Program Categories

The Golden Bell Awards recognize exemplary programs in 22 major categories which are essential to support effective governance, teaching and learning. Judging will take place in each of the following program categories:

ADDRESSING GAPS AND PROMOTING EQUITABLE STUDENT OUTCOMES
This includes the impact of initiatives that use detailed, data-driven strategies to reduce disparities in student outcomes across different student groups. The analysis from these initiatives informs efforts to remove barriers to student success. These programs may actively work to close opportunity gaps, incorporate culturally relevant teaching methods, and implement strategies that have successfully reduced opportunity and achievement gaps. Such strategies include providing more equitable funding, targeting support to students with the greatest needs, and offering specific interventions to promote success.

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION
Includes programs that deliver non-traditional learning opportunities and programs of choice to meet students’ social, behavioral and academic needs. Non-traditional programs may be flexible, student-centered and offer alternative methods of demonstrating understanding, such as project-based learning. Programs may include those focused on suspension and expulsion alternatives, dropout prevention, expelled students, students under court supervision and other youth who can benefit from a non-traditional program.

CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Includes successful models, strategies and data use focused on efforts to prepare students for both career and college that may include linked learning, career pathways, regional occupation programs, career exploration opportunities and internships, or other supporting programs that focus on career technical education.

CIVIC EDUCATION
Includes comprehensive strategies to engage students in the democratic process; collaboration with civic organizations to advance civic education and/or programs; and opportunities for hands-on civic engagement experiences, including school governance and participatory action research. May also include programs that increase students’ eligibility for the State Seal of Civic Engagement.

CLIMATE CHANGE INNOVATION
Includes programs that address climate justice, initiatives and partnerships that promote awareness of the effects of global climate change and engage students in creative solutions. Includes areas of school facilities and operations, resource conservation and energy efficiency, as well as student-centered curricula that promotes understanding and action on climate change and climate justice.

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION
Includes efforts to implement community school strategies to provide holistic supports for academics, physical and mental health in support of student success and well-being including partnerships between the school, city, county, families and community. Characteristics include a shared vision and leadership, core educational programming, strong family engagement, expansion of learning opportunities, shared resources, data-based decision-making, and a comprehensive set of integrated services designed to meet the full range of learning and developmental needs of students.

COUNTY OFFICE SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT
Includes efforts by county offices of education (COEs) to advance continuous improvement through strong collaboration and shared leadership across districts. Emphasis is placed on a systems approach that supports districts in improving outcomes for students and families. Characteristics include strategic planning, differentiated assistance, networked improvement communities, high-quality professional learning, Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) development and implementation, and coordinated fiscal or programmatic support. These efforts reflect countywide partnerships and innovative practices designed to close achievement gaps and promote student success, well-being, and long-term educational improvement.

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Includes standards-aligned models that use interdisciplinary teaching, thematic instruction, technology and other innovative or exemplary instructional strategies. Also includes integrated programs that improve engagement and outcomes for all students, including student groups such as homeless youth, foster youth, English learners, students with disabilities and socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

Programs may be submitted in any of the following specific programmatic or curricular areas:

Ethnic Studies
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s Ethnic Studies standards and framework, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging and rigorous instruction.
Health Education
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s Health Education standards and framework, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging and rigorous instruction.
History / Social Science
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s History-Social Science standards and framework, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging and rigorous instruction.
Integrated Content
Includes programs and strategies for instructional approaches that integrate content from two or more curricular areas, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging and rigorous instruction.
Literacy/English Language Arts
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s English Language Arts and English Language Development Framework, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging and rigorous instruction.
STEM/STEAM
Includes programs and strategies that support the teaching and learning of content in science, technology (including computer science), engineering and mathematics, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging and rigorous instruction. May also include approaches that integrate STEM content with the arts.
Technology Innovation
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s Technology standards and framework, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging, and rigorous instruction.
Visual and Performing Arts
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s Visual and Performing Arts standards and framework, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging, and rigorous instruction.
World Languages/Biliteracy
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s World Languages Standards and Framework, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging and rigorous instruction. This includes adoption of the Seal of Biliteracy recognition and dual language immersion programs.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Includes all programs and initiatives that support developmentally appropriate learning for children 5 and under, including full-day kindergarten; transitional kindergarten; preschool; and collaborations with cities, counties and other organizations. May include strategies for expanding access to current programs while maintaining quality; improving alignment between K-12 and early childhood systems; and for increased early childhood education teacher training, recruitment and retention.

EXPANDED LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT
Includes programs offered during expanded learning time that meet the needs of students and engages them in activities that develop their physical and social-emotional well-being and academic interests. These programs may include athletics, visual and performing arts, debate, mock trial, student government, before- and after-school programming, summer or intersession programming and independent study. May also include programs and strategies that address learning recovery and cover core content instruction, including tutoring.

