[KHTS] – Two Newhall District elementary schools were recognized as California Distinguished Schools by the state of California on Wednesday. Meadows and Valencia Valley Elementary Schools were recognized by Tom Torlakson, the state superintendent of public instruction, for the fourth time since the inception of the program, according to a Newhall School District news release. In the Saugus Union School District, Charles Helmers Elementary was listed, plus Pinetree Community Elementary in the Sulphur Springs Union School District.

“Our teachers, principals and students work hard to achieve and we welcome this recognition,” said Brian Walters, president of the Newhall district’s governing board. “The outstanding staffs at Meadows and Valencia Valley have approached their schools’ instructional programs with creativity and commitment and their efforts have been effective for their students.”

Last year’s Academic Performance Index, the state’s accountability model, rated Meadows at 903 and Valencia Valley at 905 out of 1,000 points, and the state considers an API of 800 as “high performing.”

To earn the Distinguished School recognition, schools must show not only overall significant progress but also progress for every instructional subgroup, such as English Language Learners and minority students, district officials said.

“I am very proud of the learning demonstrated by our students,” said Meadows Principal Chad Rose. “This high level of achievement is a direct result of the investments made by teachers, the efforts made by students and the support provided by parents.”

In addition to the API rating, schools were identified for eligibility on the basis of Adequate Yearly Progress results, the federal accountability model. Applicants were also identified by their success in narrowing the achievement gap between higher-performing and lower-performing students, according to the news release.

“I could not be more pleased with the outstanding teamwork our staff, parents and children bring to the educational process every day,” said Valencia Valley Principal Ken Hintz. “This level of commitment and hard work is not often found. At Valencia Valley, we are more than a school. We are a family.”

The California Department of Education followed a strict selection process with the help of many educators from across the state, evaluating two “signature practices” from each school that have led to an increase in student achievement and a narrowing of the achievement gap, as well as conducting thorough site visits to validate the practices, district officials said.

Schools earning the Distinguished School title share their practices with other schools and serve as mentors to other educators who want to replicate their work.

The 2014 California Distinguished Schools will be honored at the California Schools Recognition Programs regional awards ceremonies in June.

“I applaud these strong, thriving schools that are making such impressive strides in preparing their students for continued success,” Torlakson said. “This award is well-deserved by these school communities for their enduring dedication to high standards, hard work, and unwavering support.”

SCV News contributed to this report.

NEWS RELEASE – State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces California Distinguished Schools for 2014

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today named 424 public elementary schools California Distinguished Schools for their strong commitment and innovative approaches to improving student academic achievement.

“I applaud these strong, thriving schools that are making such impressive strides in preparing their students for continued success,” Torlakson said. “This award is well-deserved by these school communities for their enduring dedication to high standards, hard work, and unwavering support.”

The 2014 California Distinguished Schools Program focuses on California’s students’ right to an equitable and rigorous education, and recognizes those schools that have made progress in narrowing the academic achievement gap.

To apply for Distinguished School honors, schools must meet a variety of eligibility criteria, including accountability measures. Once schools are deemed eligible, the California Department of Education (CDE) invites them to apply to be recognized as a California Distinguished School.             The process consists of a written application, which includes a comprehensive description of two of the school’s signature practices, and a county-led site validation review process focused on the implementation of those signature practices.

Schools earning the Distinguished School title agree to share their signature practices with other schools and become a mentor to those seeking to replicate their work. An updated searchable database of these Signature Practices will be available later this spring from the CDE. To view the current Signature Practices Web portal, please visit the Distinguished Schools Signature Practices Web page.

Elementary and secondary schools are recognized in alternate years. For more information, please go to the California Distinguished Schools Program Web page. Schools selected as California Distinguished Schools will be honored in early June during regional award ceremonies.

Also being honored during the ceremonies are the Title I Academic Achievement Awardees, which will be announced next week; Green Ribbon Schools; Civic Learning Award schools; and schools recognized last fall by the federal National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

In addition to being chosen as Distinguished Schools, 30 schools were given an additional honor of being selected as having an Exemplary Program in either Arts Education or Physical Activity and Nutrition after undergoing a separate application process. These schools will be denoted on the attached list by asterisks—one asterisk for an Exemplary Arts Education Program and two asterisks for an Exemplary Physical Activity and Nutrition Program. The awards, introduced in 2013, reflect Torlakson’s goals outlined in his A Blueprint for Great Schools report, which provides vision and direction for California’s education system.

The California Department of Education (CDE) is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. For more information, please visit http://www.cde.ca.gov or by mobile device at http://m.cde.ca.gov/. You may also follow Superintendent Torlakson on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorlaksonSSPI and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CAEducation.