Three Green Dot Schools Recognized as 2009 California Distinguished Schools
Ánimo Inglewood Charter High School, Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School, and Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School Receive Honors
(Los Angeles) - April 3, 2009- Today California State Superintendent Jack O'Connell announced the 2009 California Distinguished Schools, an annual award that recognizes some of the state's most exemplary schools. Three Green Dot schools, Ánimo Inglewood Charter High School, Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School, and Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School, received the honor of being named in the 2009 California Distinguished Schools.
"These extraordinary middle and high schools have shown they are able to increase the achievement of all their students and have provided evidence that they are closing the achievement gaps that, unfortunately, exist at many schools," said Superintendent O'Connell. "The Distinguished Schools program always identified schools that are leaders in academic achievement. It now also recognizes schools that are leaders in helping all students succeed, and highlights the best practices that are effective in closing the gap."
"The California Distinguished Schools Award is an incredible honor for schools to receive," said Green Dot CEO Marco Petruzzi. "It has always been our goal to open high-performing high schools in low-income areas that perform among the best in the state. This award shows that we have been able to do that. I am so proud of our schools that have achieved this incredible accomplishment."
This year, the selection process required schools to provide an in-depth description of two "signature" practices implemented at the schools that are replicable, and directly related to the success of their students. During an intensive site visitation by a trained team of external educators, additional evidence about the effectiveness of the "signature" practices was gathered and analyzed. Information about these successful signature practices will be shared through the CDE Web site and other venues including an upcoming Web tool for educators called the Brokers of Expertise to become operational later this year.
The selected middle and high schools represent about 10.9 percent of California's nearly 2,400 middle and high schools. Of those, only 341 schools met the eligibility criteria based on their student achievement and were chosen from 170 school districts in 46 counties. An awards ceremony honoring the Distinguished Schools will be held Friday, May 29 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.
These three Green Dot schools join 122 other high schools and 136 middle schools throughout the State of California in receiving this honor. To see the full list of schools, go to www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cs .
For more information about the California School Recognition Program, including a list of corporations, foundations, and associations whose generous contributions along with registration fees from the attending schools make the awards ceremony possible, please visit: www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cs/.
# # #
About Green Dot Public Schools
Green Dot Public Schools is the leading public school operator in Los Angeles and is dedicated to changing public education in Los Angeles so that all children receive the educations they need to reach their dreams. It currently operates eighteen public charter high schools in Los Angeles' highest-need communities. Each Green Dot school (branded "Ánimo" schools) vastly outperforms comparable traditional public high schools. For more information visit: www.greendot.org
