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Tony Thurmond has made early literacy a central part of his tenure as California’s elected schools chief. His office also helps implement laws that will change what Turlock students study, including a personal-finance course that becomes a graduation requirement later this decade.
A social worker who became the state’s schools chief
Thurmond became California’s 28th state superintendent of public instruction on January 7, 2019. Voters reelected him in 2022. The office is nonpartisan on the ballot. His second and final term ends in January 2027.
Thurmond’s mother, a Panamanian immigrant who taught in San Jose, died when he was six. His biography recounts how a cousin he had not previously met raised him and his brother. He credits public schools and government assistance with giving the family a way forward.
At Temple University he served as student body president. He later earned graduate degrees in social work and law and social policy at Bryn Mawr College. Before winning statewide office, he worked as a social worker and served on the Richmond City Council, the West Contra Costa Unified school board and in the Assembly representing the 15th District.
What the state office does for local schools
Thurmond currently heads the California Department of Education. Its work includes administering education programs, distributing state and federal funds, supporting curriculum implementation and publishing school data. California’s education decisions are shared with the governor, Legislature, State Board of Education, county offices and locally elected school boards.
Turlock’s schools have their own district administration and elected board. A problem involving a classroom assignment, a campus employee or a local schedule usually begins there. The state office is more relevant to statewide programs, education rules and complaints that fall within its jurisdiction.
Reading by third grade: the plan and the work ahead
In January 2026 Thurmond announced a five-year literacy plan aimed at closing the third-grade reading gap. It called for dyslexia screening, intensive tutoring, family engagement and specialized training and coaching for educators who teach children to read. The announcement said the department would seek implementation resources with the governor and Legislature.
A May 2026 summit brought education and philanthropic partners together to discuss delivery and funding.
A July 2026 department letter describes $40 million for 2026–27 to support reading-difficulty screening in kindergarten and grades one and two. Parents can ask their school how screening is being carried out, what the results mean and what support follows.
Personal finance becomes part of high school
Thurmond co-sponsored Assembly Bill 2927, authored by then-Assemblymember Kevin McCarty and signed in 2024. The law requires public high schools, including charter schools, to offer a standalone semester of personal finance beginning in 2027–28. Completing it becomes a graduation requirement for the class of 2030–31.
The department’s May 2026 rollout announcement reported that the State Board of Education adopted a curriculum guide in March. The subject gives schools a dedicated place to teach financial decisions students will face after graduation. Readers can follow the state’s implementation resources and ask Turlock High or Pitman High how the course will fit into their local schedules.
The dispute over who should run the department
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 181 on July 10, 2026. Beginning in January 2027, an appointed education commissioner working under the State Board of Education will administer the Education Department. The elected superintendent will remain in office, with a voting role on the State Board and across the three public higher-education governing boards.
Newsom argued that aligning policy decisions and department administration would make responsibilities clearer. Thurmond opposed the proposal when it emerged in January. CalMatters reported that his spokeswoman, Elizabeth Sanders, questioned how it would help families and said the department should stay focused on student results. Public Advocates attorney John Affeldt also raised the concern that more authority would move from a directly elected official to the governor’s appointees.
Thurmond still leads the department during his remaining term. The person voters choose this November will take office under the new structure, rather than inherit exactly the same job he has held.
Public scrutiny of his outside work
In April 2025, CalMatters examined Thurmond’s paid nonprofit work while he held statewide office. Financial disclosures showed outside employment during his tenure, including a period as director of the Berkeley Food Pantry. Such work is legal under California law, but the reporting raised questions about time commitments and potential conflicts for a statewide official.
Thurmond said the additional income helped support his family and that he did the work during evenings and weekends, without interfering with his official duties. The article also reported a Fair Political Practices Commission warning over a late report of a charitable contribution solicited from PG&E.
The November ballot and where families can get help
Thurmond is term-limited. The Secretary of State’s certified November 2026 list names Richard Barrera and Sonja Shaw as the two candidates for superintendent of public instruction.
For local school matters, start with Turlock Unified School District at 1574 East Canal Drive, Turlock. Families at schools outside TUSD should use their own district’s office. State-level questions can go through the CDE contact directory or 916-319-0800; the department is at 1430 N Street, Sacramento.
The department’s complaint resources explain which issues belong in its process. When seeking help, include the school, the issue, the steps already taken locally and the outcome you are requesting.
