PYLUSD High Schools Achieve Top Rankings in Latest U.S. News and World Report

The U.S. News and World Report recently released its 2026 Best High Schools Rankings. The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD) is proud to announce that all four comprehensive high schools were highly ranked in the Los Angeles Metro Area, California, and across the nation. Congratulations to El Dorado, Esperanza, Valencia, and Yorba Linda for earning impressive standings!

Notably, all four PYLUSD campuses were ranked in the top 9% of the nation’s 27000 high schools. Of the 2,747 high schools measured across the state, all four campuses held positions in the top 250 schools or the top 9.1% in California, with the district’s highest-ranked campus placing in the top 6% statewide. The rankings also highlighted each school’s high participation rate in Advanced Placement courses, graduation rates that are well above the state median, and state assessment proficiency.

Many news outlets have published rank school programs over the years; however, U.S. News is one of the most widely recognized and consistent, publishing its rankings annually. To determine the rankings, U.S. News examines indicators in six areas—college readiness, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rates. “College readiness” measured participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams.

The report was made public on August 18, 2026, and confirms the district’s successful implementation of the PYLUSD mission of inspiring students through rigorous and relevant educational experiences. To see U.S. News and World Report’s list of 2026 Best U.S. High Schools, visit https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/us-news-ranks-best-high-schools.