These Southern California elementary schools made the 2025 California Distinguished list

SUGGESTED COVERAGE: School prize causes commotion among family

A family is demanding an apology and answers after a little girl received what they say is an inappropriate prize from the school.

LOS ANGELES - The California Department of Education has revealed the 336 elementary schools honored with the 2025 California Distinguished Schools Award.

The award recognizes the school's efforts in closing achievement gaps and demonstrating exceptional student performance.

What we know:

The California Distinguished Schools Program, established in 1985, is a key recognition initiative for exceptional schools, districts, teachers, and classified employees.

This year, 336 elementary schools have been selected for their outstanding contributions to public education.

The program identifies schools based on their performance on state indicators specified on the California School Dashboard, focusing on academic achievement, positive school climate, and participation in statewide assessments.

Southern California Schools :

Here are the SoCal schools by county and district that made the list:

Los Angeles County

ABC Unified, Cerritos Elementary
Arcadia Unified, Camino Grove Elementary
Arcadia Unified, Longley Way Elementary
Bonita Unified, Gladstone Elementary
Burbank Unified, Providencia Elementary
Claremont Unified, Chaparral Elementary
Claremont Unified, Sumner Elementary
Compton Unified, Tibby Elementary
Compton Unified, Roosevelt Elementary
Covina-Valley Unified, Manzanita Elementary
Culver City Unified, Linwood E. Howe Elementary
Culver City Unified, La Ballona Elementary
East Whittier City Elementary, Orchard Dale Elementary
El Monte City, Legore Elementary
El Rancho Unified, Birney Tech Academy
Garvey Elementary, Duff Language Magnet Academy
Glendale Unified, Verdugo Woodlands Elementary
Hacienda la Puente Unified, Wedgeworth Elementary
Las Virgenes Unified, Bay Laurel Elementary
Las Virgenes Unified, Sumac Elementary
Las Virgenes Unified, Willow Elementary
Lawndale Elementary, William Anderson Elementary
LA County Office of Education, Lashon Academy
LA County Office of Education, Aspire Antonio Maria Lugo Academy
LA Unified, Franklin Avenue Elementary
LA Unified, Beckford Charter for Enriched Studies
LA Unified, Third Street Elementary
LA Unified, Community Magnet Charter Elementary
LA Unified, Warner Avenue Elementary
LA Unified, Open Charter Magnet
LA Unified, Castle Heights Elementary
LA Unified, Hesby Oaks Leadership Charter
LA Unified, Colfax Charter Elementary
LA Unified, Porter Ranch Community
LA Unified, Carpenter Community Charter
LA Unified, Kentwood Elementary
LA Unified, ICEF Vista Elementary Academy
LA Unified, Multnomah Street Elementary
LA Unified, Sierra Vista Elementary
LA Unified, San Jose Street Elementary
LA Unified, ISANA Palmati Academy
LA Unified, Stagg Street Elementary
LA Unified, Allesandro Elementary
LA Unified, Panorama City Elementary
LA Unified, Newcastle Elementary
LA Unified, Jaime Escalante Elementary
LA Unified, Hoover Street Elementary
LA Unified, Rockdale Visual & Performing Arts Magnet
LA Unified, Gates Street Elementary
LA Unified, Annalee Avenue Elementary
LA Unified, City Terrace Elementary
LA Unified, Dorris Place Elementary
LA Unified PUC Community Charter Elementary
LA Unified, Brocktown Avenue Elementary
LA Unified, Brooklyn Avenue
LA Unified, Figueroa Street Elementary
LA Unified, One Hundred Twenty-Second Street Elementary
LA Unified, ISANA Cardinal Academy
LA Unified, N.E.W. Academy of Science and Arts
LA Unified, Aragon Avenue Elementary
LA Unified, ISANA Octavia Academy
LA Unified, Magnolia Science Academy 7
LA Unified, Gledhill Street Elementary
LA Unified, Alexandria Avenue Elementary
LA Unified, Chase Street Elementary
LA Unified, Coldwater Canyon Elementary
LA Unified, Malabar Street Elementary
LA Unified, Nevin Avenue Elementary
LA Unified, Tulsa Street Elementary
LA Unified, Bonita Street Elementary
LA Unified, Hubbard Street Elementary
LA Unified, Rosemont Avenue Elementary
LA Unified, Reseda Elementary
LA Unified, Soto Street Elementary
LA Unified, Danube Avenue Elementary
LA Unified, Westside Global Awareness Magnet
LA Unified, Seventh Street Elementary Arts Integration Magnet
LA Unified, Vermont Avenue Elementary
Manhattan Beach Unified, Pacific Elementary
Newhall, Old Orchard Elementary
Newhall, Meadows Elementary
Newhall, Pico Canyon Elementary
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, Cornerstone Pedregal Elementary
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, Silver Spur Elementary
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, Montemalaga Elementary
Paramount Unified, Howard Tanner
Pasadena Unified, Field (Eugene) Elementary
Pasadena Unified, Altadena Elementary
Pomona Unified, Pantera Elementary
Redondo Beach Unified, Birney Elementary
Redondo Beach Unified, Jefferson Elementary
Redondo Beach Unified, Lincoln Elementary
Rosemead Elementary, Emma W. Shuey Elementary
San Gabriel Unified, Wilson Elementary
San Marino Unified, Valentine Elementary
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified, Edison Elementary
Saugus Union, Cedarcreek Elementary
Saugu Union, Rosedell Elementary
Saugus Union, Plum Canyon Elementary
Saugus Union, Mountainview Elementary
Saugus Union, West Creek Academy
Saugus Union, North Park Elementary
South Pasadena Unified, Marengo Elementary
South Pasadena Unified, Monterey Hills Elementary
Sulphur Springs Union, Leona H. Cox Community Elementary
Torrance Unified, Yukon Elementary
Torrance Unified, John Adams Elementary
Torrance Unified, Towers Elementary
Torrance Unified, Arlington Elementary
Walnut Valley Unified, Walnut Elementary
West Covina Unified, Merced Elementary
West Covina Unified, San Jose Charter Academy
West Covina Unified, Orangewood Elementary
Whittier City, Mill School and Technology Academy
Wright Elementary, Robert L. Stevens Elementary
Long Beach Unified, Henry
Long Beach Unified, Fremont Elementary

