Irvine Unified School District at a glance
Most of Irvine is served by Irvine Unified School District (IUSD), which says it enrolls more than 38,000 students from transitional kindergarten to grade 12 in 24 elementary schools, five K-8 schools, six middle schools, five high schools, one alternative high school and two virtual academies. The district's office is at 5050 Barranca Parkway.
On the 2025 California School Dashboard, IUSD scored well above the state on every main measure. The table compares the district with California as a whole.
| 2025 Dashboard measure | Irvine Unified | State of California |
|---|---|---|
| English language arts (points from standard) | +61.8, Blue | -8.1, Yellow |
| Mathematics (points from standard) | +53.1, Blue | -42.4, Yellow |
| Four-year graduation rate | 95.2%, Blue | 87.8%, Green |
| Chronic absenteeism (lower is better) | 8.6%, Green | 17.1%, Yellow |
IUSD's own awards page reports 91 California Distinguished School awards and 21 National Blue Ribbon awards across its schools. Not every Irvine address is in IUSD, though; see the last section for how to check.
How to read the Dashboard numbers for Irvine schools
California publishes no letter grades. The state's Dashboard gives each school a color on each measure, Red (lowest), Orange, Yellow, Green or Blue (highest), and that color reflects both this year's result and the change from last year. A school with a high score that slipped can show Green, while a lower-scoring school that improved a lot can show Blue.
English and math results are reported as "distance from standard", the average number of scale-score points above or below the grade-level bar on state tests. Across Irvine, many schools sit far above it: Santiago Hills Elementary was +103.6 points in English. Chronic absenteeism counts students missing at least 10% of school days.
Every figure here comes from the California Department of Education's 2025 Dashboard data files, which cover the 2024-25 school year. A newer Dashboard release can change these results, so check caschooldashboard.org before you decide anything.
Irvine high schools: 2025 Dashboard results
| High school | English | Math | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwood High | +82.3 (Blue) | +60.1 (Blue) | 96.9% (Blue) |
| Woodbridge High | +75.2 (Blue) | +38.9 (Blue) | 94.4% (Yellow) |
| Portola High | +68.2 (Green) | +40.9 (Green) | 94.6% (Yellow) |
| Irvine High | +68.0 (Green) | +22.9 (Green) | 93.8% (Green) |
| University High | +35.1 (Green) | +35.4 (Green) | 97.2% (Blue) |
Northwood High School, Portola Parkway
Northwood High, at 4515 Portola Parkway (92620), posted the strongest 2025 test results of the five comprehensive high schools, with English up 18.2 points on the year. Its 96.9% graduation rate earned Blue.
Woodbridge High School, Meadowbrook
Woodbridge High, at 2 Meadowbrook (92604), showed the biggest one-year gains: English rose 29.3 points and math 39.1 points, both Blue. Its graduation rate slipped 1.4 points to 94.4%, which is why that measure shows Yellow.
Portola High School, Cadence
Portola High, at 1001 Cadence (92618), serves several of the newer villages near the Great Park. English (+68.2) and math (+40.9) stayed well above standard but fell 17.5 and 10.5 points from the year before. IUSD lists Portola as closed to general school-choice requests for 2027-28, so a seat there depends on your address.
Irvine High School, Walnut Avenue
Irvine High, at 4321 Walnut Avenue (92604), improved English by 14.6 points to +68.0. IUSD's boundary page notes that from fall 2028, ninth graders living in Woodbury will be assigned to Irvine High.
University High School, Campus Drive
University High, at 4771 Campus Drive (92612), had the highest graduation rate in the district at 97.2%. Its English and math scores fell from the year before but stayed above standard. The district's awards page highlights University High's Science Bowl and Academic Decathlon teams.
Creekside High, IUSD's continuation school at 3387 Barranca Parkway, posted a 94.9% graduation rate (Green).
Irvine middle schools
All six IUSD middle schools rated Blue in English, and five of six rated Blue in math.
Rancho San Joaquin and Sierra Vista middle schools
Rancho San Joaquin Middle (4861 Michelson Drive, 92612) scored +86.1 in English and +96.9 in math, the highest math result of any IUSD middle school. Sierra Vista Middle (2 Liberty, 92620) was close behind at +83.9 and +94.6. IUSD lists Sierra Vista as closed to general school-choice requests for 2027-28.
Lakeside, Jeffrey Trail and Venado middle schools
Lakeside Middle (3 Lemongrass, 92604) scored +75.3 in English and +76.9 in math. Jeffrey Trail Middle (155 Visions, 92620) scored +69.1 and +74.8, and is also closed to general choice requests for 2027-28. Venado Middle (4 Deerfield Avenue, 92604) scored +62.2 and +51.7. Families in Columbus Grove assigned to Lakeside can request Venado through the choice process.
