The Compton Unified School District (CUSD) is proud to announce it has been awarded the 2025 Golden Bell Award by the California School Boards Association (CSBA) for its highly successful 4th Grade Cozy Reading Club, implemented across 21 elementary schools in partnership with the J3 Foundation. The honor was presented on December 3 during a well-attended reception and ceremony at the CSBA Annual Education Conference and Trade Show in Sacramento.

CUSD's Coordinator of Elementary English Language Arts Arlyn Villamor, Executive Director of Education Jennifer Moon, Senior Director of Instructional Tech and Innovation Michele Dawson, and Superintendent Dr. Darin Brawley,

The Cozy Reading Club, launched in 2020, empowers fourth-grade scholars by strengthening literacy skills, building confidence, and nurturing a love of reading. Through small-group, evidence-based instruction, diverse and culturally relevant literature, and social-emotional learning supports, the program provides targeted interventions informed by local data to close opportunity and achievement gaps.

The initiative currently serves 862 fourth-grade students across 21 schools including Anderson, Bunche, Bursch, Carver, Clinton, Dickison, Emerson, Foster, Jefferson, Kelly, Kennedy, King, Laurel Street, Longfellow, Mayo, McKinley, McNair, Roosevelt, Rosecrans, Tibby, and Washington Elementary Schools. To date, the program has demonstrated significant success, including 72 percent proficiency gains, and has become a model for effective literacy intervention across the district.

The Golden Bell Award was given in the category of Addressing Gaps in Student Outcomes, which recognizes programs that use disaggregated data, culturally relevant pedagogy, and equitable resource distribution to improve student achievement. The initiative is led by Jennifer Moon, Executive Director of Education, and Arlyn Villamor, Coordinator of Elementary English Language Arts, with the support of Superintendent Dr. Darin Brawley, whose leadership has helped scale the program.

This year’s recognition marks the third consecutive Golden Bell Award and the sixth overall awarded to Compton Unified School District. CUSD received Golden Bells in 2024 for the Compton Goes to College! initiative; in 2023 for the Compton Unified Esports League (CUEL); and previously in 2014, 2018, and 2019.

The Golden Bell Awards celebrate excellence in education, recognizing outstanding programs and governance practices that address the changing needs of students. Representing nearly 1,000 Pre-K - 12 school districts and county offices of education, the California School Boards Association (CSBA) honors programs that go beyond traditional education, offering innovative pathways to academic and career success.