Students in California’s five largest school districts improved in math on this year’s state tests, but English results were mixed, with three of the five slipping, according to data released Thursday by the California Department of Education.
The results offer a snapshot of how the state’s biggest school systems, which together serve more than 800,000 students, are recovering from the pandemic while facing falling enrollment and tighter budgets.
Los Angeles Unified posted the biggest math gain and now tops the state average in math, while San Diego Unified saw the steepest English decline of the group.
Statewide, 49.26% of students scored proficient or advanced in English language arts on tests taken last spring, up about half a percentage point from 48.8% the year before. In math, 38.35% met the standard, up about 1 point from 37.3%.
In other words, nearly 5 in 10 California students cannot meet state English standards, while more than 6 in 10 fall short in math.
Scores remain below pre-pandemic levels.
In 2018-19, the last full school year before COVID-19 closed campuses, 50.9% of students met the English standard and 39.7% met the math standard.
Students in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 take the Smarter Balanced tests in English and math each spring.
Los Angeles Unified School District
LAUSD posted the largest math gain of the five districts.
Of its students, 39.74% scored proficient or advanced in math, up nearly 3 points from last year’s 36.76%, which puts the district above the state average of 38.35%.
In English, 48.33% met the standard, up 1.87 points from 46.46% in 2025 and just under the state’s 49.26%.
The tests were taken in April, so the results largely reflect the tenure of former Supt. Alberto Carvalho, who left the district this spring following a FBI probe.
The nation’s second-largest school district enrolled about half a million students in 2025-26, according to state data, and preliminary figures show enrollment fell another 4% this fall.
In June, the board adopted a budget of about $20.6 billion for 2026-27, a plan that spends roughly $2 billion more than the district expects to take in.
The district is at “high risk” of insolvency, according to the state watchdog FCMAT.
The district is on track to overspend by $1.75 billion this year, draining its $2.51 billion reserve to $756 million, and faces a $3.05 billion shortfall by 2029.
Its fix: cut more than 6,000 jobs over three years, about 7% of its workforce.
The crunch follows a 14% teacher raise in April. Enrollment at non-charter schools fell 16% from 2019-20 to 2024-25 while staff grew 6.3%, and salaries and benefits now consume 90.8% of unrestricted general fund spending.
San Diego Unified School District
California’s second-largest district enrolled 112,250 students in 2025-26, according to state data.
San Diego posted the steepest English decline of the five districts.
The share of students proficient or advanced in English fell 2.27 points, from 56.17% to 53.90%.
Math edged up 0.54 points, from 45.31% to 45.85%.
Even with the drop, San Diego remains above the state average in both subjects and has the highest math rate of the group.
San Diego Unified adopted a roughly $2 billion general fund budget for 2025-26 ($2.8 billion across all funds) to serve about 100,000 students. To balance it, the district had to close a $112.7 million gap, mostly by cutting central-office costs and redirecting restricted funds.
The relief is temporary: it is spending about $176 million more than it takes in this year, and it still needs about $138 million in new cuts or other fixes for 2026-27, after its one-time funds run out.
One of the two candidates for state superintendent of public instruction is Richard Barrera, president of the San Diego Unified Board of Education, who faces conservative activist Sonja Shaw in the November runoff.
Barrera, who is backed by the California Teachers Association, has campaigned on cutting chronic absenteeism, protecting immigrant students and their families, helping districts build affordable housing on their land, and fighting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to put the state Department of Education under a commissioner the governor appoints.
Fresno Unified School District
Fresno Unified enrolled 70,163 students in 2025-26 and expects to lose about 1,200 more this year.
The district projected a deficit of about $23 million for 2026-27 and cut roughly 450 positions across its central office and schools.
Fresno made the biggest English gain of the five districts. Of its students, 39.92% scored proficient or advanced in English, up 2.81 points from 37.11%. In math, 29.46% met the standard, up 2.31 points from 27.15%.
Despite the gains, Fresno still trails the state average by about 9 points in both subjects and has the lowest scores of the group.
Elk Grove Unified School District
Elk Grove Unified, south of Sacramento, enrolled 65,483 students in 2025-26, according to state data.
Elk Grove’s English results were flat. This year 54.34% of students scored proficient or advanced, compared with 54.37% the year before. Math rose 0.29 points to 43.69%.
Elk Grove has the highest English rate of the five districts and is about 5 points above the state average in both subjects.
Long Beach Unified School District
Long Beach Unified enrolled 61,679 students in 2025-26, according to state data, and has lost about 10,000 students since 2020. The board cut $47 million in February and was told in March that it must cut at least $40 million more for 2026-27, according to EdSource.
Long Beach’s English rate dipped 0.64 points, from 51.72% to 51.08%. Math rose 1.43 points, from 38.50% to 39.93%.
The district remains above the state average in both subjects.
You can access the full results for statewide performance here.