Contra Costa County Office of Education

The California Distinguished Schools Program honors public schools within the state that best represent exemplary and quality educational programs and signature practices. The program was established by the California Department of Education in 1985 and alternates each year between elementary (even years) and secondary (odd years) schools. The California Department of Education (CDE) uses multiple measures to identify eligible schools based on their performance on the state indicators as specified on the  California School Dashboard. Specifically, schools were selected by analyzing data reported through the 2023 Dashboard, with a focus on demonstrating excellence and growth in academic achievement and ensuring a positive school climate.

Schools are recognized for exceptional student performance based on achieving exemplary performance in English Language Arts (ELA) and math, reducing suspensions, and demonstrating high graduation rates (high schools only).

Schools recognized for closing the achievement gap enroll at least 40 percent of their students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and, in addition to demonstrating exemplary overall performance in ELA and math, achieve accelerated academic growth for one or more historically underserved student groups.