Release: #04-83
September 17, 2004

Contact: Tina Jung
E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov
Phone: 916-319-0818

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today congratulated 33 public and six private schools in California selected as 2004 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) — Blue Ribbon Schools by U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige.

"The educators and students in these schools, as well as the children's parents, deserve a lot of praise for working very hard to receive this national recognition," said O'Connell. "This shows that our efforts to increase rigor in California schools is working, so students can receive a world-class education that will carry them through to college or careers."

NCLB — Blue Ribbon Schools is a national recognition program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The 21-year old program encourages states to nominate public kindergarten through grade twelve schools that are either academically superior or demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement. O'Connell nominated the schools last December for the federal program. The Council on American Private Education nominates private schools.

Public school nominees in the top 10 percent of the state are selected based on growth over a three-year period, while schools with a 40 percent economically disadvantaged student body are selected in order of achievement upon having met targets over a three-year period. The schools go through a rigorous application process. The weight of the application rests overwhelmingly on test scores, on growth, and achievement in reading and math over three years, including those for significant subgroups. All schools selected as winners met the 2004 Adequate Yearly Progress criteria. Additionally, all schools first are either California Distinguished Schools or meet the qualifications required to apply for that state awards program.

Today's selection is the second cycle of the newly redesigned program. Changes reflect new priorities under the federal NCLB legislation. Schools must now fit one of the two categories:

1. Mandatory Category: Have a student body comprised of a least 40 percent disadvantaged students and show dramatic improvement with students performing at the 55th percentile in reading and math; or
2. Optional Category: Be among the top 10 percent of the schools in the state in terms of student achievement.

Nationwide, 206 public and private elementary schools in 43 states were chosen as Blue Ribbon Schools. These figures may rise, as some states are in the process of supplying additional achievement data that may result in more awards. All the winners will be honored November 4 - 5, 2004, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Attached is a list of the Blue Ribbon schools in California. For more information on the program, please visit Awards - No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program [http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/awards.html] (Outside Source).

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Attachment

List of NCLB — Blue Ribbon Public Schools in California

County	District	School
Alameda	Livermore Valley Joint Unified	William Mendenhall Middle
Contra Costa	Mt. Diablo Unified	Foothill Middle
Humboldt	Jacoby Creek Elementary	Jacoby Creek Elementary
Los Angeles	Beverly Hills Unified	Beverly Hills High
Los Angeles	Garvey Elementary	Monterey Vista Elementary
Los Angeles	La Cañada Unified	La Cañada High
Los Angeles	Long Beach Unified	California Academy of Math & Science
Los Angeles	Los Angeles Unified	Eagle Rock Elementary
Los Angeles	Saugus Union Elementary	Mountainview Elementary
Marin	Dixie Elementary	Dixie Elementary
Orange	Fullerton Elementary	Parks Junior High
Orange	Garden Grove Unified	Stanley (Agnes Ware) Elementary
Orange	Irvine Unified	Canyon View School
Orange	Los Alamitos Unified	Weaver (Jack L.) Elementary
Orange	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	Brookhaven Elementary
Orange	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	Yorba (Bernardo) Middle
Orange	Saddleback Valley Unified	Gates (Ralph A.) Elementary
Orange	Saddleback Valley Unified	La Paz Intermediate
Orange	Saddleback Valley Unified	Valencia Elementary
Riverside	Riverside Unified	Washington Elementary
Sacramento	Elk Grove Unified	Foulks Ranch Elementary
San Diego	Chula Vista Elementary	Cook (Hazel Goes) Elementary
San Diego	San Dieguito Union High	Warren (Earl) Middle
San Diego	San Marcos Unified	Twin Oaks Elementary
San Mateo	Hillsborough City Elementary	Crocker (William H.) Middle
Santa Clara	Berryessa Union Elementary	Northwood Elementary
Santa Clara	Evergreen Elementary	Matsumoto (Tom) Elementary
Santa Clara	Fremont Union High	Homestead High
Santa Clara	San Jose Unified	Leland High
Tehama	Richfield Elementary	Richfield Elementary
Ventura	Conejo Valley Unified	Los Cerritos Middle
Ventura	Conejo Valley Unified	Westlake High
Yolo	Esparto Unified	Esparto Middle

List of NCLB — Blue Ribbon Private Schools in California

Valley Christian High School, San Jose
Our Savior's Lutheran School, San Clemente
Valley Christian Elementary School, Dublin
St. Anne School, Laguna Niguel
Spring Hill - The Advanced Elementary School of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz
Laurel Hall School, North Hollywood