Test results show Fresno Unified — while still below surrounding districts in terms of academic achievement — is beating state and most neighboring district improvement rates.

The California Department of Education on Thursday released statewide results of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress. It’s the annual standards test given to students between 3rd and 8th grades and in 11th grade.

More broadly, Fresno County schools can boast strong pandemic recoveries, eclipsing statewide gains.

Fresno Unified Superintendent Misty Her called the progress steady with four straight years of gains and the best English language results since the tests began in 2014-15.

“Our goals and guardrails set ambitious targets for our students and staff. To reach these results affirms we’re heading in the right direction. This progress reflects the dedication of our students, educators, and families,” Her said.

Districts Nearing, Exceeding Pre-Pandemic Highs

Following the pandemic 2021-22 school year, achievement plummeted across the board, with some school districts still not meeting the 2018-19 benchmark.

English language results at Fresno Unified fell more than 6 percentage points from 2019 to 2022. Math results fell more than 9 percentage points to only 20.83% of students testing at grade level.

Fresno Unified wasn’t alone. Losses at high-achieving Clovis Unified exceeded those in Fresno. Math results at Sanger Unified fell more than 11 percentage points.

Clovis Unified still hasn’t returned to its pre-pandemic highs in English and math, lagging behind in language arts by nearly 4 percentage points and more than 3 percentage points in math.

Fresno Unified’s English scores now exceed the 2018-19 highs and are the highest that students have ever registered.

However, Fresno Unified test results continue to lag behind other nearby districts and the state average.

Since 2022, Fresno County schools in general have improved by nearly 5.5 percentage points in English and 8 percentage points in math.

“When we look at where our students started and where they are today, we see the impact of the hard work happening in classrooms every day. Our teachers, school leaders and support staff have remained focused on helping students succeed, and that commitment is making a difference,” said Michele Cantwell-Copher, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.

Kings Canyon Unified Continues Accelerated Learning

Kings Canyon Unified, which stretches from portions of Reedley out to Squaw Valley and Dunlap, also celebrated test score wins.

Having returned to pre-pandemic achievement levels in the 2024-25 school year, the district continued its positive growth, beating statewide improvement rates by three times.

Math scores increased by 4.25 percentage points in 2025 and another 3.7 percentage points in 2026. English language scores increased 4.69 percentage points in 2025 and an additional 1.6 percentage points in 2026.

With nine-out-of-10 students low-income, English learners, or foster youth, Superintendent John Campbell said that his students should be proud.

“Our students continue to show us what they are capable of, and our staff continues to find ways to help them reach even higher,” Campbell said in a news release. “With support from our parents and our community as a whole, we expect to keep building on this growth and continue that climb together.”

The district is being studied by the Learning Policy Institute to determine what is driving the strong outcomes for current and former English learners. The study, which will be released later this year,  examines English learner student success and what other school systems can gather from it.