408 Schools Honored As 2026 California Distinguished Schools

Hundreds of schools in the Golden State were recognized Tuesday as 2026 California Distinguished Schools.

A total of 408 middle and high schools were selected for the program, which recognizes schools for exceptional student achievement and efforts to close achievement gaps.

This year, the program added a "Beacons of Opportunity" category to honor high-performing schools serving rural and Title I communities.

The honorees were selected using 2025 data from the California School Dashboard, which tracks graduation rates, college and career readiness, and statewide assessment participation.

"An excellent public education has the power to transform lives, and I commend the educators and school communities who have dedicated themselves to producing exemplary results," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in a statement. "This year's California Distinguished Schools represent the hard work of our middle and high school educators and school staff, who provide our secondary students with life-changing educational opportunities."

Schools must meet strict standards to qualify, including at least 95% participation in statewide assessments and acceptable school climate indicators, such as low absenteeism and suspension rates.

Middle and high schools are considered every other year, with elementary and K-8 schools evaluated in alternating years.

• Also see: 336 Schools Honored As 2025 California Distinguished Schools

Elementary and K-8 schools were considered in 2025 and will next be considered in 2027. Middle and high schools were considered in 2026 and will next be considered in 2028.

These are the 2026 California Distinguished Schools:

Alameda

• Alameda County Office of Education – Oakland Unity Middle School
• Alameda Unified – Alameda High School
• Berkeley Unified – Longfellow Arts and Technology Middle School
• Berkeley Unified – Willard Middle School
• Castro Valley Unified – Creekside Middle School
• Dublin Unified – Eleanor Murray Fallon
• Fremont Unified – American High School
• Fremont Unified – Irvington High School
• Fremont Unified – John M. Horner Middle School
• Fremont Unified – Thornton Middle School
• Fremont Unified – Washington High School
• Pleasanton Unified – Harvest Park Middle School
• Pleasanton Unified – Thomas S. Hart Middle School
• San Lorenzo Unified – KIPP King Collegiate High School
• San Lorenzo Unified – KIPP Summit Academy

Butte

• Chico Unified – Chico High School
• Chico Unified – Inspire School of Arts and Sciences

Calaveras

• Vallecito Union – Avery Middle School

Contra Costa

• Acalanes Union High – Miramonte High School
• Liberty Union High – Liberty High School
• Martinez Unified – Martinez Junior High School
• Mt. Diablo Unified – Diablo View Middle School
• Mt. Diablo Unified – Pleasant Hill Middle School
• San Ramon Valley Unified – Charlotte Wood Middle School
• San Ramon Valley Unified – Diablo Vista Middle School
• San Ramon Valley Unified – Iron Horse Middle School
• San Ramon Valley Unified – Los Cerros Middle School
• San Ramon Valley Unified – Pine Valley Middle School
• San Ramon Valley Unified – San Ramon Valley High School
• San Ramon Valley Unified – Stone Valley Middle School
• West Contra Costa Unified – Middle College High School

El Dorado

• Buckeye Union Elementary – Camerado Springs Middle School
• Buckeye Union Elementary – Rolling Hills Middle School
• Latrobe – Miller's Hill
• Rescue Union Elementary – Marina Village Middle School

Fresno

• Clovis Unified – Buchanan High School
• Fresno Unified – Baird Middle School
• Fresno Unified – Design Science Middle College High School
• Fresno Unified – Edison Computech
• Fresno Unified – Edison High School
• Fresno Unified – Erma Duncan Polytechnical High School
• Fresno Unified – Phillip J Patino School of Entrepreneurship
• Fresno Unified – University High School
• Kings Canyon Joint Unified – Reedley High School
• Kings Canyon Joint Unified – Reedley Middle College High School
• Sanger Unified – Sanger High School

