A Blueprint For Great Schools
Recognizing that California must plan for the future, State Superintendent Tom Torlakson brought together 59 leaders from across California—teachers, parents, community, labor and business leaders—to share their thinking about education in the state. The resulting report, A Blueprint for Great Schools, provides vision and direction for our education system, including a focus on 21st Century learning, meeting the needs of the whole child, and rebuilding the ranks of California’s teachers with resources and respect.
School Financial Emergency
On January 6, 2011, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson declared a state of financial emergency in California’s schools. He launched a department-wide review and urged Californians to come to the aid of schools across the state.
Team California for Healthy Kids
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson has initiated the Team California for Healthy Kids campaign to promote healthy eating and physical activity throughout the day, every day, in schools, before and after school programs, child care programs, and communities. The campaign will focus on making healthy choices the easy choices.
Schools of the Future Initiative (PDF; 1MB; 92pp.)
This statewide group - including education, design, environmental, financial, labor, and construction leaders - created recommendations to Superintendent Torlakson designed to make it easier for schools to build energy efficiency into every project, remove regulatory barriers, and identify potential funding sources. The team will also make recommendations about the California Department of Education's role in the process, Including identifying best practices and providing technical assistance to California's 1,042 school districts.
United States Senate Youth Program
Annual scholarship competition administered by the California Department of Education.
California Teachers of the Year Program
A program designed to honor the profession chosen by 300,000 persons in the state and to heighten the interest in teaching as a career. The program affords the opportunity to bring attention to teachers who successfully employ strategies to increase academic success and narrow the achievement gap with a range of diverse students.
Classified School Employee of the Year Program
A program to identify and honor exemplary classified school employees throughout California within a structure of local, regional, and statewide recognition activities.
National Youth Science Camp
A residential science education program that honors and challenges two graduating high school students from each state. The NYSC is offered at no cost to participants. All educational and recreational programming, as well as meals, lodging, and round-trip air passage on scheduled airlines are provided free of charge to the delegates.
Financial Literacy
The State Superintendent highlights supplemental resources to help parents, students, and educators ensure that California's next generation of consumers are financially responsible.
Appointments
Appointment vacancies, applications, and organizations represented by the California Department of Education.
