Griffiths, Stauffer middle schools named California ‘Schools to Watch’

Principals for Griffiths and Stauffer middle schools were joined by Downey Unified Board President and administrators at the annual California Schools to Watch ceremony in Monterey.

DOWNEY – This month, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that 36 schools were redesignated as high-performing California schools under the Schools to Watch State program.

Included in the Redesignated 2024 California Schools to Watch cohort are Downey Unified’s Griffiths and Stauffer middle schools.

Out of the 36 California schools, only nine are located within Los Angeles County, two of those being in Downey Unified. These high-performing model schools demonstrate sustained progress in academic excellence, social equity and responsiveness to the needs of young adolescents.

“Congratulations to these exceptional schools for making a great impact on students. I want to thank the staff, administrators, teachers, and families at these schools for ensuring all students get the education they need to realize their potential,” Thurmond said. “These schools are outstanding examples of how educational innovation, and a dedicated school community can close achievement gaps and keep students engaged and learning through a critical stage in their K–12 journey.”

Every three years, schools who are interested in retaining this prestigious designation are asked to go through a reapplication process and host a site visit by middle grades experts to be re-evaluated. Griffiths and Stauffer middle schools received their initial designation as both California and National Schools to Watch in 2018, completed their first re-evaluation during the pandemic and this would be both schools' second redesignation.

Doty Middle School received its initial designation as a California and National Schools to Watch in 2019, had its first re-evaluation in 2022 and will be completing its second redesignation process in 2025.

California’s Schools to Watch program uses a competitive, rigorous review and re-evaluation process to recognize high performing, high impact schools so that all schools may have models of real-world success.

Dr. John Garcia, superintendent of Downey Unified, proudly expressed, “This redesignation reaffirms the fantastic work many have done within our schools, the district and even our larger community.”

The California Schools to Watch program is sponsored by the California Department of Education, CLS, and the California Middle Grades Alliance, in association with the National Forum. The 2024 cohort of schools was recognized by State Superintendent Thurmond during the California Schools to Watch Celebration which is part of the California League of Schools (CLS) Embracing Equity & Excellence Conference held in Monterey, Calif.