Since its inception in 1985, the California Distinguished Schools Award remains one of the state’s most important ways to celebrate exceptional schools, districts, teachers, and classified employees for their innovation, talent, and success in supporting students. RFMS was recognized for exceptional student performance based on achieving exemplary performance in English Language Arts (ELA) and math, reducing suspensions and for closing the achievement gap enrolling at least 40 percent of their students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and, in addition to demonstrating exemplary overall performance in ELA and math, achieving accelerated academic growth for one or more historically underserved student groups.