Humboldt

• Fortuna Union High – Academy of the Redwoods

Imperial

• Holtville Unified – Holtville Middle School

Kern

• Delano Joint Union High – Cesar E. Chavez High School
• Delano Joint Union High – Delano High School
• El Tejon Unified – El Tejon Elementary School
• Fruitvale Elementary – Fruitvale Junior High School
• Greenfield Union – Leon H. Ollivier Middle School
• McFarland Unified – McFarland High School Early College
• Panama-Buena Vista Union – Stonecreek Junior High School
• Wasco Union High – Wasco High School

Kings

• Hanford Joint Union High – Sierra Pacific High School

Los Angeles

• ABC Unified – Cerritos High School
• ABC Unified – Whitney (Gretchen) High School
• Antelope Valley Union High – SOAR High School(Students On Academic Rise)
• Arcadia Unified – Foothills Middle School
• Beverly Hills Unified – Beverly Vista Middle School
• Bonita Unified – Lone Hill Middle School
• Bonita Unified – Ramona Middle School
• Burbank Unified – John Muir Middle School
• Castaic Union – Castaic Middle School
• Claremont Unified – El Roble Intermediate School
• Compton Unified – Compton Early College High School
• Compton Unified – Compton High School
• Compton Unified – Davis Middle School
• Compton Unified – Manuel Dominguez High School
• Compton Unified – Whaley Middle School
• Covina-Valley Unified – South Hills High School
• Downey Unified – Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle School
• Downey Unified – Griffiths (Gordon) Middle School
• Downey Unified – Sussman (Edward A.) Middle School
• Duarte Unified – California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley
• El Monte Union High – El Monte High School
• El Segundo Unified – El Segundo High School
• El Segundo Unified – El Segundo Middle School
• Garvey Elementary – Temple (Roger W.) Intermediate School
• Glendale Unified – Anderson W. Clark Magnet High School
• Glendale Unified – Eleanor J. Toll Middle School
• Glendale Unified – Woodrow Wilson Middle School
• Glendora Unified – Glendora High School
• Glendora Unified – Goddard Middle School
• Glendora Unified – Sandburg Middle School
• Hawthorne – Hawthorne Math and Science Academy
• Inglewood Unified – City Honors International Preparatory High School
• Lawndale Elementary – Environmental Charter High School - Lawndale
• Lawndale Elementary – Jane Addams Middle School
• Lawndale Elementary – Will Rogers Middle School
• Lennox – Lennox Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy
• Long Beach Unified – California Academy of Mathematics and Science
• Long Beach Unified – Ernest S. McBride, Sr. High School
• Long Beach Unified – Eunice Sato Academy of Math & Science
• Long Beach Unified – Helen Keller Middle School
• Long Beach Unified – Millikan High School
• Long Beach Unified – Stanford Middle School
• Los Angeles County Office of Education – International Polytechnic High School
• Los Angeles County Office of Education – Magnolia Science Academy 5
• Los Angeles Unified – Academy of Medical Arts at Carson High
• Los Angeles Unified – Alexander Fleming Middle School
• Los Angeles Unified – Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Alliance Judy Ivie Burton Technology Academy High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Alliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Environmental Science High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science
• Los Angeles Unified – Alliance Margaret M. Bloomfield Technology Academy High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Alliance Patti And Peter Neuwirth Leadership Academy
• Los Angeles Unified – Alliance Susan and Eric Smidt Technology High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Alliance Ted K. Tajima High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Animo Ellen Ochoa Charter Middle School
• Los Angeles Unified – Animo Jackie Robinson High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Animo Pat Brown
• Los Angeles Unified – Animo South Los Angeles Charter School
• Los Angeles Unified – Animo Venice Charter High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Animo Watts College Preparatory Academy
• Los Angeles Unified – Bell Senior High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Carson Senior High School
• Los Angeles Unified – CATCH Prep Charter High School, Inc.
• Los Angeles Unified – Central City Value
• Los Angeles Unified – Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academies-Social Justice Humanitas Academy
• Los Angeles Unified – Downtown Business High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy
• Los Angeles Unified – Eagle Rock High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Early College Academy-LA Trade Tech College
• Los Angeles Unified – Ednovate - Esperanza College Prep
• Los Angeles Unified – Ednovate - USC Hybrid High School College Prep
• Los Angeles Unified – Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Gaspar De Portola Charter Middle School
