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 8, 2025

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