The Irvine Unified School District has distinguished itself again.

Irvine and Woodbridge high schools and Rancho San Joaquin and Sierra Vista middle schools were named 2019 California Distinguished Schools. IUSD had more schools receive this top recognition than any other school district in Orange County.

“To have a single California Distinguished School in your district is cause for celebration,” IUSD Superintendent Terry Walker said. “To have four in one year is phenomenal.”

Schools earn the recognition by achieving two straight years of exceptional student performance — factoring in test scores, suspensions and graduation rates — or by closing the achievement gap between two school years.

Last year, four Irvine elementary schools — Brywood, Deerfield, Plaza Vista and Turtle Rock — were named Distinguished Schools. (Elementary and secondary schools are awarded in alternate years.)

Also, in 2018, IUSD was ranked second highest in California for the percentage of students who met or exceeded standards in both English and math.