We’re excited to share that all we have achieved a Districtwide milestone. This year, all Downey Unified schools earned CA PBIS recognition—4 Platinum, 2 Gold, 13 Silver, and 1 Bronze.
All Downey Unified Schools Earn CA PBIS Recognition
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News & Announcements
Downey Unified Celebrates Record-Breaking 449 Students Recognized as 2025 AP Scholars
Districtwide success as Downey and Warren High Schools set new records for AP Scholar recognition We are proud to announce...
Downey Unified Celebrates Record Number of AP Scholars
Downey Unified School District is proud to announce that a record 449 students from Downey and Warren high schools have been recognized as AP Scholars for their outstanding performance on last May’s Advanced Placement (AP) exams. This is the largest number of students in district history to achieve this distinction.
Downey High School’s EPIC Jazz Choir Earns 3rd Place in the World at European Choir Games
Representing Downey as one of only two teams from the entire United States, Downey High School’s EPIC Jazz Choir has made history.
Congratulations Jorge Marquez – Shared Values Award Recipient
During the May Board of Education meeting, Jorge Marquez, a dedicated bus driver for Downey Unified was recognized with the...
Downey Unified Administrators Honored with Top ACSA Region 14 Awards
Dr. Cari White and Kathy Nicassio celebrated for leadership, innovation, and commitment to student success
DUSD Celebrates 2025 Mariachi Festival Winners
The sounds of vibrant strings, powerful vocals, and rich cultural heritage echoed throughout Downey as the Downey Unified...
Downey Unified Wins Prestigious CSBA Golden Bell Award for Transformative Unified Sports Program
This award recognizes our commitment to inclusion and excellence through Unified Sports, promoting belonging for all students.
2024 ERP Honor Roll District
Downey Unified has been named an ERP Honor Roll District for 2024, and 13 of our schools received individual Honor Roll recognition. Learn more about it.
Three new schools named Apple Distinguished Schools
Now a total of 11 schools across the district honored with this national recognition.
Students crowned as SkillsUSA National Champions
Competing in various areas of technical and soft skills competitions, eight Downey Unified students have come home as United States SkillsUSA Champions!
Yale-Bound Downey Unified Graduate Receives Prestigious Gates Scholarship
Downey High School senior is one of 750 across US to be selected for full scholarship
Celebrating Success: 1st Annual Griffiths AVID Banquet!
Griffiths celebrates its first AVID banquet! Watch the video for banquet highlights. AVID is helping students achieve college dreams.
2023-24 Commencement/Promotion Schedule
As we close out the school year, we are excited to share the dates, times and locations for each school’s ceremony as we celebrate our students’ achievements!
Congratulations to our FIRST Robotics 2023-24 Winning Teams!
Downey and Warren High robotics teams competed on the worldwide stage by both qualifying for the 2024 FIRST Championship, an international robotics competition.
Griffiths and Stauffer Middle Schools Named California ‘Schools to Watch’
Congratulations to Griffiths and Stauffer middle schools for receiving their second re-designations of this prestigious honor.
Inclusive Co-Teaching Model in Downey Unified Wins a Golden Bell Award
At the end of November, our district received a prestigious statewide recognition for our Secondary Education and Special Education Departments’ achievements in co-teaching practices.
Downey Unified Teacher Receives State & County Teacher of the Year Honors
Kirsten Neill was named a 2024 California Teacher of the Year Finalist and a 2023-24 Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year.
Downey Unified Once Again featured by Apple Newsroom for Innovative use of Technology
We are very proud to share that our district was once again featured by Apple in their official national newsroom on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023.
Downey Unified Featured by Apple Newsroom for Innovative use of Technology through Apple Learning Coaches
We are very proud to share that, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, our district was featured by Apple in their official national newsroom on Monday, May 8, 2023.
Special Education Director Receives Regional County Honor
Dr. Rebekah Ruswick is the fourth District administrator to receive an ACSA award in the last six years.
Lewis Elementary Takes Trophy at Dale Lostetter Carnival of Champions
Elementary schools from across Downey Unified gathered to participate in a variety of athletic competitions
Downey High Alumnus who discovered Titanic’s final resting place – Bob Ballard
Robert “Bob” Ballard, a retired U.S. Navy Commander and professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, graduated from Downey High School in 1960.
Employee Award – Chris Nezzer
Chris Nezzer, Downey Unified’s Chief Technology Officer, received the Shared Values Award in the area of Best Staff and High Standards at the January Board of Education Meeting.
Sussman Middle School Earns Global Designation!
Our district is proud to announce that Sussman Middle School is now an IB Candidate School* for the Middle Years Programme!
2022 Graduation/Promotion Photos & Livestream Recordings
We are very excited to be able to celebrate our student! Please see below for a schedule of the upcoming ceremonies and the livestream information for those who are unable to attend in person.
Columbus High School Named 2022 Model Continuation High School
Columbus High School is one of 36 schools across the state of California recognized for 2022.
Downey Unified Alumnus Elected as First Latina President by Harvard Law Review
Priscila Coronado attended Rio San Gabriel Elementary, Doty Middle School and graduated in the top three percent of her class in 2015 from Downey High School.
Alumna del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Downey elegida como la primera presidenta Latina de Harvard Law Review – Priscila Coronado asistió a las escuelas Rio San Gabriel Elementary, Doty Middle School y se graduó en el tres por ciento superior de su clase en Downey High School en el 2015,
Five Downey Unified Schools named Apple Distinguished Schools
Global recognition highlights innovation, leadership and educational excellence using Apple technology.
Cinco escuelas del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Downey reciben distinción especial: Apple Distinguished School
2020 & 2021 Graduation & 2021 Promotion Livestream Links
If you missed the ceremonies, you can find all the recordings here!
Downey & Warren Named Top High Schools by U.S. News & World Report
Downey and Warren high schools listed as top high schools in Nation.
Griffiths & Stauffer Middle School Redesignated as California Schools to Watch
Out of these 30 California schools, only nine are located within Los Angeles County, two being those in Downey Unified.
Downey High Teacher named Femineer High School Teacher of the Year
San Diego State University and Cal Poly Pomona selected DHS teacher Jennifer Lara as the first ever High School Femineer Teacher of the Year