At its meeting on March 21st, GGUSD's Board of Education approved Resolution No. 22 recognizing ten of its schools for earning the 2023 California Distinguished Schools award, eight of which were denied the award from the state based solely on COVID-19 absences. We are extremely proud of our schools for their high performance on state testing and excellence in closing the achievement gap and we will be celebrating the successes they have earned.
The resolution criticizes the California Department of Education’s unfair inclusion of COVID-19 absences in calculating chronic absenteeism rates, calling it an equity issue that punishes schools in high-poverty areas that were hardest hit by the pandemic.
The eight schools, honored by the Board of Education, which would have received 2023 CA Distinguished Schools awards if COVID-19 absences are removed include Anthony, Barker, Excelsior, Garden Park, Hazard, Morningside, and Patton elementary schools. Allen and Cook elementary schools were the only two GGUSD schools officially recognized by the CDE as California Distinguished Schools at an award ceremony held last month.
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