Scholarship Prep Santa Ana named a 2020 California Distinguished School

SANTA ANA, CA – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the California Department of Education named Scholarship Prep Santa Ana a 2020 California Distinguished School for its commitment to closing the achievement gap among historically disadvantaged populations and its innovative approach to learning.

“We founded our school with the belief that education is the key to the American Dream–and that there must be high quality educational options for all families, irrespective of zip code. This prestigious recognition reinforces the spirit of our scholars, staff, and families,” said former State Senator Gloria Romero, Scholarship Prep Co-Founder and Executive Director. “I am so proud of our little Miracle on 17th Street living up to the high standards of the California Distinguished Schools program.”

A component of the California School Recognition Program, the Distinguished Schools program recognizes schools based on performance and progress on the state indicators as specified on the California School Dashboard. Indicators include test scores, suspension rates, and conditions and climate.

“These outstanding schools don’t just educate students; they also provide the young people of California the tools they need to be successful after graduation,” Superintendent Thurmond said in a California Department of Education news release. “Thanks go to all the staff at these schools—teachers, administrators, classified employees—and parents, who are working together to provide high-quality educational experiences for all of their students.”

After its first year, Scholarship Prep Santa Ana was ranked the #1 public school in California on student academic growth in Mathematics according to the California Assessment of Student Performance & Progress (CAASPP). Additionally, Scholarship Prep ranked in the top one percent of top performers of student academic growth in English Language Arts/Literacy, ranking 45 out of 10,634 schools. In October 2019, Scholarship Prep Santa Ana state test scores continue to outpace school districts in the Santa Ana Unified School District in the California Assessment of Student Performance & Progress (CAASPP).

About Scholarship Prep

Scholarship Prep, led by former California Senator Gloria Romero and long-time educator, Jason Watts, is a comprehensive public charter school model that represents a breakthrough approach to education which has proven particularly successful in closing the gap for historically underserved youth, including foster and socioeconomically disadvantaged students in the areas it serves. Scholarship Prep operates schools in Santa Ana, Oceanside and Los Angeles. For more information, visit us at www.scholarshipschools.org.