LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA – Lamorinda has bragging rights this week: the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) landed in California’s Top 10 “Best School Districts for Athletes”, coming in at No. 5 statewide in Niche’s newly released 2026 rankings.
The district also earned an A+ overall grade and placed No. 13 overall among all California school districts.
By the numbers
- Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD):
• #5 in California — Best School Districts for Athletes
• #13 in California — Best School Districts (overall)
• Overall grade: A+. - Campus highlights within AUHSD (Lamorinda):
• Campolindo High School (Moraga): #28 Best Public High Schools in California; #15 Best High Schools for Athletes in California.
• Miramonte High School (Orinda): #45 Best Public High Schools in California.
• Acalanes High School (Lafayette): #116 Best Public High Schools in California.
Why it matters
For families weighing schools across the Bay Area, the new rankings reinforce what local parents and coaches often say about Lamorinda: strong academics paired with top-tier athletics and extracurriculars.
AUHSD’s showing in the state’s Top 10 for athletics comes alongside a high overall placement, signaling balanced performance in classroom measures like test scores, graduation and college readiness, as well as student and parent survey feedback used by Niche.
About the rankings
Niche’s annual lists analyze federal education data plus millions of student and parent reviews. The 2026 methodology emphasizes academics, college readiness, graduation rates, and teacher quality; SAT/ACT scores are de-emphasized compared to prior years. Category lists—like “Best School Districts for Athletes”—look at sports participation, championships, facilities and survey responses.
Bottom line: Whether you’re team blue, red, green, or gold, Lamorinda’s high schools are competing—and performing—at a statewide level, with AUHSD now officially Top 10 in California for athletics and solidly Top 15 overall.
