Fresno Unified School District is giving parents of elementary students more time to respond to a survey about whether they want their kids back in school or remaining on distance learning once Fresno County reaches the orange tier in the state's COVID-19 reopening plan. Since most of California is in...
Superintendent Looks to Shake Up Roles to Boost Fresno Student Performance
Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson wants to put even more focus on improving students' academic performance by restructuring one of the district's top jobs and reorganizing the functions of others. A proposal on Wednesday's School Board agenda would redefine the duties of the deputy superintendent and chief financial officer positions....
More Than 12,000 Students Chronically Absent This Year, District Says.
About 12,600 Fresno Unified students have been chronically absent this year, of whom more than a third are English learners, special education students, foster kids, and the homeless, the district reports. The district defines chronic absence as when students are marked as being present less than 90% of their school...
Former NFL Player Returns Home to Open ‘Disneyland of Schools’ in Fresno
Robert Golden knows what it's like to be an inner-city kid in Fresno who lives only an hour or two from mountains and ocean but has never seen Yosemite Falls or swum in the Pacific. Like many of them, Golden dreamed as a child of playing professional sports when he...
Advocate Says School Board May Be Violating Law with Public Comment Policy
When the Fresno Unified School Board holds its bi-monthly meetings, community members who want to comment on scheduled agenda or unscheduled items must submit their statements by voicemail or email by 8 p.m. the day before. That appears to be a violation of California's Brown Act, which mandates giving the...
Should FUSD Board Return to In-Person Meetings? This Trustee Says Yes.
Fresno Unified Trustee Terry Slatic expects to be sitting by himself on the dais at the district's downtown headquarters when the school board meets Wednesday evening. Slatic maintains that it's wrong for the board to continue with online board meetings rather than gathering in person. He says the trustees should...
Elementary Schools in Fresno, Clovis Districts Win State OK to Reopen
Elementary schools in Fresno and Clovis Unified School Districts now have permission from Fresno County and California public health departments to reopen. Both districts learned Wednesday afternoon that their waiver applications have been approved. The decision on how soon Clovis Unified elementary schools will reopen to in-person classes is expected...
These Fresno Kids Now Have Their Own Tutors to Help with Schoolwork
Hey, Fresno Unified students: Are those differential algebraic equations kicking your butt? And how about that English paper that you just finished writing at 3 a.m. — need somebody to backread it for you before you turn it in? Now help for students struggling with schoolwork is just a mouse...
These Fresno Students Will Be Back on Campus Starting Monday
Fresno Unified schools are still closed to in-person classes because of the coronavirus pandemic, but small groups of students who are homeless or English learners will be returning to school starting Monday. Elementary, middle, and high schools across the district will open their doors to students who are deemed of...
Is Fresno Unified Racist? Trustees Argue Over Anti-Racist Resolution Intent
The topic of racism, which moved front and center this year on the national radar after a series of incidents involving police killings of black people, was spotlighted Wednesday evening when Fresno Unified trustee Terry Slatic objected to an agenda item that declared the district an anti-racist institution and stated...