Model Continuation High School (MCHS) - CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus

The Model Continuation High School (MCHS) recognition program is sponsored by the California Department of Education (CDE), Educational Options Division, in cooperation with the California Continuation Education Association Plus (CCEA Plus).

CDE receives numerous requests from school districts, the media, and other state agencies for a list of effective continuation schools that they may visit. The Model Schools Education Recognition Program identifies and recognizes outstanding continuation high schools and creates a resource list for school visits and other forms of peer mentoring. These schools provide exemplary programs to at-risk youth through the use of innovative instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, and guidance and counseling services.

The Model Schools program started in 1990, and for over thirty years has been the high-water mark for continuation schools and alternative education in the state of California. Schools undergo a rigorous application and review process, including examination of programs and procedures, and on-campus visitation.

Model Continuation High School (MCHS) Recognition Program:
Quick links: Overview | Requirements and Application | Current Model Schools | Past Awardees

Model Schools (MCHS) Program Overview:

Began in 1990 as a collaboration between the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Continuation Education Association Plus (CCEA Plus).
Identifies and recognizes outstanding programs.
Creates a resource list of quality programs for visitations and other forms of technical assistance — MCHS educators have committed to being mentors for other continuation educators.
Identifies individuals to assist with the review and rating of applications and Site Validation Visits.

Requirements and Application

CDE encourages all continuation high schools that have been in operation a minimum of two years and meet other eligibility criteria to review their programs and submit an application for statewide recognition.

Selected schools are Model Schools for three years; after that, those schools will need to re-apply.

Learn How to Apply

Application | Download forms

Our Model Schools

We would like to congratulate our current Model Schools! Selected schools are awarded in person at the annual CCEA+ Conference each April/May.

Model Schools Only (only members can view):
Purchase Model School Flag | Purchase Diploma Stickers

To purchase a Model School flag, please follow the steps on our FAQs page.

2025 Model Continuation High Schools

Congratulations to our new model schools!

Contra Costa County, Antioch Unified School District — Bidwell High School
Contra Costa County, Mount Diablo Unified School District — Olympic High School
Contra Costa County, San Ramon Valley Unified School District — Del Amigo High
Contra Costa County, West Contra Costa School District — Sylvester Greenwood Academy
Del Norte County, Del Norte County Unified School District — Sunset High School
Fresno County, Fowler Unified School District — Fowler Academy
Fresno County, Parlier Unified School District — San Joaquin Valley High School
Fresno County, Sanger Unified School District — Kings River High School
Imperial County, Central Union High School District — Desert Oasis High School
Kern County, Kern High School District — Nueva High School
Kern County, Kern High School District — Vista West High School
Kern County, Wasco Union High School District — Wasco Independence High School
Los Angeles County, Bellflower Unified School District — Somerset High School
Los Angeles County, Centinela Valley Union High School District — R.K. Lloyde High School
Los Angeles County, Charter Oak Unified School District — Arrow High School
Los Angeles County, Downey Unified School District — Columbus High School
Los Angeles County, El Rancho Unified School District — Ruben Salazar High School
Los Angeles County, Glendale Unified School District — Allan F. Daily High School
Los Angeles County, Glendora Unified School District — Whitcomb High School
Los Angeles County, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District — Valley Alternative High School
Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Unified School District — Boyle Heights High School
Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Unified School District — Jack London High School
Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Unified School District — Harris Newmark High School
Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Unified School District — Owensmouth High School
Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Unified School District — Walt Whitman High School
Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Unified School District — John R. Wooden High School
Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Unified School District — Zane Grey High School
Los Angeles County, Montebello Unified School District — Vail High School
Los Angeles County, Pasadena Unified School District — Rose City High School
Los Angeles County, Pomona Unified School District — Park West High School
Mendocino County, Fort Bragg Unified School District — Noyo High School
Monterey County, Salinas Union High School District — Mount Toro High School
Orange County, Fullerton Joint Union High School District — La Vista High School
Orange County, Garden Grove Unified School District — Marie L. Hare High School
Orange County, Huntington Beach Union High School District — Valley Vista High School
Orange County, Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District — El Camino Real High School
Orange County, Saddleback Valley Unified School District — Silverado High School
Orange County, Santa Ana Unified School District — Lorin Griset Academy
Placer County, Roseville Joint Union High School District — Adelante High School
Riverside County, Corona-Norco Unified School District — Orange Grove High School
Riverside County, Jurupa Unified School District — Nueva Vista High School
Riverside County, Riverside Unified School District — Abraham Lincoln High School
Riverside County, San Jacinto Unified School District — Mountain View High School
Riverside County, Temecula Valley Unified School District — Rancho Vista High School
Sacramento County, Elk Grove Unified School District — Calvine High School
Sacramento County, Galt Joint Union High School — Estrellita High School
San Bernardino County, Chaffey Joint Union High School District — Valley View High School
San Bernardino County, Colton Joint Unified School District — Slover Mountain High School
San Bernardino County, Hesperia Unified School District — Mojave High School
San Bernardino County, Rialto Unified School District — John H. Milor High School
San Bernardino County, San Bernardino City Unified School District — San Andreas High School
San Bernardino County, Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District — Green Valley High School
San Diego County, Fallbrook Union High School District — Ivy High School
San Diego County, Oceanside Unified School District — Surfside High School
San Joaquin County, Lincoln Unified School District — Village Oaks High School
San Joaquin County, Linden Unified School District — PRIDE High School
San Joaquin County, Manteca Unified School District — Calla High School
San Joaquin County, Manteca Unified School District — New Vision High School
San Joaquin County, Ripon Unified School District — Harvest High School
San Luis Obispo County, Atascadero Unified School District — Paloma Creek High School
San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Coastal Unified School District — Pacific Beach High School
Santa Barbara County, Lompoc Unified School District — Maple High School
Santa Clara County, Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District — Alta Vista High School
Santa Clara County, Santa Clara Unified School District — New Valley High School
Solano County, Benicia Unified School District — Liberty High School
Solano County, Travis Unified School District — Travis Education Center
Stanislaus County, Patterson Joint Unified School District — Del Puerto High School
Sutter County, Yuba City Unified School District — Albert Powell High School
Tulare County, Visalia Unified School District — Sequoia High School
Tulare County, Woodlake Unified School District — Bravo Lake High School
Tuolumne County, Sonora Union High School District — Dario Cassina High School
Ventura County, Conejo Valley Unified School District — Conejo Valley High School
Ventura County, Simi Valley Unified School District — Apollo High School
Ventura County, Ventura Unified School District — Pacific High School

