State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Issues Statement in Response to K-12 Education Budget Approval

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond issued the following statement today in response to the Legislature’s approval of the 2020-21 state budget for K-12 public education:

“I want to commend our leaders in the Assembly and Senate for working with the Governor to preserve funding for education and to avoid the permanent cuts and layoffs that would have been devastating for California’s public schools and students just when they need us the most. COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on our economy, and we are grateful that this budget recognizes that investments in public education will be a critical driver to our state’s rebound.

“We are encouraged by this budget’s allocation of CARES Act dollars to address learning gaps experienced during the pandemic and to help schools implement their reopening plans safely. We also appreciate that this spending plan addresses issues related to average daily attendance (ADA) and instructional minutes.

“While this budget is good news for education given the impossible circumstances, our schools still face great challenges in the months ahead. Many districts were already facing dire fiscal projections before the pandemic, and it will be critical that we continue to advocate for federal relief and seek new revenues in the weeks and months ahead.”

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