• Los Angeles Unified – George Ellery Hale Charter Academy
• Los Angeles Unified – George K. Porter Middle School
• Los Angeles Unified – Girls Academic Leadership Academy, Dr. Michelle King School for Sci, Tech, Eng and Math
• Los Angeles Unified – Hollywood Senior High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Humanities and Arts (HARTS) Academy of Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Unified – ICEF View Park Preparatory High School
• Los Angeles Unified – ICEF Vista Middle Academy School
• Los Angeles Unified – International Studies Learning Center at Legacy High School Complex
• Los Angeles Unified – John Burroughs Middle School
• Los Angeles Unified – John F. Kennedy High School
• Los Angeles Unified – John Marshall Senior High School
• Los Angeles Unified – King/Drew Medical Magnet High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Linda Esperanza Marquez High School A Huntington Park Institute of Applied Medicine
• Los Angeles Unified – Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
• Los Angeles Unified – Luther Burbank Middle School Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math Magnet
• Los Angeles Unified – Magnolia Science Academy 4
• Los Angeles Unified – Magnolia Science Academy 6
• Los Angeles Unified – Mark Twain Middle School
• Los Angeles Unified – Math, Science, & Technology Magnet Academy at Roosevelt High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Maywood Center for Enriched Studies
• Los Angeles Unified – Middle College High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle School
• Los Angeles Unified – Orthopaedic Hospital School
• Los Angeles Unified – Patrick Henry Middle School
• Los Angeles Unified – Port of Los Angeles High School
• Los Angeles Unified – PUC Community Charter Middle and PUC Community Charter Early College High School
• Los Angeles Unified – PUC Lakeview Charter High School
• Los Angeles Unified – PUC Triumph Charter Academy and PUC Triumph Charter High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Robert Frost Middle School
• Los Angeles Unified – San Pedro Senior High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Science Academy STEM Magnet
• Los Angeles Unified – Sotomayor Arts and Sciences Magnet
• Los Angeles Unified – South East High School
• Los Angeles Unified – STEM Academy at Bernstein High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Sylmar Biotech Health and Engineering Magnet
• Los Angeles Unified – Synergy Kinetic Academy
• Los Angeles Unified – Taft Charter High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Ulysses S. Grant Senior High School
• Los Angeles Unified – University Pathways Public Service Academy
• Los Angeles Unified – Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Los Angeles Unified – Valor Academy High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Venice Senior High School
• Los Angeles Unified – Washington Irving Middle School Math, Music and Engineering Magnet
• Los Angeles Unified – WISH Academy High School
• Los Nietos – Los Nietos Middle School
• Norwalk-La Mirada Unified – Arlie F. Hutchinson Middle School
• Norwalk-La Mirada Unified – Norwalk High School
• Norwalk-La Mirada Unified – Reginald M. Benton Middle School
• Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified – Palos Verdes Intermediate School
• Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified – Ridgecrest Intermediate School
• Redondo Beach Unified – Adams Middle School
• San Gabriel Unified – Gabrielino High School
• San Marino Unified – Huntington Middle School
• San Marino Unified – San Marino High School
• Santa Monica-Malibu Unified – John Adams Middle School
• South Pasadena Unified – South Pasadena Middle School
• Temple City Unified – Oak Avenue Intermediate School
• Torrance Unified – Calle Mayor Middle School
• Torrance Unified – Casimir Middle School
• Torrance Unified – Edward J. Richardson Middle School
• Torrance Unified – Jefferson Middle School
• Torrance Unified – Philip Magruder Middle School
• Torrance Unified – Torrance High School
• Torrance Unified – West High School
• Walnut Valley Unified – Chaparral Middle School
• Walnut Valley Unified – Diamond Bar High School
• Walnut Valley Unified – South Pointe Middle School
• Walnut Valley Unified – Suzanne Middle School
• Walnut Valley Unified – Walnut High School
• West Covina Unified – Edgewood High School
• West Covina Unified – Hollencrest Middle School
• West Covina Unified – Mt. SAC Early College Academy at West Covina
• William S. Hart Union High – Academy of the Canyons
• William S. Hart Union High – Canyon High School
• William S. Hart Union High – Castaic High School
• William S. Hart Union High – La Mesa Junior High School
• William S. Hart Union High – Saugus High School
• William S. Hart Union High – West Ranch High School
• Wiseburn Unified – Da Vinci Science

