State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson has recognized Culver City Middle School as one of 12 California schools re-designated as model middle schools in the Schools to Watch-Taking Center Stage (STW-TCS) program.

“This is exciting news for all of these hardworking schools that have made impressive gains in student achievement,” Torlakson said. “I congratulate both those new to the list and those with continuing success. They are committed to providing their students with the kind of strong academic foundation needed to succeed as they move toward high school and continue preparing for college and careers.”

“Culver City Middle School is so honored to be recognized again as a School to Watch,” said CCMS Principal Linsey Gotanda. “It is because of the amazing educators, students and school community that we are and will continue to be an outstanding school. We are all so very proud of the accomplishments of Culver City Middle School and look forward to our continued development in the years to come.”  

STW™—TCS middle grades schools are high-performing model schools that demonstrate academic excellence, developmental responsiveness to the needs and interests of young adolescents, social equity, and organizational support. These model schools host visitors from California and around the world who are looking for replicable practices that will help them improve their middle grades schools and close the achievement gap.

“We are proud of our CCMS Panther team, and this is a testament to their positive, enthusiastic and collaborative culture fueled by their belief in all students and in each other,” said Superintendent Dave LaRose.

The California Department of Education and the California League of Middle Schools are the lead agencies in the STW™—TCS program, with the support of the California Middle Grades Alliance, a cross-organizational collaborative dedicated to providing policy assistance and encouragement for California's 1.5 million middle grades students.

In order to become a STW™—TCS model middle school, applicants must have met or exceeded the Academic Performance Index (API) schoolwide growth target for three of the previous five years (2008–09 to 2012–13). School administrators must conduct a self-study evaluation and complete an extensive narrative application. Each site is then reviewed by a team of middle grades experts. In order to retain the designation, each school is re-evaluated every three years. For more information on each school's API score and California Standards Tests (CSTs) results, please to go CDE’s School and District Report web page at www.cde.ca.gov/getschoolreport/

Culver City Middle School has been a STW-TCS school for 11 years and was among the first schools in the national program to be re-designated a third time.