“Planting Seeds, Inspiring Students and Future Educators” is theme that parallels California’s growing and thriving Community Schools Movement

BURLINGAME – The California Teachers Association launched a series of ads today spotlighting the state’s nation-leading efforts in creating Community Schools and the importance of the shared leadership and decision-making that allows those schools to create new and successful opportunities for students and local communities.

The ads launch as today Californians mark the 41st celebration of California’s Day of The Teacher, a day set aside to pay tribute to the daily contributions and excellence of the state’s educators. This year’s theme is “Planting Seeds, Inspiring Students and Future Educators,” a nod to educators’ critical role not only in nurturing and inspiring their students, but as mentors and guides for new and rising members of the profession. This week (May 8-12) is also National Teacher Appreciation Week. CTA also celebrates National School Nurse Day, May 10, and CTA Education Support Professionals Day, May 16.

“Today, we honor and pay tribute to California educators and school nurses in our neighborhood public schools and colleges for their extraordinary work with students in schools across the state, and for their vital role in growing and mentoring the next generation of educators,” said CTA President E. Toby Boyd, a kindergarten educator in Elk Grove. “As California struggles with a teacher shortage crisis, thousands of educators are forging ahead, inspiring students, planting seeds, modeling both excellence and a love of teaching, and encouraging their students to enter this vital profession.”

Many of the hard-working educators we honor on Day of the Teacher have led California’s Community Schools movement. With the support of the Legislature and Governor Newsom, the state is now leading the nation with a $4 billion investment in the development and expansion of Community Schools.

Many school districts are already well along the path to successful implementation of this thriving shared-leadership model featured in the new ads, a school governance model that includes parents, educators, students, and community members working together to better meet the needs of students and families. However, in some districts, educators are challenging and fighting back against administrative roadblocks being thrown up that undermine the promise of Community Schools.

“Educators, parents and students are reimagining public education in their local communities through Community Schools,” said CTA Vice President David Goldberg. “And while many school districts like Richmond, Montebello, Los Angeles, Anaheim and others are embracing the power that lies in shared decision-making, some districts like the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), where educators are on strike in support of community schools, are putting up roadblocks that negatively impact students. We call on OUSD to get back to the table and bargain in good faith to support educators, students and families.”

Community schools have proven to foster lower rates of absenteeism, better work habits, grades, test scores, and behaviors, high graduation rates, and higher enrollment in college-prep courses. Learn more about Community Schools and discover ways to reimagine public education across the state.

“As we honor educators and nurses today, we call out the critical role they also play in community schools and in providing students with the wide-ranging opportunities and supports they need and deserve,” said Boyd. “Share our ads with your local educators, parents and families. Join CTA in reimagining public education and meeting the needs of students, one community at a time.”

California Day of the Teacher is modeled after “El Día del Maestro” which is observed in Mexico and Latin-American countries. California Day of the Teacher arose out of legislation co-sponsored by CTA and the Association of Mexican American Educators in 1982. On Thursday, State Senator Susan Rubio will introduce a resolution on the Senate floor celebrating and supporting the Day of the Teacher.

Oakland-based artist and social justice activist Favianna Rodriguez created CTA’s 2023 Day of the Teacher poster. Download the poster and other digital assets.

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The 310,000-member California Teachers Association is affiliated with the 3 million-member National Education Association.