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 districts showing declines, according to data released on October 15, 2026, by the California Department of Education. The results provide insight into how the state’s largest school systems, serving over 800,000 students, are recovering from the pandemic amid falling enrollment and tighter budgets.
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) posted the largest math gain, with 39.74% of its students scoring proficient or advanced in math, an increase of nearly 3 percentage points from last year’s 36.76%, surpassing the state average of 38.35%. In English, 48.33% met the standard, up 1.87 points from 46.46% in 2025, just below the state’s 49.26%.
Statewide, 49.26% of students scored proficient or advanced in English language arts, a slight increase from 48.8% the previous year. In math, 38.35% met the standard, up from 37.3%. Despite these improvements, scores remain below pre-pandemic levels; in the 2018–19 school year, 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. The tests taken in April reflect the tenure of former Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, who left the district this spring following an FBI investigation.
LAUSD is facing financial challenges, with a projected overspend of $1.75 billion this year, which would deplete its reserve from $2.51 billion to $756 million, and a projected shortfall of $3.05 billion by 2029. The district plans to cut over 6,000 jobs, approximately 7% of its workforce, following a 14% teacher raise in April.
San Diego Unified School District reported the steepest decline in English, with the share of students proficient or advanced falling 2.27 points from 56.17% to 53.90%. Math scores increased slightly by 0.54 points, from 45.31% to 45.85%. Despite the decline, San Diego remains above the state average in both subjects. The district adopted a budget of roughly $2 billion for 2025–26 and is addressing a $112.7 million gap primarily through cuts to central-office costs.
Fresno Unified saw the largest English gain among the five districts, with 39.92% of students scoring proficient or advanced, an increase of 2.81 points from 37.11%. In math, 29.46% met the standard, up 2.31 points from 27.15%. However, Fresno still trails the state average by about 9 points in both subjects.
Elk Grove Unified's English results remained stable, with 54.34% of students scoring proficient or advanced, compared to 54.37% the previous year. Math scores increased slightly to 43.69%. Long Beach Unified experienced a slight decline in English scores, dropping 0.64 points to 51.08%, while math scores rose 1.43 points to 39.93%. The district has lost about 10,000 students since 2020 and is facing budget cuts.
The full results for statewide performance can be accessed through the California Department of Education.