Coronavirus (COVID-19) SSPI Communications

News releases and correspondence from Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction related to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

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News Releases

November 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Plan to Transform California Schools, Embarks on Statewide Listening Tour (Posted 17-November-2021)

State Superintendent Thurmond Leads Task Force and Programs to Support Black Student Achievement (Posted 15-November-2021)

State Board of Education Acts to Improve Teacher Quality, Update Arts and World Language Instruction, Clarify Local Accountability and Increase Support for Vulnerable Students (Posted 4-November-2021)

October 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Applauds Expanded Learning Leaders in Honor of National Lights On Afterschool (Posted 28-October-2021)

"Get to Know CDE" Virtual Open House to Feature Work to Confront 21st Century Education Challenges—Global Pandemic, the Opportunity Gap, Wildfire Recovery (Posted 22-October-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Co-Chairs for Task Force to Improve Black Student Achievement (Posted 14-October-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Launches New Vaccine Outreach Effort with Community Health Network AltaMed, Expanding on Prior Work Protecting Vulnerable Students, Families (Posted 11-October-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces the ‘Angst: Building Resilience’ Statewide Initiative Available to All Public Middle and High Schools in California to Assist in Addressing Student Mental Health Needs That Have Increased During COVID (Posted 7-October-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Joins Governor for Early Childhood Legislation Announcements (Posted 5-October-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Applauds Student Vaccine Mandate Announcement as Pivotal Moment for California Schools (Posted 1-October-2021)

September 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Nominates and State Board Approves Mary Nicely as Chief Deputy of the California Department of Education (Posted 9-September-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Delivers Donations and Meets with Educational Leaders Affected by the Caldor Fire (Posted 3-September-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond to Meet with Students, Families, and Education Leaders Affected by Caldor Fire (Posted 1-September-2021)

August 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Visits Girls Academic Leadership Academy in Los Angeles to Celebrate First Day of School (Posted 17-August-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Steps Up Outreach Efforts on Vaccine Urgency With Virtual Town Hall (Posted 12-August-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Visits Horace Mann Elementary in Oakland to Celebrate First Day of School (Posted 9-August-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces 2021 National Youth Science Camp Delegates (Posted 3-August-2021)

July 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Convenes Panel of Health and Education Experts to Showcase Ways for Schools to Channel Dollars into Safe In-Person Learning (Posted 29-July-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Hosts Teen Talk on Vaccine Awareness and Safe Return to Campus (Posted 22-July-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Hosts First American Indian Education Oversight Committee Meeting Since 2017 (Posted 22-July-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Applauds Comprehensive Education Budget Package, Universal Investments for Students, Families, and Educators in California (Posted 16-July-2021)

June 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Champions Key Components of California Budget (Posted 29-June-2021)

State Superintendent Thurmond Names Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dolores Huerta, and Karen Korematsu to Serve as California's Education Ambassadors (Posted 15-June-2021)

California Department of Education Announces First of its Kind Statewide Online Community of Practice and Collaboration Network for Educators (Posted 4-June-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces New Statewide Benefit Program to Help Feed Children Amid Child Care Closures (Posted 2-June-2021)

May 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Visits Eisenhower Elementary School Open for Safe, In-Person Instruction Using Model Practices (Posted 27-May- 2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces 2021 California Classified School Employees of the Year (Posted 17-May-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Praises the Highest Level of Funding Ever for Public Education in Governor’s Budget Update (Posted 14-May-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Visits San Diego County Schools Open for In-Person Learning that Utilize Strong Safety Measures and Social-Emotional Supports (Posted 12-May-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Praises Governor’s Proposed $15 Billion for Schools Plan for Putting Needs of Students and Families First (Posted 12-May-2021)

April 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Congratulates High-Performing Middle Schools Selected as 'Schools to Watch’ (Posted 22-April-2021)

California Department of Education Releases 2020–21 Statewide School Enrollment Data (Posted 22-April-2021)

New Equity Bill to Level the Educational Playing Field Advances with Bipartisan Senate Education Committee Support (Posted 14-April-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces 2021 Model School Attendance Review Board Winners (Posted 14-April-2021)

