Press Release
Contact: Ronald Gonzales-Lawrence
Date: August 26, 2026
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (909) 397-4800 ext. 23885
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 Pomona Unified Schools Earn Statewide PBIS Recognition, Three Selected to Present at California Conference
93% of recognized PUSD schools earned Gold or Platinum honors, while Arroyo, Ranch Hills and Westmont elementary schools were selected to showcase their work statewide
POMONA, Calif. — Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) is celebrating a major milestone in its districtwide commitment to positive, safe and supportive learning environments, with 30 PUSD schools earning recognition from the California PBIS Coalition and three schools selected to present their work at the 2026 California PBIS Conference in Sacramento.
Of the 30 recognized PUSD schools, 15 earned Platinum recognition, the highest level awarded, 13 earned Gold and two earned Silver. In total, 28 of the District's 30 recognized schools, or 93%, achieved Gold or Platinum status.
The recognition reflects PUSD's continued implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as part of a broader Multi-Tiered System of Supports designed to strengthen relationships, promote positive behavior, integrate social-emotional and culturally responsive practices, and create school environments where students experience connection and belonging.
“This recognition reflects the extraordinary work taking place every day across Pomona Unified,” said Superintendent Darren Knowles. “PBIS is about much more than behavior. It is about building school communities where students feel safe, connected and valued, and where they have the support they need to learn and succeed. Having 30 schools recognized statewide is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the collective commitment of our students, families, teachers, classified staff, administrators and District teams.”
15 PUSD Schools Earn Highest-Level Platinum Recognition
Fifteen PUSD schools earned Platinum recognition, the highest level of recognition through the California PBIS Coalition:
Alcott Elementary, Armstrong Elementary, Arroyo Elementary, Cortez Mathematics & Science Magnet, Decker Elementary, Fremont Academy of Engineering and Design, Golden Springs Elementary, Harrison School, Kellogg Polytechnic Elementary, Kingsley Elementary, Pantera Elementary, Park West High School, Philadelphia Elementary, Ranch Hills Elementary and Simons Middle School.
Thirteen additional schools earned Gold recognition:
Allison Elementary, Barfield Elementary, Emerson Middle School, Ignacio Lopez Elementary, Lexington Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Madison Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, San Jose Elementary, Vejar TK-8, Washington Elementary, Westmont Elementary and Carl H. Lorbeer Middle School.
Silver recognition was awarded to John Marshall Middle School and La Verne Charter School.
The schools will be formally recognized during the 2026 California PBIS Conference, October 8th-9th in Sacramento.
Three PUSD Schools Selected to Present Statewide
This year's conference will carry additional significance for Pomona Unified. In addition to receiving statewide recognition, Arroyo Elementary, Ranch Hills Elementary and Westmont Elementary were selected as conference presenters, providing PUSD educators an opportunity to share their practices and experiences with educators and educational leaders from across California.
Each school will showcase a different dimension of PUSD's approach to PBIS while demonstrating a shared commitment to culturally responsive, student-centered systems.
Arroyo Elementary will present “Connecting Home and School: Parents, Data Systems, and Positive Behavior Success.” The Platinum-recognized school will share its journey and demonstrate how family engagement, accessible data systems, consistent schoolwide expectations, staff learning and regular data-review cycles can strengthen behavioral supports and improve student outcomes.
Ranch Hills Elementary will present “Building a Culture of Equity, Safety, and Belonging: PBIS and SEL in Action.” The Platinum-recognized school will highlight how PBIS, social-emotional learning, equity-centered practices, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, data-informed decision-making and family partnerships can work together to strengthen school culture and student engagement.
Westmont Elementary will present “Beyond Rules: Cultivating Language, Culture, and Belonging through Dual-Language PBIS.” The Gold-recognized school will showcase how its dual-language community connects PBIS with language, culture and identity, including practices that affirm students' linguistic identities, celebrate culture and strengthen connections between school and home.
“Having three of our schools selected to present is especially meaningful because our educators are not only participating in professional learning, they are contributing to it,” said Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services Lilia Fuentes. “They will have the opportunity to share what they have learned, the systems they have built and the experiences of our school communities with colleagues from throughout California. That is an important recognition of the expertise and leadership that exist within Pomona Unified.”
Together, the 30 statewide recognitions and three conference presentations demonstrate the breadth of PBIS implementation across PUSD while also highlighting how individual schools have adapted the framework to meet the needs and build upon the strengths of their own communities.
Across the District, PBIS continues to evolve as part of PUSD's broader Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Schools use data to guide improvement, explicitly teach and reinforce positive behavior, strengthen relationships with students and families, and integrate social-emotional and culturally responsive practices.
The District also emphasized that statewide recognition represents a milestone rather than an endpoint. PUSD schools will continue examining data, listening to students and families, strengthening implementation, and working to ensure positive and supportive school experiences are consistently experienced by every student.
“We are incredibly proud of what our schools have accomplished, but the real measure of this work is the experience of our students,” Knowles said. “Our goal is to ensure that every student walks onto a Pomona Unified campus knowing they belong, knowing there are adults who care about them, and knowing they have the opportunity and support to succeed.”
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Pomona Unified School District is a Pre-TK – Adult educational institution in east Los Angeles County serving the cities of Pomona and Diamond Bar with over 20,000 students.