August 23, 2024

Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals:

Welcome Back to School!

I want to welcome you back to school for the 2024–25 year. This time is always one of excitement, hope, and hard work as we work to give our students a strong start to the new year.

Thank you to California’s educators and school staff who have spent long days decorating classrooms and hallways, building class schedules, and making sure that our students and families have everything they need.

To our educators: Thank you for being fierce advocates and relentlessly caring for our children. I’m with you every step of the way, fighting to ensure that our students have healthy and safe learning environments, high-quality instruction, and preparation for bright futures.

Your voices have informed every policy change that I have fought to make, including giving all children access to school meals, adding personal finance education to our high school graduation requirements, and establishing scholarships for new teachers, mental health clinicians, and classified staff who are seeking to serve in our public schools.

We want to hear about your experiences on the ground with our special initiatives. Whether you have been working with Literacy Coaches and Reading Specialists to ensure that all students learn to read by third grade, developing your local Community Schools strategy, implementing Antibias Education to make sure that there is no place for hate in our schools, or working to deliver on the promise of any other one of our Transforming Schools Initiatives, please share input or bright spots by reaching out to Initiatives@cde.ca.gov.

My own life is a testament to the power of a quality public education, and I know that many of you have also entered this noble profession because you have seen the power of public education firsthand, in your own life or in the lives of those close to you.

As you work hard to make this year the best one yet for all our students, know that you have an advocate in Sacramento who is standing right beside you, driving resources and change so that every child in California has access to the kind of opportunity that can only come from a great public school.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction