33 California Schools Selected As National Blue Ribbon Winners

More than two dozen private and public schools from across California have been named among 2016's National Blue Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday.

In total, 33 institutions from the state were selected for the honor this year. Nationwide, 329 public and private elementary, middle and high schools were selected based on overall academic excellence or progress in closing achievement gaps, the Department of Education said.

Of the 329 schools selected, 279 are public and 50 are private. In California, four of the 33 winners are private schools.

"This recognition for California is a testament to the hard work of our educators, administrators, and communities to prepare our students for both 21st century careers and college," said Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction. "We are making progress, but we must keep our momentum going because we have much work to do."

The majority of California's winners, 19 of them, are located in the southern part of the state. All schools will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 7 and 8.

National Blue Ribbon Schools are an "inspiration and a model," the Department of Education said in announcing the selected schools.

"National Blue Ribbon Schools are proof that we can prepare every child for college and meaningful careers," U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said in a video message to honorees. "Your schools are on the cutting edge, pioneering innovative educational practices—professional learning communities, project-based learning, social and emotional learning, positive behavior systems—making you shining examples for your communities, your state and the nation."

According to the Department of Education, the award "affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. The National Blue Ribbon Schools flag gracing a school's building is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning."

According to the Department of Education, all schools are recognized in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:

• Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
• Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's subgroups and all students over the past five years.

California schools selected as 2016 National Blue Ribbon winners include:

• A. J. Cook Elementary School, Garden Grove
• Arroyo Vista Charter School , Chula Vista
• California Crosspoint High School (Non-Public), Hayward
• Carden School of Fresno (Non-Public), Fresno
• Creekside Elementary School, San Diego
• Edison Computech 7-8 School, Fresno
• Edison Elementary School, Santa Monica
• Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Earth Sciences, Newbury Park
• Evergreen Elementary School, San Jose
• Francis Hopkinson Elementary School, Los Alamitos,
• Hawthorne Math and Science Academy, Hawthorne
• Hillcrest Elementary School, Oakland
• Kipp Los Angeles College Preparatory School, Los Angeles
• La Jolla Elementary School, La Jolla
• Lafayette Elementary School, San Francisco
• Laurel Elementary School, Atherton
• Los Olivos Elementary School, Los Olivos
• Paloma Elementary School, San Marcos
• Point Vicente Elementary School, Rancho Palos Verdes
• Richardson PREP HI Middle School, San Bernardino
• Rocklin Academy, Rocklin
• San Jose Charter Academy, West Covina
• Santa Rosa Accelerated Charter School, Santa Rosa
• Stevenson School Carmel Campus (Non-Public), Carmel
• Strandwood Elementary School, Pleasant Hill
• Sun Valley Elementary School, San Rafael
• Thornhill Elementary School, Oakland
• Tustin Memorial Academy, Santa Ana
• University Preparatory School, Victorville
• Valley Christian Elementary School (Non-Public), San Jose
• Vista Elementary School, Simi Valley
• Westlake High School, Westlake Village
• Wonderland Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles

Click here to view the full list of 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools.

– Kara Seymour (Patch National Staff) contributed to this report.