19 California schools named 2026 California Exemplary Arts Education Award winners; none from Sonoma County, advocates say more local investment needed
Sacramento, California (Sonoma Times) – On March 23, 2026, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced 19 California schools won the 2026 California Exemplary Arts Education Award for robust, equitable arts programs, strong curriculum, professional learning and expanded student access and meaningful community partnerships.
Key takeaways
- State recognition: 19 schools across California were honored for exemplary arts instruction and equitable access.
- Award criteria: Schools must offer arts instruction in at least three disciplines during the regular day and support credentialed staff and professional learning.
- Sonoma gap: No Sonoma County schools were among the winners; Novato High School in Marin is the nearest recipient.
- Transparency questions: Public materials list strengths but don’t include itemized budgets or long‑term outcome data for awardees.
Award overview
On March 23, 2026, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced the 2026 winners in a statewide recognition of arts programs that demonstrate high‑quality curriculum, ongoing professional development and equitable student access. The announcement is summarized in the California Department of Education press release and the award program is detailed on the California Exemplary Arts Education Award page.
Award criteria and selection process
The award looks beyond performances to program substance. Eligible schools must:
- Provide instruction during the regular school day in at least three arts disciplines (dance, media arts, music, theatre, visual arts) aligned to the California Arts Standards.
- Employ credentialed arts instructors and offer ongoing professional learning for staff.
- Document resource allocation, funding strategies and culturally responsive access for all students, including English learners and students in special education.
Applications opened May 1, 2025, closed Dec. 21, 2025, and review panels examined submissions through March 2026 to select models that can be replicated statewide. See the program page for details: California Exemplary Arts Education Award.
Thurmond’s statement
“It is my honor to congratulate these 19 schools for the powerful role they play in supporting arts programs across our state,” Thurmond said. “These dynamic learning environments are where students have the opportunity to explore their creativity and strengthen their voices.”
Full quote and context are available from the California Department of Education press release and coverage on the Educational Calendar/ACSA site.
The 2026 awardees
The 19 awardees span elementary, middle and high schools in diverse settings. Nine winners are in Los Angeles County, underscoring strong county supports. The full list of winners follows (school names link to the California Department of Education awardee list):
- Claremont High School, Claremont Unified School District
- Delano High School, Delano Joint Union High School District
- Gilroy High School, Gilroy Unified School District
- Crescenta Valley High School, Glendale Unified School District
- Mark Keppel Elementary School, Glendale Unified School District
- Prairie Vista Middle School, Hawthorne School District
- Hesperia High School, Hesperia Unified School District
- ICEF View Park Preparatory High School, ICEF Public Schools (Los Angeles area)
- Maywood Center for Enriched Studies, Los Angeles Unified School District
- Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach Unified School District
- Palm Middle School, Moreno Valley Unified School District
- Echo Valley Elementary School, North Monterey County Unified School District
- Novato High School, Novato Unified School District
- Orange County School of the Arts, Orange County Board of Education
- C. K. McClatchy High School, Sacramento City Unified School District
- Trabuco Hills High School, Saddleback Valley Unified School District
- Gabrielino High School, San Gabriel Unified School District
- Jefferson Middle School, San Gabriel Unified School District
- San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, San Diego Unified School District
Why the award matters — and what we don’t know
The award is designed to highlight replicable models and to encourage sustained funding and professional learning. Research suggests arts instruction is linked to greater student engagement and can support improved outcomes across subjects. Its explicit focus on culturally responsive practices and access for English learners and students in special education underscores equity priorities in California arts education.
What’s missing: public materials do not include itemized budgets, long‑term sustainability plans, or independent, longitudinal evaluations of student outcomes at the awardee sites. Parents and local leaders often seek more granular local metrics — for example, how many credentialed arts teachers were added, per‑student spending on arts, and the ways access for special populations is monitored.
See program guidance on the California Exemplary Arts Education Award page and reporting from Educational Calendar/ACSA for context.
Investigative notes on funding and access
The award requires schools to demonstrate they allocate adequate resources to arts education, but “adequate” is not defined in dollar terms in public documents. Winners include districts with robust community support, county arts partnerships or philanthropic backing, and Title I campuses that may rely on grants. This mix raises questions about replicability for lower‑resourced districts and how to sustain programs beyond one‑time funding.
Local and county notices such as the Los Angeles County Office of Education release and coverage from Educational Calendar/ACSA describe district approaches but stop short of publishing detailed budgets or longitudinal outcome data.
Implications for Sonoma, California
No Sonoma schools were named among the 19 winners. The closest recipient listed is Novato High School in Marin County. That absence spotlights work for local arts advocates and district leaders who want to meet award criteria in future cycles.
Practical considerations for Sonoma districts include demonstrating instruction in three or more arts disciplines during the regular day, confirming credentialed arts staff, and documenting funding streams and equitable access. That may require reallocating budgets, pursuing state and federal arts grants, forming community partnerships, or leveraging local arts organizations.
For a pragmatic, centrist local audience this suggests: invest in staffing and professional development now to prevent widening gaps in access and to position schools for future recognition. Sonoma County leaders can use CDE criteria as a roadmap for policy adjustments: California Exemplary Arts Education Award guidance.
Practical next steps for local leaders and parents
- Audit existing arts courses against the California Arts Standards and confirm coverage of at least three disciplines during the regular school day.
- Verify teacher credentials and expand professional learning for arts staff.
- Document funding sources, per‑student spending where possible, and strategies to ensure culturally responsive access for English learners and students in special education.
- Review past awardee profiles and CDE guidance to identify replicable practices and prepare timely applications for future cycles.
Source materials and links
- California Department of Education press release, March 23, 2026
- CDE Arts Education page and award program details
- Full list of awardees and program information (CDE)
- Educational Calendar/ACSA coverage
- Los Angeles County Office of Education release noting nine LA County winners
- San Gabriel Unified School District release on district awardees
Reporting note: This article is based on the CDE announcement and district releases, which provided facts about award criteria, the list of winners and ceremony dates. Public documents did not include itemized budgets or longitudinal outcome data for awardees as of this reporting.
