Clovis Unified School District, formed in 1960, has stayed within its decades-old boundaries as it adds new schools to accommodate massive enrollment growth. (GV Wire Composite)
- Clovis Unified School District was established in 1960 after seven elementary school districts and one high school district combined, forming the boundaries it has today.
- The district recently opened a new education center, located in Fresno’s potential Southeast Development Area, to accommodate rising enrollment.
- The city of Clovis and Clovis Unified continue to grow in tandem. The city's growth is centered in urban villages as families flock to the top-notch district.
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Clovis Unified School District, established in 1960, has transformed from a small rural district to a bustling hub of high-class education while remaining in its original boundaries.
“We are hand in hand. Many families come to Clovis for the ability to attend Clovis Unified.” — City of Clovis spokesperson Chad McCollum
The district again is taking advantage of its long-standing vast borders by building the $600 million Terry Bradley Education Center in the city of Fresno’s potential Southeast Development Area.
However, even without SEDA development, student growth and demand for schools is prevalent as the district has gained over 1,000 students in the last two years.
“Over time, as the cities have grown and the populations of the cities have grown, so has our enrollment and we’ve built schools over the years as we have faced overpopulation of our existing schools,” district chief communications officer Kelly Avants said.
Clovis Unified’s decision to build the Bradley Education Center, home to Philip V. Sanchez Middle School and soon-to-be Clovis South High School, was based off enrollment projections and city of Fresno planning, Avants said.
“We are hand in hand,” city of Clovis spokesperson Chad McCollum said. “Many families come to Clovis for the ability to attend Clovis Unified.”
The city council and district work very closely with one another, McCollum said. City personnel, council members, and district staff attend quarterly meetings together.
These meetings ensure there are “no surprises” and everyone is aware of any projects that may affect schools — creating a collaborative and supportive system.
Related Story: Opponents Pronounce SEDA Dead as Residents Pack City Council Meeting
Formation of Clovis Unified Determined Current Boundaries
Clovis Unified has always included Clovis, parts of the city of Fresno, and unincorporated areas of Fresno County.
Clovis Unified serves over 43,600 students, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers.
The district was formed after residents in seven independent elementary districts and one high school district voted to combine into a single K-12 district, Avants said.
The district has built all of its high schools, including the Bradley Education Center, on land within this initial unification. Clovis Unified desperately needed its latest addition because of growth that continues to defy statewide declines.
Clovis Unified had a brief dip in enrollment post-pandemic, similar to other school districts in the country, but have been on a consistent incline since the 2022-23 school year. Now, the district serves over 43,600 students, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers.
The district designed the Clovis East High School/Reyburn Middle School campus to house close to 3,000 students. But the schools had more than 5,000 students before the district opened the Bradley Education Center.
Immediately, 1,100 students in grades seven through nine filled Sanchez Middle School halls. The district designed the facility to house 3,400 students — 1,200 at Sanchez and 2,200 at Clovis South.
The district is confident the school will reach these numbers — with or without SEDA.
Related Story: 3 to 5 Fresno Unified Schools May Shut Down, but Not Because of SEDA: Dyer
No Shortage of Options for Those Looking to Move
The city of Clovis and Clovis Unified are growing in tandem, with the city gaining about 10,000 residents over the past five years and nearing a population of 130,000.
As Clovis expands, the city has focused on developing three “neighborhood villages” featuring a mix of residential areas linked to urban areas filled with retail, restaurants, offices, parks, and trails.
The city designed the villages to accommodate 30,000 residents each — all feeding into Clovis Unified.
One village, Loma Vista, is located in southeast Clovis, ending mere miles away from the Bradley Education Center.
“We would be able to operate a fully functioning comprehensive high school and intermediate school (at the Bradley Education Center) based on our current enrollment and the changes that are happening in the city of Clovis,” Avants told GV Wire.
Long story short: There is a plethora of housing options for those who want to move into Clovis Unified boundaries and no shortage of people looking to buy.
Clovis Unified Offers Top-Notch Education
A big Clovis drawing card is the school district, which provides a high-class education.
Clovis Unified, the 12th largest school district in California, produced the highest state testing scores for a K-12 school district in Fresno County.
Almost 68% of students met or exceeded English language arts standards and 54% met or exceeded math standards.
Additionally, the district’s graduation rates and college/career readiness rank in the highest module (blue) on the California dashboard.
This is in large part due to the district offering 29 advanced placement courses, boasting a 82% passing rate. Additionally, Clovis Unified has 21 career technical education pathways with over 80 classes.
“Our interest as a school district is to simply be the best that we can be for our students. We are devoted to hiring, developing, and sustaining a fantastic workforce who come together to put the needs of our students first,” Avants said. “We’re not looking to do anything but work hard and serve the students who live in our district.”
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