Orange County

Anaheim Elementary, Jefferson (Thomas) Elementary
Brea-Olinda Unified, Olinda Elementary
Capistrano Unified, Oso Grande Elementary
Capistrano Unified, Philip J. Reilly Elementary
Capistrano Unified, Truman Benedict Elementary
Fullerton Elementary, Beechwood Elementary
Fullerton Elementary, Robert C. Fisler Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, Excelsior Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, Loyal Barker Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, A.G. Cook Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, Patton Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, Susan B. Anthony Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, Merton E. Hill Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, Brookhurst Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, Louis G. Zeyen Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, Ocia A. Peters Elementary
Garden Grove Unified, Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary
Huntington Beach City Elementary, Ralph E. Hawes Elementary
Irvine Unified, Plaza Vista
Irvine Unified, Bonita Canyon Elementary
Irvine Unified, Eastshore Elementary
Irvine Unified, Portola Springs Elementary
La Habra City Elementary, Arbolita Elementary
Los Alamitos Unified, Rossmoor Elementary
Newport-Mesa Unified, Heinz Kaiser Elementary
Newport-Mesa Unified, Adams Elementary
Orange County Department of Education, Irvine International Academy
Orange County Department of Education, Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley
Orange Unified, Nohl Canyon Elementary
Orange Unified, Taft Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified, Golden Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified, Sierra Vista Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified, Lakeview Elementary
Saddleback Valley Unified, De Portola Elementary
Saddleback Valley Unified, Robinson Elementary
Saddleback Valley Unified, Rancho Canada Elementary
Saddleback Valley Unified, Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary
Santa Ana Unified, Fremont Elementary
Tustin Unified, Tustin Ranch Elementary
Tustin Unified, Ladera Elementary
Tustin Unified, Red Hill Elementary
Tustin Unified, Orchard Hills
Tustin Unified, Benjamin Beswick Elementary

