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California Department of Education
News Release
California Department of Education
News Release
Release: #21-35
April 27, 2021
Contact: Communications
E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov
Phone: 916-319-0818

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Additional 2021 California Distinguished Schools

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today named an additional 121 schools as 2021 California Distinguished Schools.  In an announcement on March 18, the California Department of Education (CDE) awarded the honor to 102 schools and today that list has been broadened to include 120 additional California senior high schools and one more middle school.

The California Department of Education (CDE) identifies and awards eligible schools based on performance and progress on state indicators specified on the California School Dashboard, the state’s accountability and continuous improvement system. Indicators include test scores, suspension rates, and conditions and climate. After a review of the data, CDE identified these additional schools for this year’s honor.

“These additional high schools join the ranks of all 2021 California Distinguished Schools who are being recognized for this distinction because of their exceptional record to provide for all students and their commitment to data-driven efforts that prepare students for college and career,” Thurmond said. “Our thanks go to the entire communities surrounding these schools, including the teachers, administrators, and classified employees as well as the students and their families who, through teamwork, all accomplished this impressive achievement together.”

Sponsored by the CDE and presented by California Casualty, the Distinguished Schools Program recognizes schools for their excellent work in one of two categories: closing the achievement gap and achieving exceptional student performance. Elementary schools and middle and high schools are recognized in alternate years; therefore, awardees hold the title for two years. The list of additional schools is attached at the end of this press release.

Distinguished Schools represent examples of not just excellent teaching, learning, and collaboration, but also highly successful, data-driven school efforts ranging from professional development to positive behavior intervention.

To view the full list of 2021 California Distinguished Schools and for more program information, please visit the CDE California Distinguished Schools web page.

