These San Diego County schools named ‘2024 California Distinguished’

Amber Coakley
·2 min read
5

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A whopping 23 San Diego County Schools were selected for the 2024 California Distinguished Schools Program.

Selected by officials with the California Department of Education (CDE), schools that are recognized were determined to have demonstrated “exemplary achievements.”

Eligibility

CDE said it uses a multiple measures accountability system to identify eligible schools based on their performance and progress.

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Performance on these measures is reported through what’s called the California School Dashboard, which helps to identify school strengths and areas of improvement.

Schools were selected based on the following indicators: demonstrating excellence and growth in academic achievement and ensuring a positive school climate.

Additionally, CDE said schools recognized for closing the achievement gap “enroll at least 40% of their students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and achieve accelerated academic growth for one or more historically underserved student groups.”

Elementary schools, middle and high schools are recognized in alternate years, so awardees hold the title for two years.

Local schools selected

Here are the San Diego County schools — 23 in total — that have been recognized in the 2024 California Distinguished Schools Program:

  • Aviara Oaks Middle, Carlsbad Unified

  • Spring Valley Academy, La Mesa-Spring Valley

  • El Camino High, Oceanside Unified

  • Mesa Verde Middle, Poway Unified

  • Oak Valley Middle, Poway Unified

  • Challenger Middle, San Diego Unified

  • De Portola Middle, San Diego Unified

  • High Tech High, San Diego Unified

  • Kearny College Connections, San Diego Unified

  • Kearny Eng Innov & Design, San Diego Unified

  • Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology, San Diego Unified

  • KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy, San Diego Unified

  • Magnolia Science Academy San Diego, San Diego Unified

  • Marston Middle, San Diego Unified

  • Muirlands Middle, San Diego Unified

  • School for Entrepreneurship and Technology, San Diego Unified

  • Standley Middle, San Diego Unified

  • Taft Middle, San Diego Unified

  • Canyon Crest Academy, San Dieguito Union High

  • Pacific Trails Middle, San Dieguito Union High

  • High Tech Middle North County, SBC – High Tech High

  • Vista Magnet Middle School of Technology, Science, and Math, Vista Unified

“My experience has been that when you raise expectations, kids will meet them. When you have a belief system that kids can do anything, good things happen. Especially since we control the conditions and have the ability to eliminate opportunity and access gaps,” said San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Gothold.

“These 2024 California Distinguished Schools are showing success in providing academic guidance as well as social and emotional support for students, removing barriers that have held too many of our students back for so long and creating schools where students have the opportunities and resources necessary to thrive in school and in life,” Dr. Gothold continued.

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