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B−

Central Unified School District

Public school districtGrades K–12

Fresno’s School Grade B better than 62% of California school districts

Students
15,956
Schools
24
Spent per student
$17,761
CA $21,206
Students per teacher
23:1
Free or reduced lunch
79%
Debt
$316.6M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Central Unified School District

  • Its letter, B−: results better than 51% of California districts
  • Math proficiency 7 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 6 pts below the state
  • Spends 16% less per student than the CA average
  • 23 students per teacher
  • Debt of $316.6M, about $19,843 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B−: better than 51% of the 1,872 California school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well below the state, 2021–22
B−
GraduationFour-year graduation above the state, class of 2023
C+

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Fresno. Grade by grade →

K–679 schoolsClovis Unified School District
7–818 middle schoolsClovis Unified School District
9–1211 high schoolsFresno Unified School District

Test scores vs. CA

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency26%
State average 33.1% · 8,198 students tested
Reading / language arts41%
State average 46.7% · 8,201 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)88%
State average 86.2% · 1,104 in the class

97% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$17,761 per student · 16% below CA
Spending
Classroom instruction 55%Support & administration 40%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 22%State 64%Federal 13%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
15,737’20
15,723’21
15,735’22
15,954’23
15,956’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
Hispanic 61%Asian 18%White 10%Black 7%Two or more races 2%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

24 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with California’s other public schools.

Harvest Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
B+
1,010 students29:1
Central Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
762 students26:1
Herndon-Barstow Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
C−
754 students27:1
William Saroyan Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
C−
697 students24:1
River Bluff Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
C−
694 students27:1
John Steinbeck Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
689 students28:1
McKinley Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
B+
671 students27:1
Norman Liddell Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
628 students25:1
Hanh Phan Tilley Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
B+
622 students26:1
Teague Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
551 students24:1
Roosevelt Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
489 students24:1
Madison Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
487 students23:1
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity
Other · Grades K–12 · Fresno
C−
260 students25:1
Houghton-Kearney Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Fresno
199 students22:1
Biola-Pershing Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Fresno
198 students22:1
Central Online Home
Other · Grades K–12 · Fresno
B+
137 students20:1
Glacier Point Middle
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Fresno
B+
947 students22:1
Rio Vista Middle
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Fresno
C−
851 students23:1
El Capitan Middle
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Fresno
C−
738 students20:1
Pathway Community Day
High · Grades 7–12 · Fresno
10 students2:1
Justin Garza High
High · Grades 9–12 · Fresno
2,095 students23:1
Central East High
High · Grades 9–12 · Fresno
B−
1,741 students21:1
Central High
High · Grades 9–12 · Fresno
625 students16:1
Pershing Continuation High
High · Grades 9–12 · Fresno
D−
101 students16:1

Left off: 2 schools reporting no students for 2024–25.

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within California.