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California Department of Education
Official Letter
California Department of Education
Official Letter
September 14, 2023

Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

Improve Literacy Skills and Unlock Potential with Freedom Schools® Webinar

As educators work to address pervasive student needs exacerbated by the pandemic, I invite you to join the California Department of Education (CDE) for an important virtual discussion, Improve Literacy Skills and Unlock Potential with Freedom Schools®, on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at 11 a.m.

This webinar will provide information about Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools® (https://www.childrensdefense.org/programs/cdf-freedom-schools/), a culturally responsive K–12 model that engages families in their student’s learning journey through literacy-enriched activities that improve student outcomes, address chronic absenteeism, and unlock student potential. Attendees will learn about the program and hear the specific ways Freedom Schools® have influenced literacy and other student outcomes. Participants will also learn about funding opportunities, including Expanded Learning Opportunities Program funds. Additionally, participants will learn how to apply to become a Freedom Schools® site on or before the October 2, 2023, deadline. More information is available on the CDF Sponsor a CDF Freedom Schools® Site web page at https://www.childrensdefense.org/get-involved/support-our-work/.

To drive this conversation, I will be joined by Thomas Harvey, CDF California’s Executive Director; administrators from California schools who will speak about their experiences with Freedom Schools®; and Joshua Brady, Education Administrator in the CDE Expanded Learning Division’s Grant Awards, Monitoring, and Evaluation Office, who will discuss funding opportunities.

For help exploring CDF Freedom Schools®, please contact Dr. Bonnie Garcia, Statewide Literacy Co-Director, Superintendent’s Initiatives Branch, at bogarcia@cde.ca.gov. You will also find more resources on the CDE Expanded Learning Opportunities Program web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ex/elopinfo.asp.

I hope you will join us to learn more about how these resources can improve student outcomes in your local educational agency.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Last Reviewed: Monday, August 11, 2025

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