California Department of Education letterhead with the official seal of the Department. Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. 1430 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-5901, 916-319-0800, www.cde.ca.gov

California Department of Education
Official Letter

November 1, 2023

Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and Middle and High School Principals:

2024 California Distinguished Schools Award Program

As part of our California School Recognition Program, the 2024 California Distinguished Schools Award will recognize California middle and high schools that have proven exceptional in implementing the academic content and performance standards adopted by the California State Board of Education for all students. California is using a multiple measures accountability system to identify eligible schools based on their performance on the state indicators as specified on the California School Dashboard, to be released later this year. Information about the Dashboard is available on the California Department of Education (CDE) California School Dashboard web page at https://www.caschooldashboard.org.

This program is one of the many ways we celebrate excellence in education and honor exemplary students, teachers, classified employees, and schools. Information about this program is available on the CDE California Distinguished Schools Program web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cs.

The California Distinguished Schools Program no longer requires an application. Any school that meets the eligibility criteria for the current year will be recognized as a California Distinguished School. Criteria will be posted when the schools are announced in early 2024. The CDE will announce the 2024 California Distinguished Schools via news release as well as email notification to the award-winning schools.

Save the Date: May 3, 2024

The 2024 California Distinguished Schools will be invited to the California School Recognition Program Awards Ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Registration and event details will be available once the schools are announced.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact the Awards Unit in the CDE Communications Division at awards@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction

cc: County Coordinators

Last Reviewed: Tuesday, April 08, 2025

Recently Posted in Letters

2027 California Schools to Watch Program (added 13-May-2026)
Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and Middle School Principals regarding an invitation to apply for the 2027 California Schools to Watch program.
AAPI Heritage Month Kickoff Webinar (added 13-May-2026)
Letter to county and district superintendents, charter school administrators, and school principals regarding Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month kickoff webinar: Living History at Angel Island Immigration Station.
Invitation to SSPI's Literacy Leadership Summit (added 12-May-2026)
Letter to county and district superintendents and charter school administrators regarding an invitation to State Superintendent Thurmond's Literacy Leadership Summit.
Reminder: Graduates’ Rights to Wear Tribal Regalia (added 23-Apr-2026)
Joint letter from the California Department of Education and the California Department of Justice regarding a reminder of graduates’ rights to wear tribal regalia.
Reminder: Graduates’ Rights to Wear Tribal Regalia (added 22-Apr-2026)
Joint letter from the CDE and California Department of Justice to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals reminding them of graduates’ rights to wear tribal regalia.

Celebration of California State Student Authors (added 03-Apr-2026)
Letter regarding the Celebration of California State Student Authors.
Approved List of Screening Instruments for TK (added 27-Mar-2026)
Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding the approved list of screening instruments for Transitional Kindergarten Multilingual Learners.
Upcoming Observance of Farmworkers Day (added 26-Mar-2026)
Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding the upcoming observance of Farmworkers Day on March 31, 2026.
2026 Workplace Readiness Week (added 26-Mar-2026)
Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding Workplace Readiness Week.
Supporting Student Mental Health (added 24-Mar-2026)
Joint letter from the California Department of Education, the California Department of Health Care Services, and the California Health and Human Services Agency to colleagues regarding supporting student mental health.