Stern Authors New State Senate Bill On Holocaust, Racism Education
On Tuesday, Senator Henry Stern, D-Canoga Park, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond joined political leaders and other organizations to encourage new legislation to promote education in places like the Santa Clarita Valley on racism, bigotry, and genocide.
Senator Henry Stern and other political leaders publicly endorsed a new act, Senate Bill 693 titled the Never Again Education Act, which Stern authored to encourage more public education on controversial topics such as racism and bias, including historic issues like the Holocaust.
“Our students are victims of a broken society; every day we encounter more heartbreaking examples of anti-Semitism, bullying, and violence against Asian Americans, Islamophobia, LGBTQ discrimination, and racism and actions of hate against people of color,” Superintendent Thurmond said. “Education has the power to help us grow, understand, and find a pathwa
SACRAMENTO The California Department of Education (CDE) released Thursday K–12 public school enrollment data for the 2020–21 academic year.
The annual snapshot of fall enrollment shows a sharp one-year decline as the state and nation grappled with a deadly pandemic that disrupted all aspects of public education.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said the CDE will redouble its efforts to work with school leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the myriad of reasons behind the drop, while helping school districts bolster effective student and family engagement strategies in the weeks and months ahead.
“In a year that has been so challenging for educators, students, and families, it is concerning to see this decrease, especially those in our youngest grades,” Thurmond said. “While there are many reasons to stay optimistic that enrollment will rebound as conditions improve, allowing more schools to safely return to in-person instruction, we also mu
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces 2021 Civic Learning Award Recipients
SACRAMENTO State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today that 32 schools won this year’s Civic Learning Awards, which celebrate public schools’ efforts to engage students in civic learning. This year, the awards emphasize school-based efforts that went uninterrupted despite the pandemic. Now in its ninth year, the awards program is co-sponsored by State Superintendent Thurmond and Chief Justice of California Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye and is part of the Chief Justice s Civic Learning Initiative
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“I’m so proud of these schools for keeping students engaged in civic learning during a pandemic, especially as our country grapples with serious social and civic conversations and actions that can reimagine governance at all levels,” said State Superintendent Thurmond. “I’m a passionate supporter of civics education, which not only engages students, but of
SACRAMENTO State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on Thursday outlined actions, priorities and investments needed to address the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students.
Thurmond laid out critical next steps for ways the California Department of Education, state leaders, and school districts can work together to support student success.
The priorities, discussed during a virtual media briefing Thursday, build on the work of the CDE since the onset of the COVID-19 public health crisis and outline additional goals designed to jump-start schools’ recovery and close equity gaps.
“Our educators, parents, and communities have never worked harder to support students during this crisis, and we all are deeply concerned by the ways the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated impacts on our highest-need students. Our actions and investments moving forward must be bold, meaningful, and targeted to accelerate learning and advance educational equity,” said Thurm