Tony Thurmond sworn in for 2nd term as state education leader

Tony Thurmond was sworn in for a second term as State Superintendent of Public Instruction Saturday.

U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona administered the oath of office at today's Los Angeles ceremony.

Thurmond won his bid for a second term despite the criticism his office received for lengthy school closures during the pandemic. California's students learned virtually for over a year, bringing to light the discrepancies in widespread access to technology and the yet determined far-reaching impacts of distance learning.

The challenges remain as Thurmond guides the state's K-12 schools through post-pandemic academic recovery and core curricula reform.

Key tenets during Thurmond's campaign for office included: expanding access to mental healthcare, high-quality tutoring, free meals, teachers' professional development and implicit bias training, and STEM learning opportunities

The State Superintendent's office shares a balance of power over K-12 schools with the governor, state assembly, and the California State Board of Education.