State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Champions Key Components of California Budget

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, a leader and advocate for universal school meals, community schools, and universal transitional kindergarten, applauded the final budget agreement that passed the State Legislature yesterday, which has record levels of funding for public education, as the state emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Superintendent Thurmond stated, “After the most difficult year for public education, the California budget includes the right measures to set our schools up to recover from the pandemic and put us on the right path toward accelerating learning and building back stronger and better. Focusing on student mental health and wellness and critical supports like universal school meals and community schools that provide wraparound programs for families will be essential for facilitating a safe return to in-person learning for the students who have suffered so much during the pandemic.” 

Superintendent Thurmond’s remarks foreshadow his Wednesday visit to San Francisco Unified School District, the next stop on his series of visits to school campuses around the state, where he is showcasing community partnerships and students engaged in safe, in-person learning supported by a multi-layered, whole-child approach that address learning gaps, student mental health, and the needs of families.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100