Linton T. Simmons Elementary

Garden Grove is a dense, workaday stretch of Orange County where families tend to put down roots and stay — and Simmons Elementary fits right into that fabric as a solid neighborhood school with middle-of-the-road academics and a strong sense of community. Families looking for a no-frills public school in a predominantly working-class area will feel at home here, though those prioritizing top-tier test scores may want to explore other options within the Garden Grove Unified district. Science scores run a bit lower than the other subjects, so parents who are particularly focused in that area might look for ways to supplement at home or through extracurriculars.