California Distinguished Schools
- Total Awards: 91
- Elementary Schools: 24
- Middle Schools: 6
- High Schools: 5
View the full list of Irvine Unified schools recognized as California Distinguished Schools.
Nationally Recognized
- IUSD schools have received 12 GRAMMY Signature Awards.
- IUSD schools have received the National Blue Ribbon Award 21 times since 1982.
- Seven IUSD schools ranked among the Top 100 in California by U.S. News & World Report (2026).
- IUSD schools are listed on the 2024 Best Schools in America report and ranked No. 1 district in Orange County by review site, Niche.com.
- 2024 marks 13 years of IUSD being nationally recognized as a “Best Community for Music Education” by the highly regarded NAMM Foundation.
- IUSD named the No. 1 school district in Orange County and among the top in the nation (2025).
- IUSD students earned Congress’ Highest Youth Civilian Honor in 2024 and 2025.
- Sierra Vista Middle School’s Science Olympiad team won the national tournament for the second time (2025).
Seven IUSD high school students received baccalaureate scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Program, the most of any school district in Orange County.
IUSD high schools consistently rank in the AP School Honor Roll.
IUSD high school Academic Decathlon teams consistently place first in the Orange County Academic Decathlon, advancing and placing among the top teams at the state competition.
In 2024, IUSD sent the most students to the California National History Day competition, with several teams advancing and placing at the national competition.
IUSD students continually place in the top 25 percent of the California MathCounts competition.
IUSD students continue to earn top honors at the annual Orange County Science & Engineering Fair, sending the most students to the state competition.
In 2024, more than half of the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association Honor Group elementary musicians were from IUSD.
- Recognized by the state for a model School Attendance Review Board.
A Highest Performing School District in California
- Awarded the California Distinguished Schools/Gold Ribbon designation 91 times since 1986.
- U.S. News and World Report placed IUSD high schools in the California Top 100 ranking.
- IUSD continuously ranks among the highest-performing school districts in California in Math and English Language Arts/Literacy, outperforming both Orange County and state scores.
- IUSD students outperformed both state and county averages on the California Science Test (CAST), placing No. 1 in California among large public school districts.
- Education Magazine named IUSD one of the “10 Most Admired School Districts in California” for 2025.
- IUSD high schools ranked among the Top 5% of California schools (2025).
- More than 200 IUSD students earned the California State Seal of Civic Engagement (2026).
95.4% graduation rate.
98.7% completion of two or more college prep classes.
83% scoring 3 or higher on AP assessments.
70% of students satisfy UC/CSU requirements.
IUSD ranked in the 95th percentile on Equality California’s 2024 Safe and Supportive Schools Report Card.
IUSD campuses are consistently named among the county’s best in the Orange County Register’s annual evaluation of elementary, middle and high schools.
Northwood High School – California Green Ribbon School Gold Level Honoree (2026)
IUSD Sustainability – California Green Ribbon School Silver Level Honoree (2026)
Portola High School – California Green Ribbon School Silver Level Honoree (2025)
IUSD athletic teams have earned multiple CIF championships, including 3 titles in Fall 2024, 5 in Spring 2025, 3 in Fall 2025, and 2 in Winter 2026 (so far).
