The award was announced last night at a gala celebration at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, the culmination of the association's annual statewide conference.

"We are pleased to recognize CHIME Charter Elementary School as the Charter School of the Year," said Caprice Young, CEO of the California Charter Schools Association. "CHIME is proving that students from any background can succeed as long as they have a committed teaching staff that is empowered to make a difference for the students they serve."

CHIME principal Julie Fabrocini, a part-time education instructor at Cal State Northridge, said teachers, staff, students and parents at the four-year-old school were honored by the award.

"All of us at CHIME are so proud of the work we do to make this school accessible to children who are gifted, typically developing and who have disabilities," she said. "As professional educators who base instructional decisions on best practices and research, we are elated to have the community at large join us in celebrating the value of learning for all children."

CHIME Charter Elementary School, located in Woodland Hills, has 15 teachers, 40 staff members and dozens of volunteer parents serving 192 students who come from communities throughout the San Fernando Valley. CHIME Charter Elementary and its sister campus, CHIME Charter Middle School, are independent schools that provide free public education through affiliation with the Los Angeles Unified School District. The schools serve as demonstration and teacher-training sites for Cal State Northridge's nationally acclaimed Michael D. Eisner College of Education.

Both schools are part of the CHIME Institute, located at Northridge, which is a national leader in developing and implementing model educational programs and dynamic research and training environments to disseminate best practices in inclusive education.

CHIME was recognized last year by the U.S. Department of Education as a national model for full inclusion of students with disabilities and for providing a blueprint for local schools across the country.

The California Charter School Association is a membership and professional organization serving more than 500 public charter schools in the state. Its mission is to increase student achievement by strengthening and expanding public charter schools throughout California. The association provides its members with the resources, leadership and support needed to work effectively with the entire public school system to ensure that all students get a fair chance to succeed.