GUSD | General Information - Indicators of Excellence

Families often look for housing in Glendale and the Foothills communities because they hear "Glendale Schools have an excellent reputation." Here are just a few of the recent "Indicators of Excellence" contributing to the success of the schools:

National Blue Ribbon Schools

Four district schools have earned the U.S. Office of Education’s highest designation for a public school, the National Blue Ribbon. These schools are: Crescenta Valley High, 2000; Rosemont Middle: 1985 and 1994; Marshall Elementary, 1988; and Toll Middle, 2002.

State Distinguished Schools

Twenty-three of the district’s campuses have received California’s highest award for excellence, the State Distinguished School. Earning the designation as a State Distinguished School means completing a rigorous evaluation that includes academic achievement, quality of instruction, school leadership, parent involvement, and school-community partnerships.Glendale schools which have received this award through the years are:
2007-08 – Dunsmore, Muir, La Crescenta and R. D. White
2006-07 – Rosemont
2005-06 – Fremont, Franklin, Jefferson and Marshall
2004-05 – Clark Magnet and Crescenta Valley
2003-04 – Columbus, Mountain Avenue, Monte Vista, Valley View and Verdugo Woodlands
2002 – Keppel, Marshall, R.D. White Elementaries
Honorable Mention: Columbus and Valley View Elementaries
2001 – Toll Middle
Honorable Mention: Clark Magnet High
2000 – Monte Vista and Verdugo Woodlands Elementaries
Honorable Mention: Dunsmore, Fremont, Lincoln, Mountain Avenue
and R.D. White Elementaries
1999 – Crescenta Valley High
1997 – Edison and Muir Elementaries
1996 – Roosevelt and Toll Middle Schools
1995 – Lincoln Elementary
1994 – Rosemont Middle
1993 – Edison Elementary
1990 – Rosemont Middle
1988 – Wilson Middle
1987 – Glenoaks, La Crescenta, Marshall and Mountain Avenue Elementaries
1986 – Rosemont Middle.

Teachers of the Year

Glendale’s reputation also attracts excellent teachers and other professionals. People want to come and work in the district. One indicator is that Glendale Schools have placed more teachers in the semi-finals of the California Teachers of the Year program during the past 12 years than any other district of comparable size in the state.

Academic Achievment

Students have every opportunity to become state- and nationally-recognized scholars and achievers. Just a few examples:
• Advanced Placement — The percentage of high school students who pass the rigorous Advanced Placement Exams for college credits is above the state average. The district’s AP program has grown considerably to allow more students to take advanced courses.
• Higher College GPA — District students who attend the University of California attain a higher grade point average (GPA) in their freshman year than the median for their counterparts from other school systems and private and parochial schools.
• National Merit Scholarships — Commended, semi-finalists and finalists from district high schools make the grade each year. In 2002 alone, more than 10 finalists were named, who are considered among the nation’s top students.
• Scholastic Aptitude Tests — These are recognized nationally as one indicator of student readiness for college. On an average, district high school students score well above state and national averages in mathematics and are competitive in verbal.
• Top Spellers — In 2000 and 2001, a district middle school student has won the National Spelling Bee Regional competition and represented Glendale and the San Fernando Valley in competition in Washington, D.C.
• Science Olympiad — In 2001, three district middle and high school teams earned the right to compete in the California Science Olympiad.
• Golden State Exams — In the most recent results, more than 3,500 students were honored for their achievements on one or more of California’s Golden State Exams in subjects ranging from Algebra and Geometry to U.S. History.
• Admission to the University of California — 329 students in the district’s Class of 2001 qualified for admittance to the rigorous UC System.
• College Scholarships — In 2000-01, district high school students earned more than $1.3 million in scholarships, sending them to the nation’s top colleges and universities, along with the U.S. military academies.
• Higher Achievement — In 2001-02, 24 of 27 schools raised or maintained their statewide rankings on the state’s Academic Performance Index (API).
• Title I Achieving Schools — Toll Middle, Franklin and Marshall Elementaries were honored statewide in 2002 for exemplary use of federal funds to provide students extra instruction in language arts and math.

Awards & Recognitions

Here’s just a sampling of recent awards to district schools and programs:
• BRAVO! — Glendale High’s visual and performing arts programs received the L.A. Music Center’s highest award, the BRAVO, for overall excellence in 2001. Most years the district is honored with BRAVO finalists.
• Academic Accreditations — Crescenta Valley and Hoover Highs earned six-year accreditations from the Western Association of Schools & Colleges. Clark Magnet earned an initial three years, best possible for a new school.
• All That Jazz! — Downbeat Magazine honored some of Hoover High’s jazz ensembles as the best in America.
• Tops in Dance — Dance teams from Glendale High each year earn many awards in nationwide competition.
• Superintendent of the Year — Supt. Jim Brown was selected by the Association of California School Administrators as 2000 California Superintendent of the Year.
• Covering the News! — Student newspapers from CV, Glendale and Hoover consistently earn "Excellence" ratings in state and national competition.