The state Department of Education has announced the winners of its newly established California Gold Ribbon School Awards, including 45 from Orange County.
In total, 373 public middle and high schools were recognized Tuesday for gains in implementing the academic content and performance standards that have been adopted by the State Board of Education for all students, including English learners.
The Gold Ribbon School program was launched this year to recognize exemplary public schools in place of the longstanding California Distinguished Schools designation, which is on hiatus as California transitions to new assessment and accountability systems.
Only middle and high schools were eligible for Gold Ribbon honors in 2015; elementary schools will get their turn in 2016.
And so, the 45 Orange County campuses announced as 2015 California Gold Ribbon Schools are:
Anaheim Union High School District
- Anaheim High
- Brookhurst Junior High
- Dale Junior High
- Loara High
- Savanna High
- South Junior High
- Sycamore Junior High
- Walker Junior High
Capistrano Unified School District
- Carl H. Hankey K-8
Fountain Valley School District
- Harry C. Fulton Middle
- Kazuo Masuda Middle
- Samuel E. Talbert Middle
Fullerton Joint Union High School District
- Buena Park High
- Sonora High
Garden Grove Unified School District
- Bolsa Grande High
- Izaak Walton Intermediate
- La Quinta High
- Pacifica High
- Stephen R. Fitz intermediate
Huntington Beach City School District
- Ethel R. Dwyer Middle
- Issac L. Sowers Middle
Irvine Unified School District
- Northwood High
- University High
La Habra City School District
- Washington Middle
Laguna Beach School District
- Thurston Middle
Los Alamitos Unified School District
- Los Alamitos High
- McAuliffe Middle
- Oak Middle
Newport-Mesa Unified School District
- Early College High
Orange Unified School District
- Canyon High
- Cerro Villa Middle
- El Modena High
- El Rancho Charter
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
- El Dorado High
- Esperanza High
- Kraemer Middle
- Valencia High
- Yorba Linda High
Tustin Unified School District
- A.G. Currie Middle
- Arnold O. Beckman High
- Foothill High
- Hewes Middle
- Orchard Hills Middle
- Pioneer Middle
- Tustin High
Each of the schools above applied for the distinction by documenting a “Model Program” that includes standards-based activities, projects, strategies and practices that positively affect student outcomes and successes; elicits engagement from stakeholders, including parents; resourcefully uses funding; and can be replicated by other schools.
Similar to the California Distinguished Schools program, a team of educators reviewed the applications, and schools with the highest scores were visited by a validation team.
In addition, 38 schools in California received awards for their exemplary arts, career technical education, physical and nutrition education programs, as well as recognition for Title I Academic Achieving Schools. Of those, 26 were in Orange County.
For a full breakdown of schools and awards, check out the CDE news release.
More information about the California Gold Ribbon Schools Program is available on the CDE Schools Recognition web page.