2 SLO County schools earn Distinguished Schools honors. See which ones

Two San Luis Obispo County schools were among the campuses recognized as California Distinguished Schools by state educators.

The California Department of Education showcased a total of 408 middle and high schools across the state for “their efforts to move the needle for student achievement, no matter what,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in a March 10 news release.

“An excellent public education has the power to transform lives, and I commend the educators and school communities who have dedicated themselves to producing exemplary results,” Thurmond said in the release.

Here’s which local schools were honored in 2026:

Which SLO County schools were honored?

Mesa Middle School in Arroyo Grande and Nipomo High School in Nipomo received California Distinguished School Awards in 2026, according to the California Department of Education.

The California Distinguished Schools program recognizes “exceptional schools, districts, teachers and classified employees for their innovation, talent, and success in supporting students,” the release said, providing students with “life-changing educational opportunities.”

Both schools are a part of the Lucia Mar Unified School District.

“This is an amazing accomplishment and so well deserved,” Lucia Mar Unified representatives wrote in a March 16 Facebook post.

Nipomo High also took to social media to comment on the award.

“Great things are happening in Nipomo,” Nipomo High representatives wrote on Facebook on March 16. “We love our collaborative partnership with Mesa Middle School. Together we’re making a difference.”

This is the first time Nipomo High has been honored as a California Distinguished School, according to California Distinguished Schools program data.

Mesa Middle School was previously honored by the program in 1999 and 2007.

Along with the other honorees, the schools will be recognized at an award ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim on April 24.

How are California Distinguished Schools chosen?

The California Distinguished Schools program honors schools based on three categories.

Exemplary high achievers are schools that focus on “academic achievement for all students,” the California Department of Education said.

Achievement gap closers work on “accelerating academic progress” for two or more historically underserved student groups while “maintaining or increasing academic performance for all students,” the state education department said.

California Distinguished Schools added a third category in 2026: beacons of opportunity.

This involves schools serving rural or Title I communities with “very high” performance in graduation, college and career readiness rates, state officials said.

State educators determined the 2026 California Distinguished Schools using data from the 2025 California School Dashboard.

To qualify, schools must have at least a 95% participation rate in statewide assessments and cannot have concerning school climate indicators such as extreme suspension rates or chronic absenteeism.