Quick look: U.S. News & World Report has released its 2027 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings, with 29 Orange County campuses earning 31 placements among California’s top 100. The latest rankings reflect student achievement in math and reading, along with socioeconomic factors.
Elementary and middle schools across Orange County have once again earned high marks in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings, with 29 campuses landing among the top 100 in California.
Released Oct. 20, the 2027 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings evaluated more than 65,000 public schools nationwide, including approximately 46,700 elementary schools and 24,700 middle schools. Schools were ranked at the state and district levels, with no national rankings for these grade levels.
The latest results place Jack L. Weaver Elementary School in Los Alamitos Unified at No. 10 among California elementary schools, while Oxford Academy in Anaheim Union High School District earned the No. 3 spot among middle schools.
This year’s rankings feature an updated methodology that draws on more detailed state assessment data to evaluate student achievement in mathematics and English language arts. Half of each school’s score reflects student proficiency, while the other half considers academic performance in relation to socioeconomic factors.
According to U.S. News, the approach is designed to recognize schools that demonstrate strong academic achievement while accounting for differences in the student populations they serve.
Orange County schools in California’s top 100
The following Orange County campuses earned spots among the state’s 100 highest-ranked elementary and middle schools. Schools serving both elementary and middle school grade levels may appear in both categories.
Elementary schools
- Jack L. Weaver Elementary (No. 10), Los Alamitos Unified School District
- Golden Elementary (No. 13), Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
- Ethan B. Allen Elementary (No. 28), Garden Grove Unified School District
- Los Coyotes Elementary (No. 50), Centralia Elementary School District
- William T. Newland Elementary (No. 54), Fountain Valley School District
- Orchard Hills (No. 55), Tustin Unified School District
- Plavan Elementary (No. 65), Fountain Valley School District
- Irvine International Academy (No. 71), Irvine
- Chaparral Elementary (No. 75), Capistrano Unified School District
- Santiago Hills Elementary (No. 82), Irvine Unified School District
- Patton Elementary (No. 89), Garden Grove Unified School District
- Tustin Memorial Elementary (No. 93), Tustin Unified School District
- Richard Henry Lee Elementary (No. 95), Los Alamitos Unified School District
Middle schools
- Oxford Academy (No. 3), Anaheim Union High School District
- Robert C. Fisler Elementary (No. 11), Fullerton School District
- Irvine International Academy (No. 25), Irvine
- Vista Verde School (No. 29), Irvine Unified School District
- Orchard Hills (No. 35), Tustin Unified School District
- Ladera Ranch Middle (No. 54), Capistrano Unified School District
- Legacy Magnet Academy (No. 57), Tustin Unified School District
- Arroyo Vista Middle (No. 60), Capistrano Unified School District
- Orange County School of the Arts (No. 62), Santa Ana
- Rancho San Joaquin Middle (No. 65), Irvine Unified School District
- Masuda Middle (No. 71), Fountain Valley School District
- Sierra Vista Middle (No. 79), Irvine Unified School District
- Beechwood Elementary (No. 84), Fullerton School District
- Sarah McGarvin Intermediate (No. 86), Garden Grove Unified School District
- Esencia Middle (No. 87), Capistrano Unified School District
- Hilton D. Bell Intermediate (No. 90), Garden Grove Unified School District
- Don Juan Avila Middle (No. 95), Capistrano Unified School District
A closer look at the rankings
For the 2027 edition, U.S. News expanded its analysis of student performance by incorporating assessment results across all reported proficiency levels rather than relying solely on whether students met proficiency standards.
The rankings use publicly available data collected from state education agencies and the U.S. Department of Education, including assessment results from the 2023-24 school year. Student-teacher ratios are used to break ties.
While the rankings offer a snapshot of academic performance, they represent just one way to evaluate a school’s success and should be considered alongside other factors important to students and families.
The complete 2027 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings, along with details about the methodology, are available on the U.S. News & World Report website.
Did we miss an Orange County elementary or middle school in California’s top 100? Email communications@ocde.us.