Student Support Program Earns Statewide Recognition
HESPERIA, Calif. (Our Hesperia) — Hesperia Unified School District has been nominated as a finalist for a 2026 Golden Bell Award by the California School Boards Association for its “Moving the Needle: Ecosystems of Support” student-support program that the district introduced in 2022 and attributes to a 25.4% decrease in suspensions, 38% in expulsions and expansion of services related to mental health, basic needs and positive behaviors in the district.
Transition from discipline to student support
The “Moving the Needle” initiative reflects an overall shift in how HUSD addresses student behavior, discipline and campus support.
Rather than implementing disciplinary measures after the incident takes place, the district has developed a multi-tiered approach aimed at detecting problems sooner and connecting students to the appropriate resources that might help to solve the issues at hand.
The initiative is focused on students’ relationships, mental well-being, basic needs, self-regulation and connection between students and adults on school campuses.
HUSD has launched the program in 2022 and further implemented it districtwide.
The “Moving the Needle” idea is reflective of a more holistic approach to campus safety. Campus safety programs usually focus on security, supervision and emergency preparedness. The “Moving the Needle” program adds another layer to that approach by trying to reduce circumstances that lead to student behavioral problems before these situations develop into disciplinary issues.
District officials have said that the effects of the program have been seen by now for several years.
Suspensions down 25.4%
One of the major indicators provided by HUSD as part of its nomination for a Golden Bell Award is a 25.4% decrease in districtwide out-of-school suspensions within four years.
HUSD describes the drop in numbers as a result of fewer behavioral incidents requiring students to be removed from the classrooms.
The suspension statistics are especially relevant to the Golden Bell nomination since removing a student from the classroom is not just a punishment but also has an impact on a student’s academic performance due to the loss of instructional time and possibility of falling even further behind due to repeated disciplinary issues.
The “Moving the Needle” tries to prevent the situation from developing in this direction by providing several tiers of support to students.
The approach does not eliminate disciplinary consequences but instead adds preventative programs that can try to solve problems, if possible, and keep the student in his or her school.
Expulsions down from 107 to 65
HUSD has reported a significant decrease in expulsions too.
According to HUSD, the number of expulsion incidents has dropped from 107 in 2022 to 65 in 2026, which is about a 38% decrease.
Expulsion is a very serious disciplinary measure available to school districts. Therefore, the fact of the decrease over the past four years can be seen as an indicator of the fact that the district’s intervention strategy works.
The suspension and expulsion statistics are especially relevant to the nomination for Golden Bell Award since CSBA says that award applicants are evaluated for data-driven programs that are able to make a difference for the students.
Calming Rooms and Wellness Centers
One of the main elements of Moving the Needle program has been the creation of Wellness Centers and Calming Rooms on HUSD campuses.
Such rooms allow students to leave stressful environments, regulate their emotions and receive assistance prior to returning to classes.
The district says that the rooms have been visited by thousands of students.
At Ranchero Middle School alone, HUSD reported more than 4,300 visits of students who have self-regulated themselves due to the program.
Ranchero Middle School educates students of Ranchero Road and besides the wellness program there has been created several other student-support programs, including AVID and robotics programs.
The wellness component of Moving the Needle program is based on the idea that emotional regulation and mental health can have a direct effect on students’ behavior, attendance, relationships and ability to learn.
Providing basic necessities
Another part of Moving the Needle program has been the Threading Up program, which provides clothing, footwear and other necessities to homeless and financially unstable students. It aims at eliminating basic needs-related barriers to student attendance and participation.
This part of the program explains why HUSD calls it an “ecosystem” instead of just another intervention program.
A student who is having problems at school may experience issues that can be resolved not through classroom instruction alone but through housing stability, adequate clothes, family issues, mental problems and other factors.
Under the HUSD model, schools try to connect students to various resources instead of viewing every issue as just academic or disciplinary matter.
Recognition of positive changes
Positive recognition is also a part of Moving the Needle program.
With the help of Student All-Star Recognition Program, students can get recognition for personal developments and improvements, not just academic performance, athletic success or awards.
More than 500 students have been recognized during the 2025-2026 school year, according to HUSD. The local community sponsors have been involved in this recognition program.
The purpose of this program is to support positive behavior of students and create stronger connections between students, school personnel and community.
Positive reinforcement is just one element of a broader effort to transform school culture into a system that not just responds to problems but also finds ways of improvement.
What being a Golden Bell finalist means
Golden Bell Awards are managed by California School Boards Association and they recognize innovative programs and governance practices developed by California school districts and county offices of education.