Madera

• Golden Valley Unified – Liberty High School
• Madera Unified – Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Marin

• Kentfield Elementary – Adaline E. Kent Middle School
• Larkspur-Corte Madera – Hall Middle School
• Miller Creek Elementary – Miller Creek Middle School

Monterey

• Pacific Grove Unified – Pacific Grove Middle School
• Spreckels Union Elementary – Buena Vista Middle School

Orange

• Anaheim Union High – Lexington Junior High School
• Anaheim Union High – Oxford Academy
• Brea-Olinda Unified – Brea Junior High School
• Capistrano Unified – Arroyo Vista Middle School
• Capistrano Unified – Bernice Ayer Middle School
• Capistrano Unified – Capistrano Valley High School
• Capistrano Unified – Las Flores Middle School
• Capistrano Unified – Marco Forster Middle School
• Capistrano Unified – Tesoro High School
• Fountain Valley Elementary – Masuda (Kazuo) Middle School
• Fullerton Joint Union High – Sunny Hills High School
• Fullerton Joint Union High – Troy High School
• Garden Grove Unified – Bolsa Grande High School
• Garden Grove Unified – Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate School
• Garden Grove Unified – Hilton D. Bell Intermediate School
• Garden Grove Unified – James Irvine Intermediate School
• Garden Grove Unified – La Quinta High School
• Garden Grove Unified – Los Amigos High School
• Garden Grove Unified – Pacifica High School
• Garden Grove Unified – Santiago High School
• Garden Grove Unified – Sarah McGarvin Intermediate School
• Huntington Beach City Elementary – Ethel Dwyer Middle School
• Huntington Beach Union High – Westminster High School
• Irvine Unified – Irvine High School
• Irvine Unified – Lakeside Middle School
• Irvine Unified – Rancho San Joaquin Middle School
• Irvine Unified – Sierra Vista Middle School
• Irvine Unified – South Lake Middle School
• Irvine Unified – Venado Middle School
• Irvine Unified – Woodbridge High School
• Laguna Beach Unified – Thurston Middle School
• Newport-Mesa Unified – Early College High School
• Orange County Department of Education – Oxford Preparatory Academy - Middle School
• Orange County Department of Education – Samueli Academy
• Orange Unified – El Rancho Charter School
• Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified – Col. J. K. Tuffree Middle School
• Saddleback Valley Unified – La Paz Intermediate School
• Santa Ana Unified – Douglas MacArthur Fundamental Intermediate School
• Santa Ana Unified – Hector G. Godinez
• Santa Ana Unified – Middle College High School
• Tustin Unified – Hewes Middle School
• Westminster – Helen Stacey Middle School

Placer

• Placer Union High – Placer High School
• Rocklin Unified – Granite Oaks Middle School
• Rocklin Unified – Rocklin High School
• Rocklin Unified – Western Sierra Collegiate Academy
• Roseville City – Warren T. Eich Middle School
• Roseville Joint Union High – Antelope High School
• Tahoe-Truckee Unified – Alder Creek Middle School
• Tahoe-Truckee Unified – North Tahoe High School

