About Us

The Orange Unified School District (OUSD) is an urban district in Orange County, California, that educates approximately 26,000 Preschool-12th grade students in the cities of Orange, Villa Park, Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and unincorporated county areas.  OUSD was formed in 1953 after local citizens voted to combine the original five elementary districts with the high school district into one unified district.

OUSD has a long history of excellence that continues to grow and be enriched by the accomplishments of its students, teachers, staff, and community. The district was accepted into the National League of Innovative Schools in 2019 and selected as Parenting OC Magazine’s 2021 Reader’s Choice Top School District in North Orange County and 2022 Editor's Choice Top School District. The district consists of numerous award-winning school sites and programs. Recognitions include:

  • 1 Apple Distinguished School
  • 1 AVID National Demonstration School
  • 1 AVID Elementary Showcase School
  • 1 California Model Continuation School Award
  • 24 California Gold Ribbon Schools 
  • 2 California Civic Learning Awards of Distinction
  • 4 California Civic Learning Merit Awards
  • 11 Common Sense Certified Schools
  • 21 Distinguished School Awards
  • 6 California School Board Association Golden Bell Awards
  • 2 U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Awards
  • 2 National PTA School of Excellence Awards
  • 1 Project Lead the Way Distinguished School
  • 9 Title I Academic Achievement Award Schools
  • 3 U.S. News & World Report National Best High Schools in 2021
  • 3 California Department of Education "Schools to Watch"
  • 2 Verizon Innovative Learning Schools

We offer preschool (state and parent-paid), Transitional Kindergarten, elementary schools (grades K-5 and K-6), middle schools (grades 6-8 and 7-8), a K-8 magnet school, and alternative and comprehensive high schools, as well as dual-language programs in Mandarin/English and Spanish/English. The district consists of 42 educational sites and serves approximately 26,000 students with a diverse population that is 57.7% Hispanic, 23.7% White, 9.9% Asian, 2.3% Filipino, and 1.3% Black/African-American (2022).

OUSD is committed to providing rigorous and engaging education to all students to lead them to college, career, and life readiness. 

Mission - Our Intention

In partnership with our community, we will provide a safe, equitable, and innovative culture of learning for each scholar to have a competitive EDGE as a leader.

VISION - Our Commitment

Inspiring our learners of today to be purposeful leaders of tomorrow.

CORE VALUES - Our Foundation

  • Equity - We promote inclusive and culturally relevant environments by supporting the social-emotional and intellectual needs of all.
  • Integrity - We embrace a culture of ethical and transparent decision making and actions.
  • Respect - We advocate for strong, compassionate relationships that appreciate the unique qualities of our diverse community.
  • Excellence - We strive for the highest standards in all endeavors by deliberately pursuing continuous growth and innovation.

In 2019, OUSD, in collaboration with many different community partners, created the district strategic plan for 2019-2025: the Orange Unified EDGE. This strategic plan condensed the seven goals for the 2017-2020 LCAP into four focus areas, grounded in the core values of Integrity, Equity, Respect, and Excellence. The four focus areas - Excellence in Academics and Leadership, Dedicated and Engaged Communication, Genuine Wellness and Safety, and Efficient Utilization of Fiscal Capital - were developed to give students the “EDGE” to succeed in college and career. The Orange Unified EDGE serves as the vision and roadmap to guide OUSD in achieving its goals and objectives through 2025.