2024 Model Continuation High Schools

Aurora High School, Calexico Unified School District, Imperial County
Black Diamond High School, Pittsburg Unified School District, Contra Costa County
Broadway High School, San José Unified School District, Santa Clara County
Calaveras Hills High School, Milpitas Unified School District, Santa Clara County
Calico Continuation High School, Silver Valley Unified School District, San Bernardino County
Cambridge Continuation High School, Fresno Unified School District, Fresno County
Central Valley High School, Kern High School District, Kern County
César E. Chávez High School, Santa Ana Unified School District, Orange County
Chaparral High School, Bonita Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Del Valle Continuation High School, Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, Alameda County
Delta High School, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, Santa Barbara County
Eric Birch High School, Fontana Unified School District, San Bernardino County
Frontier High School, Whittier Union High School District, Los Angeles County
Gateway Continuation High School, Clovis Unified School District, Fresno County
George and Evelyn Stein High School, Tracy Joint Unified School District, San Joaquin County
Hillview High School, Tustin Unified School District, Orange County
Kings Canyon High School, Kings Canyon Joint Unified School District, Fresno County
Liberty High School, Lodi Unified School District, San Joaquin County
Metropolitan Continuation High School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Mission Continuation High School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Patricia Dreizler Continuation High School, Redondo Beach Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Pershing Continuation High School, Central Unified School District, Fresno County
Raincross High Continuation, Riverside Unified School District, Riverside County
Rancho del Mar High School, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Robert Elliott Alternative Education Center, Modesto City High School District, Stanislaus County
San Andreas High School, Tamalpais Union High School District, Marin County
Sierra High School, Azusa Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Sierra High School, San Bernardino City Unified School District, San Bernardino County
Stoney Point High School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Vista Continuation High School, Kern High School District, Kern County
Vista Continuation High School, Lynwood Unified School District, Los Angeles County

2023 Model Continuation High Schools

Abraxas High School, Poway Unified School District, San Diego County
Alessandro High School, Hemet Unified School District, Riverside County
Alta Vista High School, Vista Unified School District, San Diego County
Amistad High School, Desert Sands Unified School District, Riverside County
Black Rock High School, Morongo Unified School District, San Bernardino County
Boynton High School, Campbell Union High School District, Santa Clara County
Buena Vista Continuation High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, San Bernardino County
Buena Vista High School, Paramount Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Citrus Continuation High School, Fontana Unified School District, San Bernardino County
Citrus High School, Porterville Unified School District, Tulare County
Coronado High (Continuation), West Covina Unified School District, Los Angeles County
DeWolf High School, Fresno Unified School District, Fresno County
Discovery High School, Natomas Unified School District, Sacramento County
Donald C. Jamison Continuation High School, Lemoore Union High School District, Kings County
Fairvalley High School, Covina-Valley Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Fernando R. Ledesma High School, El Monte Union High School District, Los Angeles County
Gilbert High School, Anaheim Union High School District, Orange County
Glen View High School, Beaumont Unified School District, Riverside County
Hillside High School, Upland Unified School District, San Bernardino County
Jereann Bowman High School, William S. Hart Union High School District, Los Angeles County
John J. Cairns Continuation High School, Lindsay Unified School District, Tulare County
Kurt T. Shery High School, Torrance Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Mt. San Jacinto High School, Palm Springs Unified School District, Riverside County
North Park High School, Baldwin Park Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Orangewood High School, Redlands Unified School District, San Bernardino County
Ortega High School, Lake Elsinore Unified School District, Riverside County
Palomar High School, Sweetwater Union High School District, San Diego County
Phoenix Continuation High School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Prospect High School, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Contra Costa County
Robertson High School, Fremont Unified School District, Alameda County
Santana High School, Rowland Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Sierra Continuation High School, Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District, Placer County
Tierra Del Sol Continuation High School, Kern High School District, Kern County
Twin Oaks High School, San Marcos Unified School District, San Diego County
Vail High School, Montebello Unified School District, Los Angeles County
Val Verde High School, Val Verde Unified School District, Riverside County
Valley High School, Escondido Union High School District, San Diego County

Past Years & Announcements