Both Mira Costa High School and the Manhattan Beach Middle School are recipients of the Gold Ribbon School Award, as announced by the California Department of Education earlier this month. The schools were honored for embracing rigorous academic standards, providing excellence and creativity in teaching, and creating a positive school climate.

The California Gold Ribbon School Award was created to take the place of the California Distinguished Schools Program, which is on hiatus while the state creates new assessment and accountability systems. Schools applied for the Gold Ribbon award based on standards-based activities, projects, strategies, and practices that can be replicated by other local educational agencies. The new award is recognizing middle and high schools this year and will recognize elementary schools in 2016.

A team of educators from the Gold Ribbon Committee visited each campus to review their signature practices. Mira Costa showcased its Grammy-winning visual and performing arts program; while Manhattan Beach Middle School submitted its co-lab program, which offers classes of combined general education and special education students taught by both a general education teacher and a special education teacher. MBUSD Superintendent Mike Matthews noted that the visiting committees were "most impressed" by both of these programs.

Across the state, 193 middle schools and 180 high schools received the honor. The two Manhattan Beach schools will be honored with other Southern California schools later this month at a ceremony in San Diego.