Superintendent for Public Instruction Tony Thurmond's plans for English learning online

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in California, California State Superintendent for Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has been the man in charge of having to develop and execute a virtual learning education plan for students across the state. For Thurmond this plan has had to include finding the best way to teach students in the State of California online no matter the students ability to access technology, knowledge of a school topic, or ability to understand the English language.

Superintendent Thurmond’s virtual learning plan that he came up with back in March of 2020 and revised in July of 2020 covers many topics from how long the students need to be in class to how much time the teacher should spend on each subject. Although Superintendent Thurmond and the California Department of Education knew that with a very diverse student population in the State of California one virtual learning plan would not fit all students' learning abilities.

With 18.63 percent of students in the State of California being English language learners the California Department of Education and Superintendent Thurmond had to come up with a plan on how to give English language learner students the best education online. This plan for how to successfully teach English language learners online because they might not get the same quality of English language lessons online as they would in the classroom. This virtual learning online plan for English language learners includes outside of school resources that students can use to receive English language instruction, the amount of time teachers should spend on English language learning instruction, and how teachers should give English language learning instruction whether that be in small groups or in full class. Superintendent Thurmond and the Department of Education’s virtual learning plan for English language learners is a way to give all students a quality education online.

Although for parents and students worried about not being able to get the same English language education online as they would in a classroom there is some hope for returning to the classroom. Superintendent Thurmond in July released guidelines reopen schools for in person learning. Many of reopening of schools though has been delayed due Governor Gavin Newsom putting the state back into a statewide stay-at-home order in December to January. Now with the state being out of the statewide stay-at-home order schools can slowly start reopening and English language learners can get the same instruction as they would in a classroom.