Voting runs through Sept. 23 in Daily Press community awards
HESPERIA, Calif. (Our Hesperia) — This year, Hesperia Unified School District (HUSD) and five of its campuses have been nominated as finalists in the 2026 Daily Press Best in the Desert Community’s Choice Awards, thus gaining a significant presence among nominees in the category of education. Public voting began on September 9 and will end on September 23, and residents can vote once a day during this period.
HUSD 2026 finalists are:
– Hesperia Unified School District – Best School District finalist
– Carmel Elementary School
– Hesperia Junior High School
– Oak Hills High School
– Ranchero Middle School
– Sultana High School
Best in the Desert is the community’s choice program that involves businesses, organizations, and community institutions from Victor Valley and the surrounding High Desert region.
In contrast to California Distinguished School designation, state accountability or any other education awards that are granted according to particular performance criteria, Best in the Desert is based on community nominations and votes. Thus, the recognition is mainly a sign of community support and visibility, not an academic rating.
But for HUSD, the number of finalists is another evidence of programs that have become well-known among individuals campuses and the district.
Graduation rate and career preparation are key highlights
Along with nominating finalists, HUSD informed that the graduation rate is 95.1%, and about 75% of graduates have completed the University of California and California State University A-G course sequence.
Moreover, HUSD mentioned that 60% of graduates completed Career Technical Education pathway, and 122 students have obtained the associate degree while being enrolled in dual enrollment at HUSD.
Dual enrollment becomes an important feature of the district’s college-readiness program.
College and Career Access Pathways programs run between HUSD and Victor Valley College and provide qualifying high school students with the opportunity to take college courses and complete high school curriculum simultaneously. These programs are Early College Academy and general dual enrollment, and students get both college and high school credits.
Career Technical Education is another essential feature of these programs, and students can enroll in various paths, for example, construction, automotive technology, welding, etc., and also take college-prep courses.
According to district’s graduation requirements, students can prove their college and career readiness in several ways – by completing A-G requirements, a CTE pathway, dual enrollment, internship, industry certification, work experience, community service, etc.
Student discipline data show progress
HUSD also informs about some changes in students’ discipline. The district mentions that there is a 25.4% decrease in out-of-school suspension in four years and 38% decrease in expulsions, from 107 cases in 2022 to 65 in 2026.
These numbers have led to another recognition of HUSD. The district was nominated for the 2026 California School Boards Association Golden Bell Award as a finalist because of its Moving the Needle: Ecosystems of Support program.
Moving the Needle initiative started in 2022 and concentrates on early intervention, student wellness, behavioral support, basic needs services, and improved relationships between students and adults at school. This nomination is a separate process from Daily Press competition and includes evaluation through a statewide awards program.
Carmel Elementary School focuses on student leadership
At Carmel Elementary School, students are taught according to the #YouAreALeader theme and are taught to be responsible, confident, and leaders starting from elementary school. It combines elementary instruction with programs that encourage students to take responsibility for themselves and their learning. The finalist status of Carmel allows HUSD to represent elementary schools in community awards this year.
Hesperia Junior High School is focused on the transition to high school
Hesperia Junior High School, which is known as the Roadrunners, is focused on the transition to high school, and it has a combination of academics, extracurriculars, athletics, and student-support programs. The campus also offers such programs as AVID and others that help students to improve their organization, study skills, awareness of college, and career-readiness. Thus, it helps them to prepare for entering HUSD comprehensive high schools.
Oak Hills is the best school from HUSD in terms of state recognition
Oak Hills High School takes place in Best in the Desert as one of the HUSD’s most notable recent state-recognized schools. Oak Hills and Hesperia High School were nominated as California Distinguished Schools in 2024. There are only 293 schools in the whole state that obtained this recognition, and 10 schools in San Bernardino County, 4 of them are located in the High Desert.
Oak Hills has many educational programs, including Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment, and Career Technical Education, for example, welding, automotive technology, and construction. Besides, the school has performing arts and athletics and emphasizes its BARC approach: Behavior, Academic excellence, College and career Readiness, and Community engagement. It makes Oak Hills’ finalist status more than just a popularity award due to the state recognition.
Ranchero Middle School focuses on RISE principles
Much of Ranchero Middle School campus identity is focused on its RISE principles – Responsibility, Integrity, Service, and Excellence. The school combines academic programs with robotics, athletics, community service, and student development activities. Ranchero also has a history with Best in the Desert, and it has won Best Middle School in 2022. It means that its 2026 finalist status is not something new for the community awards of this school.
Sultana High School reports academic improvement
Sultana High School becomes a finalist after reporting several improvements in academic and college-readiness aspects. HUSD notes 76% A-G completion rate – the highest in the school’s history. Also, the school has increased its Advanced Placement exam pass rates by 15% and now it has 100% pass rate for AP Art. Dual enrollment increased, and Sultana students achieved 90.1% pass rate in dual enrollment and 32% of the class of 2026 took at least one college course. Also, the district mentions 250% increase in graduates of Sultana who earn full associate degrees. Career preparation plays a crucial role for this school, as about 75% of Sultana seniors complete a CTE pathway. Moreover, its College and Career Center has recorded over 4,000 student visits. Sultana also has performing arts and athletics programs, such as wrestling, softball, baseball, and soccer.
History of HUSD with Best in the Desert
These nominations continue the track of involvement in Daily Press community awards. In 2022, HUSD won Best School District in Best of the Desert, and Ranchero Middle School won Best Middle School, Maple Elementary won the elementary category. In 2023, HUSD and several campuses became finalists and also promoted involvement in 2024. The district has participated in this contest even earlier, as Hesperia High School has become Best High School in the Desert in 2019.
Other formal recognitions continue
Apart from these nominations, the district has some other recognitions. In 2024, Hesperia High and Oak Hills became California Distinguished Schools, and HUSD Moving the Needle program is a finalist of 2026 Golden Bell Award. If HUSD is chosen as the winner, it will become the fifth Golden Bell recognition from the California School Boards Association. Earlier, HUSD received Golden Bell Award for STEM, robotics, and academic intervention and enrichment.
Thus, these honors reveal different measures of success for schools. While Daily Press awards show community sentiments and participation, California Distinguished School recognition is based on state performance criteria, and Golden Bell Awards are awarded for district programs and practices.
Extracurricular programs play an important role
In addition, the nomination highlights the extracurricular strengths of the district. According to the most recent data, district athletic teams have four High Desert League championships and 14 Mojave River League championships. Also, HUSD mentions 12 individual Mojave River League titles, two CIF team finalists, three individual CIF champions, one CIF team championship. Over 30 HUSD student-athletes have signed agreements for the college competition. Moreover, music, visual arts, and performing arts programs are available at all grade levels of the district.
Residents can vote until Sept. 23
Voting for the 2026 Best in the Desert Community’s Choice Awards will continue until Wednesday, September 23. Residents can vote once a day at yourchoiceawards.com/victorville/. Voters can choose categories and finalists among the High Desert competition, including the categories with HUSD and its five campuses.
For HUSD, it is not the first time in Best in the Desert and it also shows its progress in graduation rates, college preparation, career education, and student-support programs.
