CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS TO WATCH
California Schools to Watch is a statewide program implemented by the California League
of Educators, California Department of Education, California Middle Grades Alliance, National Forum, and the California Schools to Watch model schools.
Redesignated: 2019, 2023
Designated 2016
Beaumont Unified School District
Riverside County
Christopher Horton, Principal
1591 Cherry Avenue, Beaumont, CA 92223
951-769-4391
School Characteristics
Community: Suburban/Rural; Enrollment: 970; Grades: 6-7-8; School Schedule: Six period rotating schedule with extended homeroom time one day per week. Early release on Wednesday for staff collaboration time.
School Demographics
0.51% American Indian/Native American; 5% Asian/Asian American; 6% Black/African American; 55% Hispanic/ Latino; 0.41% Pacific Islander; 29% White; 4% Other; 63.4% Free/Reduced Lunch; 12.3% English Learners
Replicable Practices
Highly developed AVID program with implementation throughout the school.
Elective classes focused on college and career readiness include STEAM, speech and debate, video production, art, and drama.
Students are scheduled into interdisciplinary academic teams with common prep. Teams meet one day per week with their team counselor to discuss students’ curricular and academic needs.
Quarterly early release days focus on teachers developing interdisciplinary units and making cross-curricular connections.
The school is studying and piloting a standards-based grading model.
Zero period and 7th period classes provide the opportunity for all students to access elective/intervention and enrichment classes.
World language program immerses students in both English and Spanish instruction.
PBIS has been implemented over three years, teaching students positive behavior skills and leading to dramatic reduction in behavior issues.
Students struggling in math have access to intensive math during the school day, an additional period of seminar math using the TenMarks computer-based program, and tutoring from teachers before and after school.
Teachers have been trained in AVID and WICOR strategies which are used throughout the school.