March 11, 2026
WALNUT, CA - Walnut Valley USD is proud to announce that all three of its middle schools (Chaparral Middle School, South Pointe Middle School, and Suzanne Middle School) along with both high schools (Diamond Bar High School and Walnut High School) have been named 2026 California Distinguished Schools.
Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, recently announced that 408 middle and high schools across the state were selected for the award, which recognizes schools in California demonstrating exceptional student performance and academic progress. Schools were determined using data from the 2025 California School Dashboard. Thurmond said “This year’s California Distinguished Schools represent the hard work of our middle and high school educators and school staff, who provide our secondary students with life-changing educational opportunities.”
Distinguished Schools are honored in several categories, including:
- Exemplary High Achievers - Schools that are among the highest in the state in academic achievement for all students, which have also ensured that historically underserved student groups are maintaining or increasing academic progress.
- Achievement Gap Closers - Schools that are accelerating academic progress for two or more groups that have been historically underserved, while also demonstrating achievement for all students that is above the state median and maintaining or increasing academic performance for all students.
- Beacons of Opportunity - Schools serving rural or Title I school communities that distinguish themselves through multiple student outcomes at very high performance levels.
All five WVUSD schools will be formally honored on April 24, 2026, during a ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. The full list of 2026 California Distinguished Schools can be found here.
About Walnut Valley Unified School District
Walnut Valley Unified School District (WVUSD) schools have earned recognition for academic excellence from both the California State Department of Education and the United States Department of Education. Many WVUSD schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon, California Gold Ribbon, and California Distinguished Schools. Several WVUSD schools were featured in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025/2026 Best School Rankings. To learn more about WVUSD, please visit WVUSD.org. Connect with WVUSD on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Contact
Michelle Figueroa, Public Information Specialist
Office: 909-595-1261, Ext. 31204
Photos Shown:
Walnut Valley USD celebrates all three middle schools and both high schools being named 2026 California Distinguished Schools.