 1,000 LEAs in the state have been invited. Special guests and ethnic studies champions attending the August 16 webinar include labor movement icon Dolores Huerta; California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber; and former Assemblymember Jose Medina, who authored Assembly Bill (AB) 101, a bill thatwill make California the first state to require all students to complete a semester-long course in ethnic studies to earn a high school diploma. Thurmond sponsored AB 101.

Source: SPI Doubles Down on Inclusive Education Efforts – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)