State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, during a Southern California tour this past week, said his department will continue its work to support the immediate emergency response and long-term recovery of school communities impacted by the devastating wildfires.
Recognizing the central role that schools play in community recovery, Superintendent Thurmond is working with the assistance of multiple public and private partners to ensure children and families have access to safe, supportive environments.
“Schools are the heartbeat of any community’s ability to recover as they provide stable and safe learning spaces for children,” Thurmond said. “That’s why our team has had boots on the ground since the beginning of this tragedy, and we are committed to remaining side-by-side with local leaders to assist in the recovery.”
The California Department of Education (CDE) and Thurmond have worked to secure resources and provide immediate support to impacted school communities. These include:
Emergency Housing for School Staff: a partnership with Airbnb.org has been finalized to secure immediate, short-term housing for school staff in the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD), ensuring they have the shelter and stability needed to support students and families effectively.
Essential Resources Distribution: Superintendent Thurmond and the CDE have partnered with the nonprofit SupplyBank.org to collect and distribute donations and emergency resources to school communities that are facing the most significant impacts of the wildfires.
Replacement of Lost Educational Materials: The CDE is collaborating with curriculum providers and tech manufacturers to secure donations to replace school materials damaged or destroyed in the fires.
Support for Mental Health Services: Recognizing the emotional toll of this disaster, Superintendent Thurmond and the CDE are working to secure access to mental health services for children, families, and school staff to aid recovery.
Assistance for FEMA Applications: To date, $13 million in immediate assistance has been distributed to families for emergency housing. The CDE is ensuring school communities have the information they need to apply for further Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance.
School Attendance Flexibility: To help schools avoid funding losses due to closures caused by wildfires, the CDE is streamlining the J-13A waiver process for charter schools, school districts, and county offices of education. J-13A waivers are used in cases of emergency school closures to prevent the loss of attendance-based funding. More information can be found on the CDE Form J-13A web page.
Temporary School Facilities: CDE staff have joined the infrastructure and schools task force at the Joint Field Operations Center in Pasadena to coordinate the establishment of temporary school facilities and begin rebuilding efforts for damaged or destroyed schools.
“Our children, families, and school staff are enduring incredible challenges, and it is our responsibility to stand with them every step of the way,” said Thurmond, who has prioritized being on the ground in Southern California since the devastating impacts of the wildfires first began.
Earlier this month, Thurmond assisted in food distribution at PUSD, where he met with impacted students and families to distribute free meals, learn more about the support needs of impacted schools and families, and offer encouragement and assistance.
He also met with PUSD leadership and all school principals to hear about local needs for support. He also toured Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet School, which is serving students displaced by the fire destruction of Palisades Charter Elementary School, with Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, along with leaders from United Teachers Los Angeles and the Service Employees International Union – Local 99. In addition, he met with officials from FEMA and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to discuss emergency response needs of local schools and advocate for emergency assistance for families, including mixed status families.
