Awards and Accolades
Irvine International Academy (IIA) opened in Fall 2021 in Irvine, Orange County. We are currently preparing for a five year celebration in Spring 2026!
IIA has been honored with State and National recognition, and is one of the top-performing public schools in Orange County, California, and the nation. We are proud of our students, staff and school community earning the following prestigious awards:
California Distinguished School
The California Distinguished Schools Award recognizes schools that demonstrate exemplary achievements and remains one of the important ways to celebrate innovation, talent, and success in supporting students. The program recognizes schools for their excellent work in one of two categories: closing the achievement gap and achieving exceptional student performance.
In 2025, IIA was one of 336 elementary schools in California to receive this prestigious award.
Elementary schools, middle and high schools are recognized in alternate years; therefore, awardees hold the title for two years.
2026 #1 Best TK-8 Charter School and #1 Best Middle School Charter School in Orange County
Niche ranks the best schools by county, state, and the nation using key data on academic performance, family feedback, and overall school quality. Not only did IIA earn straight A’s in every category, but also earned the following distinctions:
Orange County Rankings
- #1 K–8 Charter School in Orange County
- #1 Middle School Charter School in Orange County
- #2 Elementary Charter School in Orange County
California Rankings
- #6 K–8 Charter School in California
- #15 Best Public (All) K–8 School in California
- #18 Elementary Charter School in California
- #19 Middle School Charter School in California
National Recognition
- #68 Best K–8 Charter School in America
Best Bilingual Charter School in Orange County
Parenting OC
In 2025, IIA was awarded the Best Bilingual School in Orange County by Parenting OC magazine. As a Mandarin dual language immersion school, this honor reflects the quality of our programs, the incredible work of our students, the dedication and expertise of our staff, and the strong partnership we share with our families!