Reported by the Orange County Department of Education:
The California Distinguished Schools award is considered the state’s top honor for public schools, recognizing campuses that demonstrate exceptional academic performance and efforts to close longstanding achievement gaps.
On Tuesday, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced that 336 elementary schools across California had earned the distinction for 2025. Of that total, about 13 percent are located here in Orange County, including 10 schools from the Garden Grove Unified School District.
“To have 44 schools in Orange County recognized at the state level is a remarkable achievement,” Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean said. “It speaks to the strong partnerships between educators, staff, students and families in creating supportive campuses and high-performing school communities.”
“This year’s California Distinguished Schools celebration provides us with an opportunity to recognize the hard work of our elementary educators and school staff who help our students discover passions and experiences that will propel them,” Thurmond said in a statement.
For the complete article, visit the OCDE Newsroom