Four middle schools in Orange County had earned renewed statuses in the California Schools to Watch program.
The program is sponsored by the California Department of Education, the California League of Schools and the California Middle Grades Alliance, in association with the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.
To earn the designation, schools have to complete an extensive application and host a site visit by middle school experts. Campuses can retain their status after being re-evaluated every three years.
On March 8, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that 52 high-performing middle grades schools have been recognized by the state program and 36 campuses reapplied to the program.
Bell Intermediate School in the Garden Grove Unified School District, Bernice Ayer Middle School in the Capistrano Unified School District, Ladera Vista Junior High School of the Arts in the Fullerton School District and Pioneer Middle School in the Tustin Unified School District reapplied for the designation, having demonstrated sustained progress and received re-designations as 2024 California Schools to Watch.
“Congratulations to these exceptional schools for making a great impact on students,” Thurmond said. “I want to thank the staff, administrators, teachers, families at these schools for ensuring all students get the education they need to realize their potential. These schools are outstanding examples of how educational innovation and a dedicated school community can close opportunity gaps and keep students engaged and learning through a critical stage in their K–12 journey.”
Here’s a breakdown of the 2024 “California Schools to Watch,” with our local honorees in bold:
Newly Designated 2024 California Schools to Watch
- Bret Harte Middle School, Hayward Unified School District, Alameda County
- Bud Carson Middle School, Hawthorne Elementary School District, Los Angeles County
- Cato Middle School, Bakersfield City School District, Kern County
- Cedarlane Academy, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Cesar Chavez Middle School, Lynwood Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Edgewood IB School, West Covina Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Fairgrove Academy, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Laguna Middle School, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, San Luis Obispo County
- Mesa Robles Middle School, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Mesa View Middle School, Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District, San Bernardino County
- Rivera Middle Schools, El Rancho Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Vaca Peña Middle School, Vacaville Unified School District, Solano County
- Valinda School of Academics, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Walnut Grove Intermediate School, West Covina Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- William G. Jehue Middle School, Rialto Unified School District, San Bernardino County
- Winton Middle School, Hayward Unified School District, Alameda County
Re-designated 2024 California Schools to Watch
- Atascadero Middle School, Atascadero Unified School District, San Luis Obispo County
- Bell Intermediate School, Garden Grove Unified School District, Orange County
- Bernice Ayer Middle School, Capistrano Unified School District, Orange County
- Calavera Hills Middle School, Carlsbad Unified School District, San Diego County
- Castaic Middle School, Castaic Union Elementary School District, Los Angeles County
- Clark Intermediate School, Clovis Unified School District, Fresno County
- De Anza Magnet School, El Centro Elementary School District, Imperial County
- De Anza Middle School, Ontario Montclair School District, San Bernardino County
- Enrique Camarena Jr. High School, Calexico Unified School District, Imperial County
- Fedde International Studies Academy, ABC Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Frank M. Wright Middle School, Imperial Unified School District, Imperial County
- Fruitvale Junior High School, Fruitvale Elementary School District, Kern County
- Golden Valley Middle School, San Bernardino City Unified School District, San Bernardino County
- Granite Ridge Intermediate School, Clovis Unified School District, Fresno County
- Griffiths Middle School, Downey Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Hollydale Middle School, Paramount Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- John Burroughs Middle School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Katherine L. Albiani Middle School, Elk Grove Unified School District, Sacramento County
- Kings Canyon Middle School, Fresno Unified School District, Fresno County
- Ladera Vista Junior High School of the Arts, Fullerton School District, Orange County
- Lakeside Middle School, Little Lake City School District, Los Angeles County
- Liberty Middle School, Lemoore Union Elementary School District, Kings County
- Live Oak Middle School, Live Oak Unified School District, Sutter County
- Los Osos Middle School, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, San Luis Obispo County
- Luther Burbank Middle School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Mary R. Stauffer Middle School, Downey Unified School District, Los Angeles County
- Mountain View Middle School, Moreno Valley Unified School District, Riverside County
- Pioneer Middle School, Tustin Unified School District, Orange County
- San Marcos Middle School, San Marcos Unified School District, San Diego County
- Sequoia Middle School, Fontana Unified School District, San Bernardino County
- Turlock Junior High School, Turlock School District, Stanislaus County
- Twentynine Palms Junior High School, Morongo Unified School District, San Bernardino County
- Union Middle School, Union Elementary School District, Santa Clara County
- Vanguard Preparatory School, Apple Valley School District, San Bernardino County
- Vina Danks Middle School, Ontario Montclair School District, San Bernardino County
- Woodrow Wilson Jr. High School, El Centro Elementary School District, Imperial County
This year’s award-winning schools will be recognized by the state superintendent at the California League of Educators Celebration and Conference in Monterey on March 8 through March 9.
For more information about the program, visit the California Schools to Watch webpage.