Fresno Unified hits decade-high English scores; county districts post modest gains
Fresno Unified School District posted 40% proficiency in English Language Arts on the latest state standardized tests, the highest rate since California’s current testing system began in 2014. Math proficiency reached 29%, returning to pre-pandemic levels after four consecutive years of gains.
The district ranks 8th in English and 4th in math among 27 demographically comparable California districts, according to a news release issued Thursday.
“Our goals and guardrails set ambitious targets for our students and staff to reach and seeing these results affirms we’re heading in the right direction,” Superintendent Misty Her said in a statement. “This progress reflects the dedication of our students, educators and families.”
Carlos Castillo, the district’s chief academic officer, called the English score “a milestone” but added “we still have a long way to go.”
Fresno County overall improved by at least 2% annually since 2024, reaching 48% proficiency in English and 36% in math for the 2025-26 school year.
Clovis Unified raised its English proficiency by two percentage points to 69% and math by one point to 55%. Central Unified’s English score held at 44% and math rose one point to 31%. Sanger Unified improved two points in English to 55% and four points in math to 44%.
Golden Plains Unified, a small district in western Fresno County, posted the sharpest gains. Math proficiency jumped 6% in one year. English proficiency held at 26% after a 6% gain the previous year. Tranquillity High School, the district’s sole high school, saw math proficiency rise from 13% to 31% — an 18-point increase — while English proficiency dropped from 49% to 40%.
Superintendent Felipe Piedra credited parent involvement and community support. “When we can communicate to parents that we really want what’s best for the child, and yes, we’re going to push them, and yes, there may be some bumps in the road along the way, but to trust the process and trust that we’re really there to support their child and make them better, the parents buy in,” Piedra said.
95% of Golden Plains students are economically disadvantaged, and 49% are designated English Learners. The district leads similar districts statewide in both categories, according to state data.
Piedra said water insecurity and a dry job market have triggered an exodus of students, with enrollment falling more than 20%. The district has reduced classes and is considering consolidating services or schools.
The Breakdown
- Fresno Unified’s 40% English proficiency is the highest since state testing began in 2014; math proficiency of 29% matches pre-pandemic levels.
- Fresno County overall posted 48% English proficiency and 36% math proficiency for 2025-26, up at least 2% annually since 2024.
- Golden Plains Unified improved math proficiency by 6% in one year; Tranquillity High’s math score rose 18 points to 31%.
- Clovis Unified: 69% English (+2 points), 55% math (+1 point). Central Unified: 44% English (no change), 31% math (+1 point). Sanger Unified: 55% English (+2 points), 44% math (+4 points).
What This Means for You
School board members you elect control the policies, budgets, and leadership that produce these results. Fresno Unified’s gains reflect decisions the board and superintendent made on instruction, staffing, and resource allocation. Golden Plains’ sharp improvement under Superintendent Piedra — a hire the board made three years ago — shows how leadership choices translate into student outcomes, or don’t.
When you vote for school board candidates, you’re voting for the people who set the academic direction and allocate the money behind it. A 40% proficiency rate means 60% of students are not meeting state standards — that gap is a policy question for the board to answer, not just a data point to note.
What to Watch
Fresno Unified calls 40% English proficiency and 29% math proficiency “surpassing” or “returning to” pre-pandemic performance, and Superintendent Her says the district is “heading in the right direction.” But the numbers also mean a majority of students — 60% in English, 71% in math — are not meeting state standards. That’s not a pandemic artifact; it’s the current reality. The question a voter should ask is whether the board and administration have a plan to reach the other 60%, or whether gains at this pace — 2% annually countywide — are being framed as success to manage expectations rather than to close the gap.
Golden Plains Unified improved sharply in math but saw Tranquillity High’s English score drop nine points in one year, from 49% to 40%, even as the district’s overall English rate held steady at 26%. Superintendent Piedra credits community involvement and a supportive environment, but the material offers no explanation for the high school’s English decline or what changed between the two years. A voter weighing the board’s decisions should know whether that drop reflects a real instructional shift, a change in the student population, or something else — and whether the board has asked for an answer.
Piedra also says enrollment has fallen more than 20% due to water insecurity and a dry job market, forcing the district to consider consolidating services or schools. The material does not state what the board has approved, what timeline it’s working on, or how consolidation would affect the community support Piedra credits for the district’s gains. A school closure or consolidation is a major policy decision with long-term consequences — voters in that community should know what the board is actually considering, not just that the superintendent mentioned it.