Riverside

• Beaumont Unified – Beaumont Middle College High School
• Corona-Norco Unified – Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate School
• Corona-Norco Unified – Eleanor Roosevelt High School
• Corona-Norco Unified – John F. Kennedy Middle College High School
• Desert Sands Unified – La Quinta High School
• Hemet Unified – Western Center Academy
• Menifee Union – Kathryn Newport Middle School
• Menifee Union – Menifee Valley Middle School
• Moreno Valley Unified – Valley View High School
• Murrieta Valley Unified – Dorothy McElhinney Middle School
• Murrieta Valley Unified – Murrieta Mesa High School
• Murrieta Valley Unified – Vista Murrieta High School
• San Jacinto Unified – San Jacinto Leadership Academy - Magnet
• Temecula Valley Unified – Great Oak High School
• Temecula Valley Unified – Temecula Middle School

Sacramento

• Elk Grove Unified – Toby Johnson Middle School
• Galt Joint Union Elementary – Robert L. McCaffrey Middle
• Galt Joint Union High – Liberty Ranch High School
• Sacramento City Unified – West Campus
• San Juan Unified – Winston Churchill Middle School

San Benito

• Hollister – Accelerated Achievement Academy

San Bernardino

• Chaffey Joint Union High – Etiwanda High School
• Chino Valley Unified – Canyon Hills Junior High School
• Chino Valley Unified – Chino High School
• Chino Valley Unified – Chino Hills High School
• Chino Valley Unified – Robert O. Townsend Junior High School
• Etiwanda Elementary – Day Creek Intermediate School
• Etiwanda Elementary – Heritage Intermediate School
• Etiwanda Elementary – Summit Intermediate School
• Fontana Unified – Fontana A. B. Miller High School
• Ontario-Montclair – De Anza Middle School
• Ontario-Montclair – Oaks Middle School
• Redlands Unified – Grove
• Redlands Unified – Redlands East Valley High School
• Rialto Unified – Eisenhower High School
• San Bernardino City Unified – Cajon High School
• San Bernardino City Unified – Colonel Joseph C. Rodriguez PREP Academy
• San Bernardino City Unified – Middle College High School
• San Bernardino City Unified – Richardson PREP HI Middle School
• Upland Unified – Upland High School
• Victor Valley Union High – University Preparatory

San Diego

• Escondido Union – Quantum Academy
• Grossmont Union High – Helix High School
• Poway Unified – Oak Valley Middle School
• Ramona City Unified – Ramona High School
• Rancho Santa Fe Elementary – R. Roger Rowe Middle School
• San Diego County Office of Education – High Tech High Mesa
• San Diego County Office of Education – High Tech Middle North County
• San Diego Unified – Challenger Middle School
• San Diego Unified – Correia Middle School
• San Diego Unified – De Portola Middle School
• San Diego Unified – East Village Middle College High School
• San Diego Unified – High Tech High International
• San Diego Unified – Kearny College Connections
• San Diego Unified – Magnolia Science Academy San Diego
• San Diego Unified – Mira Mesa High School
• San Diego Unified – Mission Bay High School
• San Diego Unified – Muirlands Middle School
• San Diego Unified – Pershing Middle School
• San Diego Unified – Preuss School UCSD
• San Diego Unified – School for Entrepreneurship and Technology
• San Diego Unified – Scripps Ranch High School
• San Diego Unified – Standley Middle School
• San Dieguito Union High – Canyon Crest Academy
• San Dieguito Union High – Diegueno Middle School
• San Dieguito Union High – La Costa Canyon High School
• San Dieguito Union High – Pacific Trails Middle School
• San Marcos Unified – San Elijo Middle School
• SBE - College Preparatory Middle – College Preparatory Middle School
• Sweetwater Union High – Bonita Vista Senior High School
• Sweetwater Union High – Eastlake High School
• Vista Unified – Mission Vista High School

