The U.S. News & World Report ranked seven IUSD elementary and middle schools among the top 100 Best Elementary and Middle Â鶹ÊÓƵ in California in their latest rankings for 2026.
In the , Stonegate Elementary School ranked No. 60 out of 8,767 elementary schools across the state.
In the middle school rankings, IUSD had the highest number of schools recognized in Orange County, with six schools ranked among the top 100 out of 7,130 .
- Vista Verde School - No. 11
- Sierra Vista Middle - No. 49
- Beacon Park K-8 School - No. 53
- Rancho San Joaquin Middle - No. 62
- Lakeside Middle - No. 85
- Jeffrey Trail Middle - No. 97
Similar to the high school rankings, U.S. News’ analysis of elementary and middle schools is based on student proficiency and performance while factoring in socioeconomic profiles. In contrast to high school evaluations, the elementary and middle school rankings only feature statewide rankings without any national comparisons.
U.S. News analyzes data from more than 100,000 schools as part of its review process. Elementary and middle school rankings are based on state assessment results in math and reading/language arts, weighing proficiency and performance scores in the context of socioeconomic demographics and modeled expectations.
To view the complete rankings and learn more about the U.S. News & World Report’s , please visit the .