FUSD test results show gains in ELA and math
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Last week, the California Department of Education publicly released the results of the 2024-25 state assessments (SBAC, CAST, and ELPAC). These results can help us better understand where schools across the district are showing progress and identify areas in need of greater support and improvement.
Studies show that almost 9 in 10 parents believe that their children are “on grade level” and most report that their children are receiving “B” grades or better. However, the assessment results paint a very different picture. If families rely only on grades to understand their children’s progress, they may miss out on important opportunities to advocate for needed supports or services.
These results are an important part of the broader toolkit that gives families, students, educators, and the community a well-rounded picture of student learning, school performance, and system equity. This annual assessment data is vital for exploring trends in what is working and what is not, and can serve as a catalyst for meaningful conversation and collective action.
Today, we are sharing a first glimpse into the data, pulling out the trends across the district. We will dive deeper into this data in our upcoming Kids First and Forward Together data reports.
Key Data Points from FUSD
SBAC English Language Arts (ELA) results show gains
ELA results are up this year, with 37% of FUSD students met or exceeded standards for ELA in 2024-25. This was a 2.4 percentage point increase compared to the year before and the third consecutive year of growth. The results remain slightly below pre-pandemic levels, however.
When broken down by student group, we see differing patterns.
- We saw increases in results for Black or African American students (+2.2 percentage points), Latino students (+2.4 percentage points) and Asian students (+1.9 percentage points).
- Results for students with disabilities stayed flat compared to last year at 10.2%, while English learners showed a significant decrease (of 5 percentage points) with only 7.2% of current ELs meeting/exceeding standards in ELA.
The results for all of these groups remain below the state averages, something true of the districtwide data as a whole. This demonstrates that there is still important work to be done, to show continued and expanded growth in literacy. The district must continue to refine its approach to teaching students to read and write using evidence-based methods, and deepen partnership with families to ensure our students become confident, skilled readers and writers.
If you are interested in advocating for literacy in Fresno, join our community-led committee (https://bit.ly/LiteracyCLC).
SBAC math results increase again
Math results remain lower than ELA results (a pattern consistent statewide), but this year’s scores show meaningful progress. In 2024-25, 27% of FUSD students met or exceeded math standards, a 2-percentage point increase from the year before and the third year in a row with improvement. Although not yet back to pre-pandemic levels, this is encouraging growth.
We also saw increases in math results for some student groups, including Asian students (+2.5 percentage points), Black or African American students (+1.9) and Latino students (+1.9). However, there were slight declines in math among English learners (-1.4) and students with disabilities (-0.2).
The overall growth is promising. However, it is important to make sure that all students are making progress and that the district provides targeted support for groups that below the district growth average.
Bright Spots in ELA and Math
There were notable gains at several schools last year. There were double-digit gains in ELA at multiple schools, with Hoover High, Wolters Elementary, and McLane high showing the largest increases. In math, the biggest growth was seen at Edison Computech, Baird Middle, and Pyle Elementary. What new strategies or practices were adopted at these schools last year? How can we scale and spread these practices and results district-wide?
| Largest Improvements (Percent meeting/exceeding standards) | ||
| School | ELA 2024-25 | Change from 2023-24 |
| Herbert Hoover High | 57.1% | +21.8% |
| Wolters Elementary | 42.5% | +15.7% |
| McLane High | 55.4% | +15.3% |
| School | Math 2024-25 | Change from 2023-24 |
| Edison Computech | 67.2% | +12.0% |
| Baird Middle | 54.5% | +9.7% |
| Pyle Elementary | 26.2% | +7.5% |
ELPAC results
The state also released the results for the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC). This test is taken every spring by all English learner students, and is one of the key data points required for reclassification. Students must score a 4 out of 4 in order to reclassify (and must also satisfy 3 other criteria).
This year 11.4% of FUSD English learners scored at Level 4 this year. This is a 1.9 percentage point increase from the year before. This means that up to 11.4% of English learners may be eligible for reclassification this year, if they meet the other criteria as well.
These results, combined with the EL students’ results on the SBAC, highlight the importance of prioritizing support for English learner students so they can meet their full potential.
Next Steps
GO’s next step will be to take a deeper look at this data, along with key take-aways and action steps, in our 2025 Kids First student data report, which will be released in December. In this report, we will examine differences in outcomes by student groups (e.g., by race/ethnicity and economic, language, and disability statuses), by school site, and looking at trends over time.
In addition, our updated Forward Together: A Parent’s Guide to Reclassification, will provide detailed English Learner data and actionable tips for supporting EL students and their families through the reclassification process. This year’s Forward Together will be released in November.
Our goal is for these reports to anchor conversations and action grounded in a shared understanding of what is currently true in our schools and across our district. When we collectively understand where we are, we can work together to create a plan for where we want to go.
Explore the Data
- You can explore your school’s results at https://caaspp-elpac.ets.org.
- Check out GO’s new How to Access Assessment Data guide for step-by-step instructions.
- For more on statewide trends, see this article in EdSource.