Three Pasadena Unified campuses earned the highest recognition from the California PBIS Coalition, and a fourth earned Gold, the district announced Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Madison Elementary, John Muir Early College Magnet High School and Rose City High School each received Platinum-level honors from the California Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Coalition. Pasadena High School earned Gold-level recognition.

The awards recognize schools that have built systems supporting student behavioral health and academic outcomes, according to Colorado Boulevard. The district said the honors place its campuses "among California's top" for implementing those systems.

Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco, who leads the 13,757-student district, said the awards reflect more than a decade of prioritizing student wellness.

"In PUSD, we believe that children learn better when they feel safe, supported and connected," Blanco said. "That commitment has guided our work for more than a decade and shaped how we cared for students and families after the Eaton Fire."

Blanco also credited educators, intervention teachers, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) coaches, administrators and staff for making the work possible across all four campuses.

The district's approach centers on a framework called Behavior Response to Intervention (RTI). Staff identify students' needs early and provide escalating levels of support, including life-skills lessons and structured interventions. Schools set shared expectations such as "Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible" and reinforce them in classrooms, hallways and on playgrounds.

The district said the consistency reduces disciplinary incidents and improves academic results.

Rose City High School, a continuation school at 300 Madre St. serving grades 9–12, is among the Platinum honorees. Continuation schools serve students who need flexible scheduling or credit recovery.

All four schools will be formally honored at the California PBIS Conference in October in Sacramento.