Press Release - Orange Unified School District

Canyon, El Modena, and Villa Park High Schools Earn Seventh Consecutive Recognition as U.S. News Best High Schools

Orange, CA – Orange Unified School District is proud to announce that Canyon High School, El Modena High School, and Villa Park High School have once again been recognized in the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools Rankings, marking the seventh consecutive year these three schools have earned this prestigious distinction.

Each school ranks among the top 40% of high schools nationwide, earning the official U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools designation for 2025-2026.

The annual rankings recognize schools based on measures of academic performance, including graduation rates, college readiness, student performance on state assessments, and participation and performance in advanced coursework such as AP® and IB programs.

This continued recognition reflects the dedication of our scholars, educators, staff, and families and the collective commitment to academic excellence across Canyon, El Modena, and Villa Park High Schools.

Across California and the nation, the three schools continue to demonstrate strong academic outcomes:

All three schools maintain four-year graduation rates above the state average.
Students are completing rigorous coursework that prepares them for success in college and beyond.
Students demonstrate strong performance in reading, mathematics, and science, as well as on AP® and IB examinations.

The U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings evaluate nearly 18,000 public high schools nationwide. Approximately 7,160 schools across the U.S., representing the top 40%, received the Best High Schools designation this year.

In addition to Canyon High School, El Modena High School, and Villa Park High School, OUSD has 15 elementary schools and four middle school programs that also earned U.S. News & World Report “Best” designations in 2026, placing them among the top 40% of schools nationwide. The elementary and middle school rankings consider student proficiency in mathematics and reading on state assessments, along with the socioeconomic context of the students each school serves. This approach recognizes schools that achieve strong academic outcomes while successfully educating students from diverse backgrounds.

Orange Unified’s recognized elementary schools are Anaheim Hills, Canyon Rim, Crescent, Fletcher Academy, Imperial, Jordan Academy, Linda Vista, McPherson Magnet, Nohl Canyon, Palmyra GATE Magnet, Panorama, Prospect, Running Springs Academy, Villa Park, and West Orange Elementary. The recognized middle school programs are Cerro Villa, El Rancho Charter, McPherson Magnet, and OUSD Edge Virtual Academy.

Congratulations to all of our recognized schools on these outstanding achievements. Together, these honors reflect the excellence of our scholars and the commitment of the educators, staff, families, and communities who support them every day.