High Schools in Fresno Unified

The Fresno Unified School District in California is home to 15 high schools serving students in grades 9-12. The district encompasses a diverse range of schools, from top-performing institutions to continuation and alternative schools, each with its own unique set of strengths and challenges.

Among the standout schools in the district are Design Science Middle College High, which ranks in the top 5% of California high schools and boasts exceptional performance metrics, including a 98.2% four-year graduation rate, 0% dropout rate, and significantly higher test scores than the district and state averages. Another high-performing school is Phillip J Patino School of Entrepreneurship, which has a 100% four-year graduation rate, 0% dropout rate, and test scores well above the district and state. Edison High is the top-performing school in the Fresno Unified district, ranking in the top quarter of California high schools with a 95.8% four-year graduation rate and notably higher test scores than the district and state averages.

However, the data also reveals a clear divide in performance between the top-tier schools and the lower-performing continuation and alternative schools, such as Cambridge Continuation High and Dewolf Continuation High, which struggle with much lower graduation rates, higher dropout rates, and significantly lower test scores. This disparity in outcomes appears to be closely linked to socioeconomic factors, as the schools with the highest rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch tend to have the poorest academic performance.