California's Largest School Districts See Math Gains, Mixed English Scores in Latest State Tests

Students in California's five largest school districts demonstrated gains in math performance on the latest state tests, though English language arts scores presented a more varied picture, with three of the five districts experiencing a decline. These results, released by the California Department of Education, offer insight into the academic recovery of the state's major school systems, which collectively serve over 800,000 students, as they navigate post-pandemic challenges, declining enrollment, and budget constraints.

Statewide, the proficiency rate in English language arts saw a slight increase, with 49.26% of students scoring proficient or advanced, up from 48.8% the previous year. In mathematics, 38.35% of students met the standard, a rise from 37.3% in the prior year. Despite these improvements, current scores remain below pre-pandemic levels. In the 2018-2019 school year, prior to widespread school closures, 50.9% of students were proficient in English and 39.7% in math.

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the state's second-largest district with approximately half a million students in 2025-26, recorded the most significant math improvement. Nearly 40% of its students achieved proficiency in math, surpassing the state average. The district's English scores also saw an increase, though they remained just below the state average.

However, LAUSD faces substantial financial challenges. The district's adopted budget for 2026-27 projects spending approximately $2 billion more than anticipated revenue. The state watchdog FCMAT has identified LAUSD as being at "high risk" of insolvency, with projections indicating a significant overspending this year that will deplete its reserves. To address its financial outlook, the district plans to eliminate over 6,000 positions over three years. These cuts come after a substantial teacher raise in April, and a period where enrollment has decreased while staff numbers and compensation costs have risen.

San Diego Unified School District, the second-largest in California, saw its English proficiency rate decline by 2.27 percentage points, marking the steepest drop among the top five districts. While its math scores edged up slightly, the district's English performance fell below the state average for the first time. Despite the dip in English scores, San Diego Unified maintains proficiency rates above the state average in both subjects and holds the highest math proficiency rate within the group of five largest districts. The district is also managing a budget deficit, relying on temporary measures and planning for further cuts.

Fresno Unified School District, serving over 70,000 students, achieved the largest gain in English language arts proficiency, with nearly 40% of its students meeting the standard. Its math scores also improved. However, Fresno Unified's proficiency rates in both subjects trail the state average by approximately nine percentage points, resulting in the lowest overall scores among the five largest districts. The district has implemented staff reductions to address a projected deficit.

Elk Grove Unified School District, located south of Sacramento, reported flat English language arts results, with only a marginal change in proficiency rates compared to the previous year. Its math scores saw a small increase. Elk Grove Unified holds the highest English proficiency rate among the five districts and exceeds the state average in both subjects.

Long Beach Unified School District, which has experienced a significant student enrollment decline since 2020, saw a slight decrease in its English proficiency rate. However, its math scores improved, and the district remains above the state average in both English and math.