Additional 2021 California Distinguished Schools
County District School
Alameda Alameda Unified Alameda High
Alameda Alameda Unified Alameda Science and Technology Institute
Alameda Fremont Unified John F. Kennedy High
Alameda New Haven Unified James Logan High
Alameda Oakland Unified Oakland School for the Arts
Alameda Oakland Unified Oakland Unity High
Alameda Pleasanton Unified Amador Valley High
Alameda Pleasanton Unified Foothill High
Contra Costa Acalanes Union High Acalanes High
Contra Costa Acalanes Union High Campolindo High
Contra Costa Acalanes Union High Miramonte High
Contra Costa John Swett Unified John Swett High
Contra Costa San Ramon Valley Unified California High
Contra Costa San Ramon Valley Unified Dougherty Valley High
Contra Costa San Ramon Valley Unified Monte Vista High
Contra Costa West Contra Costa Unified Middle College High
Fresno Clovis Unified Clovis North High
Fresno Fresno Unified Design Science Middle College High
Fresno Fresno Unified Phillip J Patino School of Entrepreneurship
Fresno Fresno Unified University High
Fresno Kings Canyon Joint Unified Reedley High
Fresno Kings Canyon Joint Unified Reedley Middle College High
Los Angeles ABC Unified Richard Gahr High
Los Angeles Alhambra Unified Mark Keppel High
Los Angeles Alhambra Unified San Gabriel High
Los Angeles Antelope Valley Union High SOAR High (Students On Academic Rise)
Los Angeles Covina-Valley Unified South Hills High
Los Angeles El Segundo Unified El Segundo High
Los Angeles Glendale Unified Anderson W. Clark Magnet High
Los Angeles Hawthorne Hawthorne Math and Science Academy
Los Angeles Lawndale Elementary Environmental Charter High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Alliance Collins Family College-Ready High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Alliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Environmental Science High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Alliance Margaret M. Bloomfield Technology Academy High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Alliance Tennenbaum Family Technology High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Downtown Business High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Ednovate - USC Hybrid High College Prep
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Granada Hills Charter High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Grover Cleveland Charter High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified High Tech LA
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified John Marshall Senior High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Linda Esperanza Marquez High A Huntington Park Institute of Applied Medicine
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Math and Science College Preparatory
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Math, Science, & Technology Magnet Academy at Roosevelt High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Orthopaedic Hospital
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified PUC Lakeview Charter High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Social Justice Leadership Academy at Esteban E. Torres High No. 5
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified STEM Academy at Bernstein High
Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Taft Charter High
Los Angeles Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Palos Verdes Peninsula High
Los Angeles Rowland Unified John A. Rowland High
Los Angeles Torrance Unified North High
Los Angeles Torrance Unified South High
Los Angeles Whittier Union High La Serna High
Los Angeles Whittier Union High Pioneer High
Los Angeles William S. Hart Union High Academy of the Canyons
Los Angeles William S. Hart Union High Golden Valley High
Los Angeles William S. Hart Union High West Ranch High
Los Angeles William S. Hart Union High William S. Hart High
Los Angeles Wiseburn Unified Da Vinci Science
Marin Tamalpais Union High Tamalpais High
Monterey Carmel Unified Carmel High
Nevada Nevada Joint Union High William & Marian Ghidotti High
Orange Anaheim Union High John F. Kennedy High
Orange Capistrano Unified Aliso Niguel High
Orange Fullerton Joint Union High Troy High
Orange Garden Grove Unified La Quinta High
Orange Irvine Unified Northwood High
Orange Irvine Unified University High
Orange Newport-Mesa Unified Early College High
Orange Ocean View Vista View Middle
Orange Santa Ana Unified Middle College High
Orange Tustin Unified Arnold O. Beckman High
Placer Rocklin Unified Whitney High
Placer Roseville Joint Union High Antelope High
Placer Roseville Joint Union High Granite Bay High
Placer Roseville Joint Union High Oakmont High
Riverside Alvord Unified Hillcrest High
Riverside Corona-Norco Unified John F. Kennedy High
Riverside Desert Sands Unified Palm Desert High
Riverside Lake Elsinore Unified Temescal Canyon High
Riverside Perris Union High Paloma Valley High
Sacramento Elk Grove Unified Pleasant Grove High
Sacramento Folsom-Cordova Unified Folsom High
Sacramento Folsom-Cordova Unified Vista del Lago High
Sacramento Natomas Unified Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep
Sacramento Sacramento City Unified West Campus
San Bernardino Fontana Unified Summit High
San Bernardino Redlands Unified Redlands Senior High
San Bernardino San Bernardino City Unified Middle College High
San Diego Carlsbad Unified Sage Creek High
San Diego Escondido Union High Classical Academy High
San Diego San Diego Unified Kearny Digital Media & Design
San Diego San Diego Unified Mira Mesa High
San Diego San Diego Unified Scripps Ranch High
San Diego San Dieguito Union High Canyon Crest Academy
San Diego San Dieguito Union High Torrey Pines High
San Diego San Marcos Unified Mission Hills High
San Diego Sweetwater Union High Hilltop Senior High
San Diego Vista Unified Mission Vista High
San Francisco San Francisco Unified Lowell High
San Joaquin Stockton Unified Health Careers Academy
San Joaquin Stockton Unified Stockton Early College Academy
San Joaquin Tracy Joint Unified Merrill F. West High
San Mateo Sequoia Union High Carlmont High
Santa Clara Campbell Union High Branham High
Santa Clara East Side Union High Evergreen Valley High
Santa Clara East Side Union High KIPP San Jose Collegiate
Santa Clara Fremont Union High Cupertino High
Santa Clara Fremont Union High Monta Vista High
Santa Cruz Santa Cruz County Office of Education Pacific Collegiate Charter
Shasta Anderson Union High West Valley High
Solano Fairfield-Suisun Unified Angelo Rodriguez High
Sonoma Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified Credo High
Tulare Tulare County Office of Education University Preparatory High
Ventura Oak Park Unified Oak Park High
Ventura Oxnard Union High Rancho Campana High

# # # #

Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Last Reviewed: Thursday, February 29, 2024
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