Riverside County

Beaumont Unified, Starlight Elementary
Beaumont Unified, Palm Innovation Academy
Corona-Norco Unified, Temescal Valley Elementary
Corona-Norco Unified, Benjamin Franklin Elementary
Corona-Norco Unified, Prado View Elementary
Desert Sands Unified, Gerald R. Ford Elementary
Menifee Union, Taawila Elementary
Moreno Valley Unified, North Ridge Elementary
Murrieta Valley Unified, Monte Vista Elementary
Riverside Unified, Magnolia Elementary

San Bernardino County

Alta Loma Elementary, Jasper Elementary
Alta Loma Elementary, Victoria Groves Elementary
Chino Valley Unified, Country Springs Elementary
Chino Valley Unified, Butterfield Ranch Elementary
Chino Valley Unified, Eagle Canyon Elementary
Chino Valley Unified, Lyle S. Briggs Fundamental
Chula Vista Elementary, Sunnyside Elementary
Etiwanda Elementary, David W. Long Elementary
Fontana Unified, Beech Avenue Elementary
Fontana Unified, Shadow Hills Elementary
Fontana Unified, Date Elementary
Hesperia Unified, LaVerne Elementary Prep Academy
Morongo Unified, Friendly Hills Elementary
Ontario-Montclair, Buena Vista Arts-Integrated
Redlands Unified, Kimberly Elementary
Redlands Unified, Highland Grove Elementary
Rialto Unified, Samuel W. Simpson Elementary
San Bernardino City Unified, Ramona-Alessandro Elementary
Snowline Joint Unified, Heritage
Victor Elementary, Sixth Street Prep
Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified, Wildwood Elementary

San Diego County

Dehesa Elementary, The Heights Charter
Escondido Union, Heritage K-8 Charter
Fallbrook Union Elementary, La Paloma Elementary
Fallbrook Union Elementary, Live Oak Elementary
Lakeside Union Elementary, Riverview Elementary
San Diego County Office of Education, Dual Language Immersion North County
San Diego County Office of Education, JCS-Manzanita
San Diego Unified, Jonas Salk Elementary
San Diego Unified, Benchley/Weinberger Elementary
San Diego Unified, Doyle Elementary
Solana Beach Elementary, Carmel Creek Elementary
Solana Beach Elementary, Solana Pacific Elementary

Santa Barbara County

Carpinteria Unified, Aliso Elementary
Santa Barbara Unified, Peabody Charter
Santa Barbara Unified, Adelante Charter
Santa Barbara Unified, Washington Elementary

Ventura County

Conejo Valley Unified, Wildwood Elementary
Conejo Valley Unified, Banyan Elementary
Santa Clara Elementary, Santa Clara Elementary
Simi Valley Unified, White Oak Elementary
Simi Valley Unified, Madera Elementary
Simi Valley Unified, Garden Grove Elementary

What they're saying:

"It is my pleasure to honor and recognize these 336 elementary schools for their efforts to provide exemplary public education to all students. Excellent elementary schools play a critical role in the life outcomes of our young people," Superintendent Tony Thurmond said.

The backstory:

To qualify for the Closing the Achievement Gap recognition, schools must enroll at least 40% of students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and demonstrate exceptional growth in English language arts or math.

For Exceptional Student Performance recognition, schools must achieve among the highest levels of ELA and math achievement and maintain a "blue" or "green" status on the Dashboard indicators.

What's next:

The recognized schools will be celebrated at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim on May 30, alongside other awardees such as the 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools and 2025 Green Ribbon Schools Green Achievers.

The California Distinguished Schools program alternates recognition between elementary and middle/high schools annually, allowing awardees to hold the title for two years.

The Source: Information for this story is from a press release published by the California Department of Education on March 25, 2025.

Education Instastories Los Angeles County Orange County Riverside County San Bernardino County Ventura County