San Francisco

• San Francisco Unified – Giannini (A.P.) Middle School
• San Francisco Unified – Roosevelt Middle School

San Joaquin

• Lodi Unified – Aspire Benjamin Holt College Preparatory Academy
• Manteca Unified – Manteca High School
• Manteca Unified – Sierra High School
• Stockton Unified – Health Careers Academy
• Stockton Unified – Stockton Early College Academy
• Tracy Joint Unified – Merrill F. West High School
• Tracy Joint Unified – Millennium Charter School

San Luis Obispo

• Lucia Mar Unified – Mesa Middle School
• Lucia Mar Unified – Nipomo High School

San Mateo

• Hillsborough City Elementary – Crocker Middle School
• Jefferson Union High School – Summit Public School: Shasta
• Portola Valley Elementary School – Corte Madera
• San Carlos Elementary School – Central Middle School
• San Carlos Elementary School – Tierra Linda Middle School
• South San Francisco Unified – El Camino High School

Santa Barbara

• Buellton Union Elementary – Jonata Middle School
• Santa Barbara Unified – Dos Pueblos Senior High School
• Santa Barbara Unified – La Colina Junior High School
• Santa Ynez Valley Union High – Santa Ynez Valley Union High School

Santa Clara

• Berryessa Union Elementary – Piedmont Middle School
• Cupertino Union – John F. Kennedy Middle School
• Cupertino Union – Sam H. Lawson Middle School
• Franklin-McKinley Elementary – College Connection Academy
• Fremont Union High – Fremont High School
• Gilroy Unified – Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy
• Los Altos Elementary – Ardis G. Egan Junior High School
• Los Altos Elementary – Georgina P. Blach Junior High School
• Los Gatos Union Elementary – Raymond J. Fisher Middle School
• Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High – Los Gatos High School
• Milpitas Unified – Thomas Russell Middle School
• Morgan Hill Unified – Ann Sobrato High School
• Mountain View Whisman – Isaac Newton Graham Middle School
• Oak Grove Elementary – Herman (Leonard) Intermediate School
• Palo Alto Unified – Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle School
• Palo Alto Unified – Henry M. Gunn High School
• Palo Alto Unified – Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School
• Santa Clara County Office of Education – University Preparatory Academy Charter School
• Saratoga Union Elementary – Redwood Middle School
• SBE - KIPP Navigate College Prep – KIPP Navigate College Prep
• Sunnyvale – Sunnyvale Middle School
• Union Elementary – Union Middle School

Santa Cruz

• Santa Cruz City High – Branciforte Middle School
• Santa Cruz City High – Soquel High School

Shasta

• Gateway Unified – Central Valley High School
• Shasta Union High – Foothill High School
• Shasta Union High – University Preparatory

Solano

• Benicia Unified – Benicia Middle School
• Fairfield-Suisun Unified – Green Valley Middle School
• Travis Unified – Vanden High School

Sonoma

• Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified – Credo High School
• Gravenstein Union Elementary – Hillcrest Middle School
• Petaluma Joint Union High – Casa Grande High School

Stanislaus

• Hickman Community Charter – Hickman Middle School
• Newman-Crows Landing Unified – Orestimba High School

Tulare

• Exeter Unified – Exeter Union High School
• Lindsay Unified – Lindsay Senior High School
• Porterville Unified – Harmony Magnet Academy
• Porterville Unified – Porterville Military Academy
• Tulare County Office of Education – University Preparatory High School
• Visalia Unified – El Diamante High School

Tuolumne

• Summerville Union High School – Connections Visual and Performing Arts Academy

Ventura

• Conejo Valley Unified – Los Cerritos Middle School
• Oak Park Unified – Medea Creek Middle School
• Oxnard Union High – Oxnard Middle College High School
• Oxnard Union High – Rancho Campana High School
• Pleasant Valley – Monte Vista Middle School

Yolo

• Washington Unified – Washington Middle College High School

Yuba

• Marysville Joint Unified – Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts