New FUSD Strategic Plan and Preview of Student Achievement Data
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At the first Fresno Unified school board meeting of the 2026-27 school year on August 12, Superintendent Misty Her presented how the district’s new five-year strategic plan will be carried out through its new annual plan. She also shared preliminary results from the SBAC tests students took this spring. Read on to learn what the plans mean for the district and what the early results show about student achievement.
What Happened?
Strategic Plan
Fresno Unified’s new five-year strategic plan will guide the district’s work through 2030. The plan builds on the four goals and guardrails adopted by the board in January 2025. The planning process also included more than 30 community and teacher listening sessions from 2024-26.
The four goals each have a target for 2030:
- Early Literacy: Increase 1st grade literacy proficiency from 48% to 80%, as measured by i-Ready.
- Literacy Intervention: Among 3rd–8th grade students who are more than one year behind in ELA, increase the percentage who make more than a year of growth within one year from 30% to 50%.
- College and Career Readiness: Increase the percentage of graduates considered college and career ready on the California School Dashboard from 43% to 64%.
- Life Skills: Increase the percentage of 6th, 8th, and 12th grade students demonstrating Portrait of a Learner competencies. Specific targets are still being developed.
The goals are paired with guardrails for Equitable Access, Effective Staff, Community Engagement, and Health and Wellness. Together, they are intended to ensure that progress does not come at the expense of vulnerable student groups, staff effectiveness, community voice, or student and staff well-being.
The strategic plan also introduces four pillars that all district work should fit into: Academic Excellence, People Excellence, Operational Excellence, and Engagement Excellence. Trustee Jonasson Rosas asked for a greater clarity about how the strategies under these pillars connect to the goals and guardrails.
Superintendent Her described the strategic plan as the district’s destination and the 2026-27 annual plan as the path for getting there. District divisions have developed aligned plans, and individual School Plans for Student Achievement (SPSA) will also connect to the districtwide goals. The district plans to monitor implementation through regular board updates and ongoing data reviews with district and school leaders.
Find the full strategic plan, 2026-27 annual plan, and the accompanying division and school-site plans at: fresnounified.org/strategic-plan/strategic-and-annual-plans. Currently, the plans are only available in English.
Preliminary SBAC Results
Superintendent Her also previewed preliminary SBAC results from the spring 2026 SBAC assessment. The state is scheduled to release official results by October 15.
Based on these preliminary results, districtwide proficiency rates continued to rise, extending a continuous upward trend seen since 2022:
- ELA: 40% proficient or advanced, up from 37% in 2025.
- Math: 29% proficient or advanced, up from 27% in 2025.
Gains were seen in nearly every grade level, and across most student groups, in both subjects, but equity gaps remain.
- English Learners (ELs) and long-term English Learners (LTELs) made modest gains, but their results remain far below districtwide rates. For ELs, ELA proficiency increased from 7.9% to 8.8% and math from 9.5% to 10.9%. For LTELs, ELA increased from 6% to 6.8% and math from 4.7% to 5.6%.
- Students with disabilities experienced declines in both ELA (from 16% to 10.5%) and math (from 14% to 9%).
- African American student results improved compared to last year (from 23.3% to 25.2% in ELA and from 15.1% to 16.6% in math), but remained the lowest-performing racial/ethnic group in the district.
GO will share additional analysis after the state releases its official results in October and in the updated Fresno Kids First report in December.
Why is this Important?
This is the first strategic plan of Superintendent Her’s tenure, and it will shape Fresno Unified’s decisions, budget, and accountability systems through 2030. The plan narrows the district’s focus to four goals and pairs them with guardrails intended to protect equity, well-being, and community voice.
Strategic plans can sometimes end up sitting on a shelf. Whether this one makes a real difference will depend on how consistently it’s referenced, monitored, and adjusted across district departments and school sites – and whether the strategies under the four pillars clearly drive progress toward the goals. The district’s demonstrated commitment to regular data reviews should help leaders identify problems and change course during the year, rather than waiting until year-end.
The preliminary SBAC results show why the Equitable Access guardrail matters. Overall performance is improving, but English Learners and long-term English Learners remain far behind districtwide averages, and students with disabilities lost ground. For GO, an important measure of the plan’s success will be whether Fresno Unified turns its equity commitment into targeted interventions that result in measurable progress for these students and provides families with clear, timely information about impact.
The College and Career Readiness goal aligns with GO’s work to expand equitable access to dual enrollment. Increasing the district’s college and career readiness rate from 43% to 64% will require more students, across both schools and student groups, to have meaningful opportunities to prepare for college. As the district reports progress, GO will look for dual enrollment participation and completion to be reported separately from other college and career readiness measures and be broken down by school and student group, so families can see whether access and success are expanding equitably. Families can learn more in our Parent’s Guide to Earning College Credit in High School.
What Can You Do?
As the school year begins, families have several opportunities to stay informed and help shape district priorities.
- Join a Parent Advisory Committee, such as your school’s SSC or a school- or district-level English Learner Advisory Committee, to make your voice heard and engage with school and district leaders.
- Learn more about FUSD student outcomes through GO’s parent guides and data reports.
- Attend board meetings and share public comments as FUSD puts its plans into action.
Keep Learning and Leading with GO!
This fall, GO Public Schools is offering several opportunities for families to build their knowledge, strengthen their advocacy skills, and support their children’s learning.
From Sounds to Meaning – 6 sessions starting on September 14
Learn practical strategies you can use at home to support your child’s literacy development – from foundational sounds to reading comprehension and meaning. Reserve your spot and join us on Mondays at 5PM!
Family Leadership Program (FLP) – 5 sessions starting September 23
Join GO’s Family Leadership (FLP) to deepen your understanding of the school system, build your advocacy skills, and become a stronger voice for students. FLP graduates and experienced family leaders can continue their leadership journey through GO’s advanced APPLE program. RSVP and join a community of empowerment!
Financial Aid Deadline is Next Week! Apply by 9/2
If you attend or plan to attend a California community college, submit your FAFSA or California Dream Act Application by September 2 to be considered for a Cal Grant. Our free bilingual guide can help you complete the application step by step.
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Save the dates and join GO this fall to learn, connect, and take action for your child and your community.