Philip J. Reilly, Oso Grande and Truman Benedict elementary schools were named California Distinguished Schools by State Superintendent Tony Thurmond on Tuesday. CUSD has been honored with the award 80 times (35 elementary, 45 secondary). Reilly earned the distinction in 1995 and Truman Benedict in 2006.
Overseen by the California Department of Education, the California Distinguished Schools program singles out schools that excel in two key areas: closing the achievement gap and delivering exceptional student performance. The selection process leans on data from the 2024 California School Dashboard, focusing on academic achievement and a positive school environment. Schools needed to test at least 95 percent of their students over the past two school years and meet high standards in areas such as English language arts, math, attendance and suspension rates.
Awards are presented alternately to elementary and secondary schools.