The California Department of Education, in conjunction with the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, and in partnership with the California Middle Grades Alliance,1 sponsors the California Schools to Watch™–Taking Center Stage (STW™-TCS) program.
The National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform developed criteria for high performance. The criteria and its scoring rubric are found in the School Self-Study and Rating Rubric (SSRR). The SSRR must be used by STW™-TCS applicants, however, it may be used by non-applicants for school improvement. The SSRR is fully aligned to the California Department of Education’s 12 recommendations2 to ensure success and close the achievement gap for all of California’s middle grades students. Please see the Taking Center Stage—Act II Web portal for more information.
Please download these documents:
- Invitation to Participate (New 11-May-2011; DOC; 92 KB; 2pp.) in the 2011-2012 Schools to Watch™–Taking Center Stage Program by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.
- School Self-Study and Rating Rubric (SSRR) (Revised 01-Mar-2009; DOC; 571 KB; 9pp.).
- School Self-Study and Rating Rubric Tool (New 20-May-2009; DOC; 649 KB; 20pp.): Document and record evidence of your school’s processes and practices.
- School Self-Study and Rating Rubric Tool Manual (New 20-May-2009; DOC; 299 KB; 16pp.): Step by step guidance for completing the SSRR Tool.
1 The California Middle Grades Alliance partners include the California Department of Education, the California League of Middle Schools (STW-TCS - lead organization), the Association of California School Administrators - Middle Grades Council, the California Middle Grades Partnership Network, the California School Boards Association, Advancement by Individual Determination (AVID), Gaining Early Awareness for Undergraduate Programs (GEARUP), and the Middle and High School Subcommittee of the Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee of the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association.
2California Department of Education's 12 recommendations from Taking Center Stage--Act II for developing high performing middle schools are fully aligned to the School Self Study and Rating Rubric from the National Forum’s Schools to Watch™ Program (Outside Source).