This is good news! Although it is too late to listen to the news conference, it is wonderful to hear that California is making a historic investment in community schools! I note that only “credentialed media” were allowed to join, so don’t feel bad about missing an event to which you were not invited!
California Teachers Association June 6, 2022
Contact: NewsDesk@cta.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today, Educators, Parents, Community Organizers, State Education Leaders to Hold Virtual News Conference to Mark California’s Historic Commitment to Community Schools
Governor Newsom, SPI Tony Thurmond and SBE Pres. Linda Darling-Hammond Join Event
BURLINGAME – Transformative change is on the horizon for many public schools after the recent approval of $649 million in grants to create and expand community schools in California – part of California’s seven-year, $3 billion investment in community schools, the largest in the nation.
Today at 11 a.m., CTA President E. Toby Boyd and Vice President David Goldberg will be joined by Governor Gavin Newsom; State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; State Board of Education President Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond; Dr. Karen Hunter Quartz, Director, UCLA Center for Community Schooling; Californians for Justice; and local community, parent, student and educator organizers for a virtual press conference to discuss the significance of California’s investment in community schools. Community schools are particularly relevant after a pandemic that has exposed the racial, economic and learning divides that get in the way of student success.
“The traditional school year may be coming to a close for many students, but our work on community schools is just beginning,” said CTA President E. Toby Boyd. “Educators know it will take resources, support and a community effort to create schools that disrupt poverty. It is going to require meaningful educator, community and parent engagement to give all students the schools they deserve with a robust curriculum, support services and a commitment to shared leadership.”
WHO: The California Teachers Association is hosting a virtual news conference to celebrate California’s historic commitment to community schools, the largest in the nation.
E. Toby Boyd, CTA President
Gavin Newsom, Governor, State of California
Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, President, State Board of Education
David Goldberg, CTA Vice President
Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Dr. Karen Hunter Quartz, Director, UCLA Center for Community Schooling
Joel Vaca, Community School Coordinator, Los Angeles School of Global Studies, Los Angeles
Diana Matias Carillo, 11th grade student, Fremont High School, Oakland, Californians for Justice
Karla Garcia, parent of a rising 6th grader at Palms Elementary School, Los Angeles, and member of Palms Community Schools Leadership Council
Francisco Ortiz, 5th grade teacher and Vice President, United Teachers Richmond
WHAT: Virtual News Conference on California’s transformative commitment to community schools
WHEN: Monday, June 6, 2022
11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Credentialed media only. RSVP to NewsDesk@cta.org for Zoom link to join. Spanish speakers available. Also available via Facebook Live.
Community schools are built on four pillars: 1) providing services for students that address barriers to learning, including health, mental health or social service needs, 2) providing added academic support and real-world learning opportunities like internships, 3) family and community engagement, and 4) collaborative leadership that establishes a culture of shared responsibility.
Take a closer look at CTA’s leadership and advocacy on community schools. More than 268 school districts and county offices of education were recently awarded community schools planning and implementation grants around the state.
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The 310,000-member California Teachers Association is affiliated with the 3-million-member National Education Association.
Claudia Briggs, Interim Communications Manager, California Teachers Association (EST 1863)
916.325.1550 (office) | 916.296.4087 (cell) | cbriggs@cta.org
Diane Ravitch's blog 
This is wonderful news. Investments in California’s ‘human infrastructure’ benefit all citizens, and community schools help build and maintain relationships between those organizations and individuals working tirelessly on behalf of children and families. Kudos.
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Governor Newsom reported last month that California had a HUGE budget surplus and he announced he’d use most of it to increase funding for programs that needed the support.
“California surplus expected to hit unprecedented $97 billion under Newsom’s budget plan”
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-13/california-budget-surplus-swells-to-97-billion-under-newsom-new-plan
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Yes, true. Very true. The corporate “reformers” in the LACOE and the CCSA are, however, trying to convince everyone that the surplus is an illusion and must be spent only on temp labor. They’re crying that the budget sky is actually falling, and California can’t afford to support public education. They’re full of it, as usual.
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Since more than half of the students in US public schools are poor, moving to a community school model makes perfect sense. Vulnerable poor students need smaller classes and more supportive services than middle class students. The schools can be a hub for assess to health services and family outreach. Whatever California does has to be better than ignoring the toll that poverty takes on students and their academic achievement. This is a step in the right direction.
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Well said.
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An awful lot of those schools slated for funding are charter schools (link on the list).
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I’m going to guess that no independent charters are on the list. Community schools in my district must be highly regulated, and independent charters don’t like oversight, fiscal or otherwise. There might be some district affiliated charters on the list. This is HUGE good news!
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leftcoast My longer note went to hold AGAIN. Very frustrating. CBK
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Thank you. I’m a teacher. We have patience extraordinary. I’ll check back once Diane has a chance to override the ridiculous mod algorithms.
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Diane, you can watch the entire news conference here: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreCTA/videos/977217586277291/
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