Tony Thurmond is California’s 28th and current State Superintendent of Public Instruction. He has been a lifelong educator, public school parent, and public servant who has served the people of California for sixteen years in elected office. At every step, Tony has kept California's kids as his top priority. He knows how to get things done and get results.
We have a crisis of accountability in California’s charter schools, with an estimated $149 million in charter school fraud reported in the state. As Superintendent, I will systematically eliminate bad actors who seek to profit off the education of California’s kids. This year I will co-author legislation that would make for-profit charter schools illegal, and I have supported legislation to increase the transparency and accountability for taxpayer-funded charter schools, holding them to the same standards as our traditional public school districts. And like public schools, I also support efforts to mandate that charter schools disclose if any board members have a financial stake in school spending. Additionally, I will require charter schools to be fully transparent about their enrollment policies. We must end the practice of charter schools keeping out English Learners and students with special needs. I am the only candidate for State Superintendent who is fully committed to reforming charter schools and ensuring they are held accountable. It is essential that all California schools follow the same standards of transparency and accountability when it comes to disclosing how public money is being spent. As Superintendent, I will: â— Make for-profit charter schools illegal â— Increase the transparency and accountability for taxpayer-funded charter schools, requiring public hearings and disclosures of conflicts of interest