At the California Department of Education’s RTO Listening Session on June 9, 2025, Superintendent Thurmond confirmed that the CA Department of Education (CDE) is NOT going back to the office four days per week!
Superintendent Thurmond affirmed his commitment to allow CDE staff to continue the current hybrid telework schedule for the foreseeable future, reiterating that he had been swayed by the personal stories that staff shared during the office hours he held.
Over twenty CDE staff provided comments to Superintendent Thurmond and his senior staff during today’s listening session focusing on how telework has made their teams more productive and allowed them to better serve the field. Staff also expressed that they need a final announcement that the current schedule will continue so that they can plan their lives. Another concern expressed that has not yet been resolved is CDE leadership’s decision to establish the mileage exemption at 75 miles or more, rather than 50 miles or more like other state agencies. Superintendent Thurmond’s staff said that they would be reexamining the mileage exemption policy again.
The meeting concluded with Superintendent Thurmond and his leadership team committing their support for continuing the current hybrid telework schedule and identifying next steps.
Superintendent Thurmond shared the following next steps:
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- The Superintendent will convene a “Process Improvement Joint Labor Management Committee (PI-JLMC)” workgroup with rank-and-file staff representatives and leadership to come up with recommendations.
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- The Superintendent confirmed this PI-JLMC workgroup will be established this week.
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- Leadership said that there would be a process for collecting best practices for effective telework as part of this effort.
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- The decision to continue the current hybrid telework schedule (two days in the office and three days remote) will be finalized once the workgroup that Superintendent Thurmond is convening puts forward best practices for telework.