Education Roundup for the Week Ending March 25, 2011
SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today issues this week's Education Roundup featuring education-related announcements of public interest.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Funding
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson released the following statement regarding the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement that California will receive more than $10.8 million next school year, to provide grants for elementary schools to offer fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to students:
"Studies show when children eat balanced diets, are physically active, avoid dangerous behavior, and are surrounded by people who care about them, they then will perform better academically. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables are part of that equation for succeeding in school. This additional funding will help promote a healthy lifestyle that goes hand in hand with my Team California for Healthy Kids campaign to help students adopt the good habits that will help them succeed in the classroom today, and help them stay healthy over a lifetime.
"Also, this federal program goes a long way in helping support our state’s economy by purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers. California produces more than half the nation’s fresh fruits and is the leading producer of fresh vegetables. Therefore, this program benefits public health, school nutrition, and California’s agriculture. I am very grateful to the Obama Administration and the USDA for providing us this funding at a time when schools are facing massive budget cuts."
For more information on the USDA's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, please visit USDA Expands Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Schools Across the Nation (Outside Source).
New Web Resource on School Financial Emergency
The California Department of Education has created a "School Financial Emergency" Web page to help keep the public up to date on the dire fiscal situation facing the state’s public school system.
The public may get the latest information on educator layoff notices, budget cuts, and the state of financial emergency declared by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.
For more information, please visit School Financial Emergency - Hot Topics.
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Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100