In the recently released U.S. News & World Report rankings of "Best High Schools," Portola High School, along with the other four IUSD comprehensive high schools – Irvine, Northwood, University, and Woodbridge – were ranked within the top 5% of all California high schools.
Out of the 2,586 high schools in California, only about 130 schools in the entire state earned a place in this top bracket. IUSD is also the only school district in Orange County to have every high school make it into the top 5%.
The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings review nearly 24,000 public high schools in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. For 2025, about 18,000 schools were ranked. Rankings are determined by multiple indicators of school success, utilizing data from organizations such as the U.S. Department of Education and the College Board. These measures include:
- Overall student college readiness
- The number of advanced classes offered
- Performance on state tests
- Underserved student performance
- Graduation rates
For more information about the overall rankings and criteria, visit the US News & World Report website.