Two schools in Fresno County and a school in Tulare County were among the eight schools selected as Model Community Day Schools for 2024, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced Monday.

Community day schools are for students who have been expelled from their home school or who have had problems with attendance or behavior.

The recognition program, new this year, is a partnership between the California Department of Education and the California Continuation Education Association Plus.

The three Valley schools are Pathway Community Day School in Central Unified, Sanger Community Day in Sanger Unified, both in Fresno County, and Lindsay Community Day in the Tulare County town of Lindsay.

Schools Serve as a Model for Others

For the next three years, the schools will be a resource for other districts preparing to establish a community day school.

“By providing students with myriad educational options, mental health resources, and other support services, these schools have addressed students’ needs, elevated their strengths and assets, and set them on a trajectory for success,” Thurmond said in a news release. “This comprehensive support has prepared them with the necessary skills to move toward successfully completing high school, transitioning to higher education—academic and/or vocational—and entering the workforce.”

Schools were required to perform a self-examination on the school profile, school management, instruction, social-emotional and mental health, and school evaluation of effectiveness.

Pathway was cited because of strong collaboration between parents and staff leading to a “shared responsibility for student success.” The school weaves social-emotional learning practices into the curriculum and provides positive support to students who face behavioral challenges.