South Lake Middle School
South Lake Middle (655 West Yale Loop, 92614) scored +48.8 in English (Blue) and +29.0 in math (Green), with chronic absenteeism of 13.5%, the highest among IUSD middle schools.
Irvine elementary and K-8 schools
IUSD's elementary results vary more than its secondary results. The ten elementary schools with the highest 2025 English scores were:
| Elementary school | English | Math | Chronic absenteeism |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago Hills | +103.6 | +107.6 | 5.2% |
| Eastshore | +97.0 | +74.2 | 9.0% |
| Turtle Rock | +91.0 | +89.8 | 9.0% |
| Stonegate | +83.2 | +67.0 | 4.0% |
| Deerfield | +80.8 | +75.1 | 9.8% |
| Brywood | +77.4 | +74.8 | 8.7% |
| Stone Creek | +76.6 | +62.2 | 7.4% |
| Canyon View | +73.5 | +63.6 | 5.0% |
| Westpark | +72.9 | +53.9 | 11.7% |
| Bonita Canyon | +70.4 | +54.0 | 9.0% |
Santiago Hills and Turtle Rock elementary schools
Santiago Hills (29 Christamon West, 92620) was the only IUSD elementary school above +100 in both subjects. Turtle Rock Elementary (5151 Amalfi Drive, 92603) was third in English and second in math. Both rated Blue in English and math.
K-8 schools in the newer villages
Five IUSD schools run from kindergarten through grade 8: Vista Verde (+74.8 English, +77.8 math), Beacon Park (+65.1, +53.1), Solis Park (+48.1, +45.6), Plaza Vista (+44.5, +42.2) and Cadence Park (+41.2, +40.9). Beacon Park (200 Cultivate), Cadence Park (750 Benchmark) and Solis Park (101 Abacus) are all in ZIP 92618, and all three are closed to general school-choice requests for 2027-28.
Elementary schools with lower 2025 scores
Several schools sat well below the district average but still above the state: Culverdale (+15.2 English), Oak Creek (+15.9), Greentree (+17.5) and University Park (+22.8). All four rated Green in English. Look at the trend and the student groups on each school's Dashboard page, not just one number.
School choice in Irvine: transfers, immersion and virtual options
IUSD intradistrict school choice
IUSD lets families request a school other than their assigned one when seats are open. For elementary grades, requests go to the school itself between the first day back after winter break and the last Friday in February, followed by a lottery. For grades 7 to 12, the first lottery window for 2027-28 runs from January 4 to January 29, 2027, with a waitlist window from April 5 to June 4, 2027. Parents provide transportation, and sibling requests are prioritized at secondary level.
Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy and the IUSD Virtual Academy
The Dashboard lists the Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy as an IUSD school, with 2025 scores of +87.3 in English and +86.2 in math (no color because it had no prior-year result). The IUSD Virtual Academy scored +114.0 in English and +66.4 in math, both Blue. Ask the district how enrollment works for each.
Interdistrict transfers into and out of Irvine Unified
To attend a district other than the one you live in, you start with your district of residence. IUSD says interdistrict permits last one year and must be renewed; for 2026-27, renewals opened January 5, 2026 and new requests were reviewed from April 2026.
Irvine International Academy
The Dashboard files list Irvine International Academy under the Orange County Department of Education rather than IUSD. Its 2025 results were +74.7 in English and +63.4 in math, both Green. Check enrollment rules with the school directly.
How to check which schools serve an Irvine address
Never rely on a listing, a map app or an agent for school assignment. IUSD assigns each residential area to one school at each level, and the district's School Locator on its School Boundaries and Assignments page gives the answer for a specific address. That page also has printable 2026-27 maps for elementary, middle and high school areas.
- Full schools. When an assigned school is full, IUSD may place a new student at another school. Culverdale and Westpark share one attendance area, so either can become the neighborhood school.
- New developments. IUSD publishes a separate assignment table for new tracts, including Cadence Park, Cypress Village, Luna Park, Orchard Hills, Portola Springs, Portola Rise and Solis. Several entries say "only areas within IUSD boundaries" and give a phone number, 949-936-5306, to confirm.
- Addresses outside IUSD. Parts of Irvine fall in other districts. The County of Orange tax rate book shows Tustin Unified bond rates in at least one Irvine tax rate area, so check the district before you assume IUSD.
- Boundary changes. Boundaries can change with new housing. Woodbury ninth graders move to Irvine High from fall 2028.
For prices in the villages around these schools, see our Irvine neighborhoods guide and the Irvine homes for sale guide. For other cities, compare the Orange County schools guide.