California School District Sees Student Achievement Gains

Students in California's Visalia Unified School District are making real progress in reading and math, proving that focused effort and transparency can move the needle on achievement.

The district just released its first Priority Student Outcomes Report, showing gains across the board. In English Language Arts, scores jumped 9.3 points overall, while math scores climbed 5.9 points according to the 2025 California Dashboard.

The most exciting news came from students who often face the biggest challenges. Hispanic students grew by 10 points in reading, and students with disabilities surged ahead by 12.6 points.

"This data shows that while we have work ahead of us, we're closing that gap," says Superintendent Kirk Shrum. "It's really an indication of the work that's happening inside our classrooms every day."

The district isn't stopping at test scores. Their new report tracks whether students feel safe at school, participate in clubs and activities, and develop skills for career and college success.

Parents can now see a complete picture of how their kids are doing. The district checks these outcomes every quarter and reports publicly to the school board twice a year.

Why This Inspires

Visalia Unified is showing what happens when schools commit to transparency and hold themselves accountable for every student's success. Rather than hiding behind excuses about being below state standards, they're celebrating progress and being honest about where improvement is still needed.

The district created these measures to align with a five-year strategic plan. When goals are met early, the board sets new, more ambitious targets based on progress.

This approach treats students as whole people, not just test takers. Questions like "Does my kid feel safe at school?" and "Is my kid part of a club or activity?" matter just as much as reading levels.

The quarterly monitoring means the district can pivot quickly when something isn't working. If an indicator shows less progress than expected, teams analyze what needs to change and adjust their approach.

Every student deserves schools that measure what truly matters and share results honestly with families.