Three Sonoma County secondary schools were selected for the 2026 California Distinguished Schools program.

The Sonoma County honorees are:

• Casa Grande High School, Petaluma City Schools
• Credo High School, independent charter authorized by Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District
• Hillcrest Middle School, charter overseen by Gravenstein Union School District

The three Sonoma County schools were among 408 selected statewide based on indicators specified on the 2025 update to the California School Dashboard. The Dashboard was updated most recently in December and includes test scores as well as data on chronic absenteeism, suspension rates, socioeconomic data, and other factors.

“Being named a California Distinguished School is a huge honor,” said Dr. Amie Carter, Sonoma County’s superintendent of schools. “These schools really illustrate the connection between academic success, disciplined instructional practices, school culture and climate, strong leadership, and a commitment to innovation.”

To help school leaders better connect these threads, Carter’s team at the Sonoma County Office of Education this year is piloting a localized dashboard. Called SCOE Dash, it will pull together an array of real-time data from multiple systems, from attendance to test scores and behavioral interventions. Because of student privacy protections, SCOE Dash is not a public-facing tool but rather used by educators.

The California Distinguished Schools recognition is the first such award for Casa Grande High School.

Credo High is being recognized for the second time. It previously was named a California Distinguished School in 2021.

Hillcrest Middle School has previously been recognized three times — in 2013, 2009, and 2005.

The California Distinguished Schools program alternates each year between elementary and K-8 schools and middle and high schools in even-numbered years. In 2025, Roseland Elementary, West Side Elementary, and Robert L. Stevens Elementary were the Sonoma County elementary schools to receive the recognition. There were no awards in 2022, 2015-17, or 1991.

The 2026 California Distinguished Schools, along with 2025 California Blue Ribbon Schools, 2025 Civic Learning Award Schools, and 2025 Green Ribbon Schools Green Achievers will be recognized at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim on April 24, 2026.