CSBA evaluates the programs based on a number of criteria, including whether the initiative is data-driven, makes a measurable difference for students, can be sustained over time and can be replicated elsewhere.
Programs nominated for Golden Bell Awards had to have been operating for at least two years prior to the June 26 application deadline. This means that Golden Bell recognition is given to established programs, not newly launched initiatives.
However, becoming a finalist is not equal to winning the award.
According to CSBA’s 2026 schedule, finalists proceed to the evaluation stage in September, which can include a validation visit. Winners are supposed to be announced in October, while the Golden Bells ceremony takes place in December.
This means that the “Moving the Needle” program has advanced through the initial round of evaluation and now has to complete the process of evaluation of finalists.
Fifth Golden Bell would add to HUSD’s history
If “Moving the Needle” wins, Hesperia Unified says it will be the fifth Golden Bell Award won by it.
HUSD has identified the following four Golden Bell-winning initiatives:
iExpo – The district’s annual STEAM competition allows students to compete in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics challenges.
Robotics – HUSD has implemented a robotics program from grades four through 12, allowing students to design, build and compete with robotic systems.
Excel – Districtwide intervention and enrichment program that was aimed both at supporting students who were struggling with studies and providing more opportunities to students ready for advanced tasks.
Common Core – HUSD has been awarded for the curriculum it developed to meet grade-level needs and create uniformity in curriculum throughout district’s schools.
iExpo program received Golden Bell Award in 2018 in the STEM/STEAM category. According to CSBA, the districtwide program aimed at deepening students’ understanding of science beyond classroom instruction with competitions and projects.
iExpo has remained operational long after the award, and HUSD has been preparing the 2027 competition even in the first days of 2026-2027 school year. Competitions were planned for engineering, coding, robotics, art and film categories.
The continuity is important since it is one of the criteria CSBA uses to evaluate Golden Bell programs.
Broader history of innovation
Previous Golden Bell awards of HUSD represent a certain evolution in the types of programs created by the district.
While previously it was more about academics, curriculum, technology and STEAM education, “Moving the Needle” program represents another type of work. Instead of focusing on what students study at school, this program focuses on what behavioral, emotional and personal support is needed to keep students in the classroom and allow them to succeed there.
HUSD has managed to retain many of the earlier programs while developing new student support programs.
Thus, Hesperia High School has the 99% graduation rate, Early College Academy, Hesperia Arts Academy, California Exemplary Arts Recognition and its status of California Distinguished School (received in 2024).
Meanwhile, Hesperia Junior High lists its programs as AVID, one-to-one Chromebooks and 21st Century Framework, while Ranchero Middle School lists AVID, robotics and other student enrichment programs.
“Moving the Needle” program is designed to complement these academic programs by addressing issues that can prevent students from participating in them.
Districtwide effort
The nomination application represents work of several parts of the district’s educational system and not just one individual campus.
According to HUSD, its Student Services Department, Innovative Technology and Communication Division, integrated Multi-Tiered System of Supports, Special Services and Hesperia School Police Department contributed to implementation and documentation of the initiative. HUSD’s Governing Board provided governance support for the program.
Districtwide coordination is one of the main characteristics of “Moving the Needle”.
Instead of implementing just another counseling or wellness program, HUSD tried to integrate behavioral interventions, mental health, basic needs, positive recognition, school safety and campus relations into one student support system.
“’Moving the Needle’ is the heartbeat of our commitment to provide the individualized support each and every student needs to feel safe, valued, and successful. By wrapping around our students not just with learning, but also with support, empathy, resources, and deep connections across our campuses, we are building an environment where our students truly belong. I am incredibly proud to lead a district where staff exemplifies such unwavering dedication for our students.” – Dr. Michelle Smith HUSD Superintendent.
“This is our 5th ‘Golden Bell’ and I am very proud of the advancements our school district has made. Our staff are remarkable, giving the students the tools that to complete their educational goals,” said school board President Eric Swanson
For Hesperia families, the ultimate measurement will be the fact of whether the programs will continue providing lower rates of serious discipline while keeping students safe, connected to schools and on their way towards graduation.
Now the district has four years of statistics of decreasing suspension and expulsion rates, thousands of wellness visits by students and hundreds of students receiving positive recognition.
The next step is the process of evaluation of Golden Bell finalists by CSBA.
If the program completes this process and wins the 2026 Golden Bell Award, “Moving the Needle” would become the fifth Golden Bell award for Hesperia Unified School District.
