Only 21% of California Districts Had a Majority of Students Meeting Both English and Math Standards, With a 46-Point Math Gap Between Highest- and Lowest-Poverty Districts
SACRAMENTO — Just 21% of California school districts had a majority of students meeting or exceeding standards in both English language arts and math in 2025-26, up slightly from 20% the previous year but below the prepandemic level of 23%, according to EdSource's analysis of California Department of Education data.
Among districts with at least 500 students tested, 65% improved in math from 2025 to 2026, compared with 54% in English language arts. Some of the largest gains in both subjects were at Tamalpais Union High in Marin County and Gonzales Unified in Monterey County; they were among five districts in the top 10 with gains in both English and math, along with Durham Unified in Butte County, Sierra Unified in Fresno County and Delano Joint Union High in Kern County.
The gap between the highest- and lowest-poverty districts was wider in math, at 46 percentage points, than in English, at 39 points. In California's 147 highest-poverty districts, 40% of students met or exceeded state standards in English language arts in 2025-26, compared with 29% in math. In the 57 wealthiest districts, 80% met or exceeded standards in English and 75% in math.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：高中课堂上的学生（资料图）。照片：Harrison Keely，CC BY 4.0，经维基共享资源。 / Students in a high school classroom (file photo). Photo: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
