La Canada Junior High School Among 'Schools To Watch'

LA CANADA, CA — It's worth keeping eye on La Cañada 7/8 High School in the La Cañada Unified School District, according to a national organization that has highlighted the achievements of 167 middle schools in 17 states.

Along with the La Cañada school, other middle schools in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia have been named "Schools to Watch" as part of a recognition and improvement program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.

Each of the 167 schools was selected by state leaders for their academic excellence, responsiveness to the needs and interests of young adolescents, and commitment to helping all students achieve at high levels, according to a news release from the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.

Each school was also noted for its strong leadership, teachers who work together to improve curriculum and instruction, and a commitment to assessment and accountability to bring about continuous improvement, the news release stated.

Selection was based on a written application that required schools to show how they met criteria developed by the Forum. Schools that appeared to meet the criteria were then visited by state teams who observed classrooms, interviewed administrators, teachers, students, and parents, and looked at achievement data, suspension rates, quality of lessons and student work, according to the release.

The schools vary in size from several hundred to several thousand students and represent urban, suburban, and rural communities.

"These schools demonstrate that high-performing middle grades schools have a clear focus on academic growth and achievement. They also recognize the importance of meeting the needs of all of their students and ensuring that each and every child has access to a rigorous, high-quality education," said Michelle Hayward, chair of the National Forum's Schools to Watch Fidelity Committee. "We are proud to have these schools serve as models from which others can learn."

Schools are recognized for a three-year period; at the end of three years, schools must repeat the process in order to be re-designated.

A complete list of 2020 Schools to Watch schools can be found here.

Patch staffer Toni McAllister contributed to this post