Program Categories

The Golden Bell Awards program recognizes exemplary programs in 21 major categories which are essential to support effective governance, teaching and learning. Judging will take place in each of the following program categories:

ACCOUNTABILITY/ASSESSMENT
Includes successful approaches, techniques and innovative use of data to assess student achievement and/or program effectiveness on a districtwide basis and for ensuring continuous improvement and accountability. 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 between grade levels, differentiating instruction and equitable placement policies.

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION
Includes programs that deliver non-traditional learning opportunities. Programs include those focused on providing suspension and expulsion alternatives and those serving students at-risk of dropping out, expelled students, students under court supervision, and other youth who can benefit from a non-traditional program.

CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Includes the display of successful models, techniques and supporting data focused on efforts to prepare students for both career and college, such as linked learning; career pathways; regional occupation programs; career exploration opportunities; etc. in supporting programs that focus on career and technical education.

CIVIC EDUCATION
Includes comprehensive strategies to engage students in the democratic process; collaborations 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.

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 an understanding and action on climate change and climate justice.

CLOSING THE OPPORTUNITY GAP
Includes the display of successful models, techniques and supporting data focused on programs that increase access to a rich and rigorous curriculum for student groups prioritized in the LCAP, with the goal of improving student outcomes and reducing achievement gaps. Such efforts may include data driven intervention strategies, meaningful disaggregation of student performance data, culturally relevant pedagogy, focused on closing opportunity gaps.

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION
Includes efforts to implement the community school strategy, which is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school, city, county and the community. Characteristics include a shared vision, shared leadership and shared accountability; core educational programming; strong family engagement; expansion of learning opportunities; shared resources and a comprehensive set of integrated services designed to meet the full range of learning and developmental needs of the students.

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION
Includes models that utilize interdisciplinary teaching, thematic instruction, learning styles, technology and other innovative or exemplary instructional strategies and integrated programs that will be successful within the lens of the California Standards.

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

English / Reading / Language Arts
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s English Language Arts standards and framework, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging and rigorous instruction.
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.
Foreign Language
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s World Languages standards and framework, with a particular 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
Mathematics
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, with an emphasis on equitable, innovative, engaging and rigorous instruction.
Science
Includes programs and strategies for the effective implementation of California’s Next Generation Science Standards and 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.
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.

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

ENGLISH LEARNERS/BILITERACY
Includes programs and strategies that assist English learners in achieving proficiency in English and in other academic subjects, including dual language immersion, developmental/maintenance language programs, and heritage language programs. Includes strategies that support all students in achieving proficiency in written and spoken English and other languages so that they graduate from high school bilingual and biliterate.

EQUITY AND ACCESS
These programs strive to break down barriers that have prevented student access to an equitable education including those that foster genuine cross-cultural understanding and inclusiveness, strategically target services to students based on their needs, and promote a more equitable distribution of resources. These programs put into action the belief that all students can learn when they have access to high-quality education programs and the supports they need to succeed.

EXPANDED LEARNING AND ENGAGEMEN
Includes programs offered during expanded learning time that meet the needs of students and engage them in activities to strengthen their human potential, including athletics, visual and performing arts, enrichment, debate, mock trial, student government, before and after school programming, summer programming and Independent Study.

FAMILY/STUDENT/COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Includes programs that encourage or facilitate family involvement in their child’s education, including innovative approaches to outreach and effective involvement of families from diverse communities. Also includes programs in which LEAs incorporate student engagement in site and district/COE decision-making, as well as broader community engagement efforts such as community partnerships

INNOVATION IN THE TIME OF CRISES
Includes programs and services created in response to a public health emergency or natural disaster, or other significant disruptions to learning. Programs and services might include, but are not limited to, strategies to provide opportunities to access the curriculum remotely, learning hubs, access to mental health and trauma services for students and staff, responsive resource distribution, public health and safety measures, and effective communication and family outreach.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TEACHER RECRUITMENT/RETENTION
Includes all professional development programs for staff, including teachers, administrators and classified personnel, focused on improving cultural proficiency. May include beginning teacher support and assessment programs, as well as intern, credentialing, and “grow-your-own” programs. Recruitment programs include those that have proven success in hiring and retaining teachers, particularly teachers of color and multilingual educators, in the district/coe. Also includes programs and strategies that offer successful strategies to attract and keep teachers in critical shortage areas.

SCHOOL CULTURE & 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 other prevention or intervention strategies such as programs that promote school safety using planning, monitoring and assessment tools; programs that support students’ sense of belonging and engagement in order to increase motivation and achievement; and successful efforts to reduce school suspensions and expulsions.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL HEALTH/ WELLNESS
Programs focusing on a holistic approach to the social, emotional, and mental health and wellbeing of all members of the LEA 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 special needs, from birth to age 22, such as preschool programs, full-inclusion programs, programs designed to reduce non-public school placements and adult-transition programs. May also include innovative programs and resources developed to address the learning and social impacts resulting from distance learning or independent study resulting from learning disruptions.

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, parent education programs, foster and homeless youth support, counseling and mental health supports, intervention programs, peer assistance and nutrition programs, and interventions that reduce chronic absence.

SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT
Includes county offices of education that exemplify effective and collaborative support for continuous improvement in the districts they serve. Support can include those identified for differentiated improvement, with an emphasis on a systems approach. Among possible examples of supports, COEs might offer facilitated strategic planning, connecting districts with resources tailored to identified needs; networked improvement communities or inter- and intra-district collaboration; professional learning opportunities; or assistance with LCAP development and implementation.

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
Includes the use of technology as an instructional tool that supports students in engaging with the curriculum, provides them with the skills to be successful in an increasingly technological world, expands access to educational services and promotes equal access to the technology essential to their education (including broadband, media, and other resources).

Mark your calendar
Application Deadline: midnight June 30th, 2023
Golden Bell Awards Reception and Ceremony: November 30, 2023

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