U.S. Department of Education Approves California’s Assessments Plan (Posted 17-April-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Issues Statement in Response to Governor’s Goal to Fully Reopen California as Early as June 15 News Release (Posted 06-April-2021)

March 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Joins Educators and Experts to Discuss Strategies for Sustaining Safe In-Person Learning (Posted 25-March-2021)

$6 Billion in Reopening and Expanded Learning Funding Amounts for TK-12 Schools Now Available (Posted 19-March-2021)

Governor Newsom and State Superintendent Thurmond Announce Deployment of up to 3 Million Free Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Tests to Help High-Needs Schools Safely Reopen Classrooms (Posted 18-March-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces $240,000 in Grants to Address Inequities that Deepened During Pandemic (Posted 11-March-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Underscores How Rapid COVID Testing Can Facilitate Safe Reopening of Schools (Posted 10-March -2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Issues Statement in Response to Legislative Deal on School Reopening (Posted 1st-March-2021)

Feburary 2021 News Releases

State Board of Education Votes to Seek Federal Assessment, Accountability And Reporting Flexibilities Due to Impact of COVID-19 on Schools (Posted 24-Feb-2021)

State Superintendent Thurmond Announces New Grading Guidance for Student Progress in Distance Learning (Posted 22-Feb-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces $1 Million Competition to Spur Innovation that Closes the Digital Divide for California Students, Educators and Families (Posted 2-Feb-2021)

January 2021 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Applications for Summer Meal Programs (Posted 29-Jan-2021)

Strategies to Address Pandemic’s Impact on Student Learning Focus of State Superintendent’s “Pathways to Recovery” Event (Posted 21-Jan-2021)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Issues Statement in Response to Governor Newsom’s Proposed 2021 Education Budget (Posted 8-Jan-2021)

2020 News Releases

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Results of 2017–19 Biennial Statewide California Healthy Kids Survey (Posted 18-Dec-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Outlines Actions, Priorities, and Investments Needed to Address Pandemic’s Impact on Students (Posted 17-Dec-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Mini Grants Now Available to Educators to Address Equity and Opportunity Gaps (Posted 16-Dec-2020)

California Department of Education Releases 2019-20 High School Graduation and Dropout Rates (Posted 11-Dec-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Additional Educator Trainings and Grants to Address Equity and Learning Gaps (Posted 08-Dec-2020)

State Board of Education Approves Shorter Standardized Tests to Give Schools Flexibility Amidst COVID-19 Uncertainties (Posted 06-Nov-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces $45 Million in Grant Funding to Support At-Risk Students and Their Families at Community Schools (Posted 30-Oct-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Donation of 500,000 Face Masks by General Motors to Aid Safe School Reopening (Posted 22-Oct-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Statewide Fundraising Drive to Support Schools Impacted by Wildfires (Posted 15-Oct-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces “Tools for Teachers” Instructional Resources Website for California Educators (Posted 30-Sept-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces More Than 500,000 Additional Computing Devices Made Available to California Schools Amid Worldwide Technology Shortage (Posted 30-Sept-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Issues Statement in Response to California State Auditor's Report on Youth Suicide Prevention (Posted 29-Sept-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Convenes California School Leaders to Review Public Health Guidance for Safe Learning (Posted 09-Sept-2020)

LivingWorks Virtual Youth Summit Shines a Light on Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention (Posted 09-Sept-2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Major Step to Assess English Language Proficiency During Distance Learning (Posted 01-Sept-2020)

Superintendent's Letters

Release of Guidance Document and Upcoming Webinar (Posted 05-Jun-2020)
Letter to Education Leaders and Stakeholders regarding release of our guidance document and upcoming webinar.
2019 Novel Coronavirus Guidance Update for Schools and School Districts (Posted 05-Mar-2020)
Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and Principals regarding an update on 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance and a Coronavirus informational document to share with county office, districts, and schools.
- Attachment: 2019 Novel Coronavirus Information (Posted 05-Mar-2020
2019 Novel Coronavirus Guidance for Schools and School Districts (Posted 14-Feb-2020)
Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals regarding the coronavirus and guidance for K-12 schools and school districts.

Questions: California Department of Education | COVID19@cde.ca.gov

Last Reviewed: Friday, February 2, 2024

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