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Includes programs that encourage or facilitate family and/or caregiver involvement in their child’s education, including innovative approaches to culturally competent outreach and effective involvement of families and caregivers from diverse communities. Also may include programs in which local educational agencies incorporate broader community engagement efforts such as community partnerships to support family and child success.

INTEGRATED CAREER PATHWAYS EDUCATION
Includes outstanding programs that excel in fostering college readiness, dual enrollment and apprenticeship opportunities for students. Successful models and strategies include comprehensive approaches to preparing students for both career and college paths and/or a graduate profile. Programs may demonstrate excellence in linked learning, career pathways and regional occupation programs, integrating advanced technical content and apprenticeships to provide hands-on experience. The inclusion of dual enrollment initiatives ensures students are well-prepared for the transition into higher education. This category highlights efforts that go beyond traditional career technical education, offering innovative pathways and opportunities that empower students for success in both academic and career pursuits.

POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE AND SAFETY
Includes programs that effectively prevent or reduce school violence by promoting a safe and positive school climate, and by teaching students to resolve conflicts. May also include restorative practices and bullying prevention initiatives or interventions. Additionally, may include programs that promote school safety using planning, monitoring and assessment tools; cybersecurity initiatives; other programs that support students’ sense of belonging and engagement to increase motivation and achievement; and successful efforts to reduce school suspensions and expulsions.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Includes all professional learning programs for staff, including teachers, administrators and classified personnel, to improve instructional strategies, cultural proficiency and social-emotional support for students. May include beginning teacher support and assessment programs, as well as intern, credentialing and grow-your-own programs.

REDUCING BARRIES THROUGH INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION AND OPPORTUNITIES
Includes programs that successfully address barriers to student success, such as financial hardship, mental health struggles, feelings of belonging, or other conditions that hinder student access to educational opportunities and success. This category recognizes governance teams that actively evaluate and allocate funding to local efforts to eliminate these barriers. These efforts can include initiatives that foster inclusiveness, strategically target services based on individual student needs, focus on creating a more equitable distribution of resources, and promote an environment where all students can thrive through high-quality education programs and necessary supports.

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL HEALTH/WELLNESS
Programs focusing on a holistic approach to the social, emotional and mental health and well-being of all members of the local educational agency community, including students, teachers, administrators, superintendents, board members and all other staff. Plans can include, but are not limited to, the expansion of counseling, professional development, trauma services, innovative use of district resources for mental health supports, and family and community mental health programming.

SPECIAL EDUCATION
Includes, but is not limited to, programs designed to serve students with disabilities from birth to age 22, such as PreK programs, full-inclusion programs, English learner dual identification programs, programs designed to reduce non-public school placements and adult-transition programs. May also include partnership with a Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), effective parent engagement strategies, innovative programs and resources developed to address the learning and social impacts resulting from distance learning or independent study resulting from learning disruptions. May also include LEAs, especially county offices of education, prioritizing closure of special education funding gaps in their budget.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND RE-ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Includes local educational agencies that have used exceptional strategies to promote student attendance and identify methods of re-engagement, particularly for students with high levels of absenteeism. These strategies could include fostering a whole local educational agency culture of attendance, addressing barriers to engagement, effectively working with community and other educational partners to implement programmatic reforms, or other methods reconnecting and promoting attendance.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND EMPOWERMENT
Includes programs and initiatives that provide opportunities for students to develop and practice leadership skills such as public speaking, collaboration, critical thinking, civic engagement and youth participatory action projects. This also includes programs that foster student voice such as student advisory boards, student trustee academies, student advisory councils, student-led youth summits and student governing boards.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
Includes programs and strategies that provide students with the supports and services they need to be successful in school. May include on-campus student service centers, support for parent education programs, and peer assistance and nutrition programs. Includes programs that remove barriers and provides stability and support for foster youth and youth that are homeless in accordance with federal law, the McKinney-Vento Act, to fulfill educational rights and services for preK-12 students to enroll, attend and succeed in school.

TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
Recruitment programs include those that have proven success in hiring and retaining teachers, particularly teachers of color and multilingual educators, in the local educational agency. Also includes programs that offer successful strategies to attract and keep teachers in critical shortage areas. May also include programs and strategies such as grow-your-own programs, career technical education pathways, and innovative local collaborations and partnerships that promote the profession of education.

USING DATA TO SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS
Includes successful approaches and innovative use of data to assess student achievement and/or program effectiveness on a district-/county office of education-wide basis to support continuous improvement for student success and close the achievement gap. May include the use of summative, formative and performance assessments, including locally developed assessments, as well as surveys and other data sources. Other options include strategies that emphasize systems approaches such as articulation within and between grade levels, differentiating instruction, using data to guide professional development decisions, program evaluation and equitable placement policies.

Mark your calendar
Application Deadline: midnight June 26, 2026
Golden Bell Awards Reception and Ceremony: December 3, 2026

Contact Us
Rimma Cotton, Program Manager
goldenawards@csba.org
(916) 669-2591