Five Imperial County elementary schools received the 2016 Gold Ribbon Schools Award from the state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson in April.
The five local schools are: Margaret Hedrick Elementary School, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, McKinley Elementary School and McCabe Elementary School in El Centro; and Dogwood Elementary School in Heber.
The state honored 780 schools total in the state.
“These schools shine as bright beacons for others, putting forth an exemplary effort to ensure that every student is ready for 21st century college and careers,” Torlakson said in a statement. “California teachers are developing an education model for the nation, training the students of today to be the problem-solvers, inventors, and pioneers of tomorrow.”
The California Gold Ribbon Schools Award was created to honor schools in place of the California Distinguished Schools Program, which is on hiatus while California creates new assessment and accountability systems. Nearly 6,000 elementary schools were eligible to apply this year.
Schools applied for the award based on a model program or practice their school has adopted that includes standards-based activities, projects, strategies, and practices that can be replicated by other local educational agencies. The award recognized middle and high schools last year.
The Gold Ribbon Awards recognize California schools that have made gains in implementing the academic content and performance standards adopted by the State Board of Education. These include the California Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics, California English Language Development Standards, and Next Generation Science Standards.
The local schools will be honored during a ceremony May 10 in Anaheim.