Award honors innovative partnership supporting student success through early college access
Fairfield, CA (December 4, 2025) - Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District (FSUSD) is proud to announce that Early College High School (ECHS) has been awarded a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association (CSBA) in the Alternative Education category. The award was presented last night at a ceremony in Sacramento, and recognizes programs across California that demonstrate outstanding innovation, impact, and commitment to student achievement.
ECHS students take both high school and college courses on the Solano Community College (SCC) campus. The program begins with intentional goal-setting around college and career readiness and culminates in a senior project integrating career exploration, community service, and the creative arts.
The ECHS Program began in 2014 with 44 students and now has a capacity of 400 students with 100 at each grade level. Through this model, students build confidence, develop leadership, and gain the academic foundation needed to positively impact their community and pursue a four-year degree—or begin a career—upon graduation.
ECHS is under the Rodriguez High School umbrella and is a zero cost program for FSUSD families. FSUSD is thankful for the dedication and commitment of Dr. Butler from SCC and her team, as well as our FSUSD Secondary Education Department, and additionally our Governing Board — who supported this vision upon its inception.
“Early College High shows what is possible when districts and colleges work together to open doors for students,” said FSUSD Superintendent, Jennifer Sachs. “This recognition reflects years of dedication from our educators, staff, and partners—and the hard work of our students.”
“Our students rise to the challenge of taking college-level coursework while still in high school, and they do it with determination and dedication,” said John Pizzo, Principal of Early College High School. “We are proud to see the incredible work of our staff and partners recognized at the state level.”
Starting with the first graduating class in 2018, the school has an annual 100% graduation rate with over 90% of the students meeting California’s A-G college entrance requirements. Each year ECHS has over 1/3 of its graduates earning one or more AA degrees, and students leave having earned an average of approximately 45 units from Solano Community College (1 1/2 years of college completed). Graduates of ECHS complete high school with a remarkably strong academic record, giving them the skills and confidence to succeed in higher education and beyond.
FSUSD congratulates Early College High School and extends appreciation to the leaders and partners who make this program possible:
Jennifer Sachs, Superintendent
Ana Petero, Board President
Jack Flynn, Board Vice President
Sheila McCabe, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services
Kristen Witt, Senior Director, Secondary Education
Holly Whitworth, Assistant Director, Secondary Education
Kellie Butler, Superintendent-President, Solano Community College
David Williams, Vice President, Academic Affairs, Solano Community College
John Pizzo, Principal, Fairfield-Suisun Early College High School
Ann Marie Neubert, Assistant Director of Elementary Education
