REEDLEY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A local Reedley school where nearly half of its students are English language learners has earned one of California's most prestigious academic honors. Kings Canyon Unified School District (KCUSD) announced on Wednesday that Lincoln Elementary School has been named a 2025 California Distinguished School. The honor recognizes excellence in academic achievement and closing achievement gaps. KCUSD says that while a large majority of Lincoln students come from historically underserved backgrounds, that has not stopped them from reaching remarkable academic highs. “Being named a California Distinguished School is more than an award—it’s a symbol of what’s possible when we believe in every child’s potential,” said Lincoln Elementary Principal Anita Elizondo. “Our Panthers have proven that the sky's the limit.” Since the COVID-19 pandemic, school officials say: Lincoln's test scores are 27% higher than pre-pandemic levels in math and 17% higher in English Math scores are number one out of 39 similar schools across the state Lincoln is outperforming the state average by 4% in ELA and 18.2% in Math “Although Lincoln is the school being recognized by the state, they are indicative of the hard work going on at all of our KCUSD elementary schools,” said Superintendent John Campbell. ...read more read less