The Nation's Report Card is out, and the Fresno Unified School District has made progress in some subject areas.
FUSD is one of 21 urban school districts in the U.S. to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress test where fourth and eighth grade students, selected at random, are tested every other year.
Wednesday, the results showed that Fresno Unified was one of five districts to show significant improvements in math and reading for both grades.
FUSD Superintendent Michael Hanson said he was extremely pleased with the results; however, he added that the district still has a long way to go.
"We still, while we have passed some districts in the past that we were behind, we started really at the bottom of the bottom, we are still toward the bottom of these 21 districts," Hanson said.
In Estela Coronado's 4th grade class at Webster Elementary, students were learning how to multiply large numbers Wednesday afternoon.
Three years ago, the school used to be one of the most underperforming schools in the Fresno Unified School District.
It has since turned around, making it one of the top performing schools in the district.
Officials credit the progress to school days that are 30 minutes longer, a school year that starts two weeks earlier, and teachers who meet at least three times a week to do planning.
On a conference call Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan praised Fresno Unified for their progress.
"They are models for other large cities across the country that are struggling with improving student achievement. They can learn from them and try to figure out how to accelerate the rate of progress," Duncan said.
The most significant progress in the district was made in eight grade reading.
FUSD is one of 21 urban school districts in the U.S. to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress test where fourth and eighth grade students, selected at random, are tested every other year.
Wednesday, the results showed that Fresno Unified was one of five districts to show significant improvements in math and reading for both grades.
FUSD Superintendent Michael Hanson said he was extremely pleased with the results; however, he added that the district still has a long way to go.
"We still, while we have passed some districts in the past that we were behind, we started really at the bottom of the bottom, we are still toward the bottom of these 21 districts," Hanson said.
In Estela Coronado's 4th grade class at Webster Elementary, students were learning how to multiply large numbers Wednesday afternoon.
Three years ago, the school used to be one of the most underperforming schools in the Fresno Unified School District.
It has since turned around, making it one of the top performing schools in the district.
Officials credit the progress to school days that are 30 minutes longer, a school year that starts two weeks earlier, and teachers who meet at least three times a week to do planning.
On a conference call Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan praised Fresno Unified for their progress.
"They are models for other large cities across the country that are struggling with improving student achievement. They can learn from them and try to figure out how to accelerate the rate of progress," Duncan said.
The most significant progress in the district was made in eight grade reading.