[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6185681,"mediaKeyId","5081320-ac4dcec6b6070ec181e028b105b74cd0","parentId",5081320,"title","Central Unified reports double‑digit third‑grade gains after LETRS training; district cites 17‑point SBAC jump in cohort","audioSeconds",35,"startMs",578000,"endMs",613000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081320-ac4dcec6b6070ec181e028b105b74cd0&start=578&end=613","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081320-ac4dcec6b6070ec181e028b105b74cd0/thumbnail_578000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6185681/California/Central-Unified-reports-doubledigit-thirdgrade-gains-after-LETRS-training-district-cites-17point-SBAC-jump-in-cohort","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185681-12c68b34ced54932b62f2d478cf2f065/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181674&Signature=dB9c7~7aICexaeUFBBGIPhFiFJYFB7d8BADufZZIpCQSVbf8ytdrZA5cGGEt0JPFA46jsXFN~Od5ZtPAC-IZ3HHt1aDek6YJJ9KsPUbfO5zTqUrQiLTjXF6XsS2JdZ-gwxYmyZq3xriK-Q7eT-rCXMK0WE4GSeot40lhhAC5wzpXXQK7EOA6VUsCsT0HsXq8OtPbJ6fQMH5HsZ6KXJBnLhtDD8p-3trWVtIFGx~AJSbd1oy6wGk9yAee3IkrjSTh43wajfTUYvGsPhriJkSP-vr3HaaZ-ar2uQ7zUrZvzJDT2gXHoAjods~pY0Pj-r8aLZBvYI-ZIxv7VmFMNBqP9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-26T20:21:01.1Z","article","Interim Superintendent Dr. O’Brien told the Central Unified Board of Trustees on June 24 that the district’s multi‑year focus on early literacy and a phonics‑based approach (LETRS training) coincided with measurable improvements on state and local reading assessments.

“Our district is now at 44.3% in ELA,” Dr. O’Brien said, reporting district SBAC results and calling out strong third‑grade gains. She said third‑grade students in classrooms led by teachers trained in LETRS moved from 27% proficiency to 44% this school year — a 17‑point increase she called “unprecedented growth.” “That is significant,” Dr. O’Brien said.

District data shown to trustees included multiple internal metrics: an I‑Ready summary that the district said rose overall 3.52% from 2023–24 to 2024–25, while students in first‑through‑third‑grade classrooms with LETRS‑trained teachers rose 7.6% on that metric; students in non‑LETRS classrooms rose 1.4%. Dr. O’Brien told the board that the cohort comparisons are not strictly apples‑to‑apples but that the pattern is notable.

Dr. O’Brien also summarized site‑level highlights: Madison Elementary’s third graders rose 11% in ELA and the school finished the year with zero suspensions; Halton Kearny’s third graders rose 11%; Steinbeck rose 16% in third‑grade ELA; River Bluff rose 14%; Roosevelt Elementary’s third graders rose 18%. The district noted that 86% of TK teachers, 67% of kindergarten teachers, 90% of first‑grade teachers, 80% of second‑grade teachers and 50% of third‑grade teachers are either trained in LETRS or in the LETRS cohort.

Dr. O’Brien credited the sustained professional learning investment and the work of 84 teachers who completed LETRS coursework this year. Trustees praised the results and asked staff to continue monitoring multiple measures beyond SBAC, and to provide principals and site councils with clear local data to guide School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) decisions.

District leaders said the literacy work is part of a broader strategy that includes multi‑tiered academic supports, reading coaches, and targeted interventions for English learners and other student groups; those items are reflected in the district’s adopted LCAP.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Central Unified Board Of Trustees Meeting June 24th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Interim Superintendent Dr. O’Brien reported district ELA gains and pronounced third‑grade improvement tied to LETRS (science of reading) teacher training: third‑grade students in LETRS classrooms rose from 27% to 44% proficiency on SBAC, a 17‑point gain; district ELA rose to 44.3% overall.","taxTitle","Central Unified, School Districts, California","taxId",14145,"location","California","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6185685,"Central Unified outlines ethnic studies rollout; district says UC A‑G approval secured and teachers must hold history credential",53,670000,723000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081320-ac4dcec6b6070ec181e028b105b74cd0&start=670&end=723","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081320-ac4dcec6b6070ec181e028b105b74cd0/thumbnail_670000.jpg","/articles/6185685/California/Central-Unified-outlines-ethnic-studies-rollout-district-says-UC-AG-approval-secured-and-teachers-must-hold-history-credential","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185685-ea73df175e0cc58e738abe15926a3fa0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181674&Signature=al-CSfWZtssGGRKZPoD0mjhsp6KPtbrRWaNDlhK-56RNQngKM-5CScbphpXWqv46klMMXpQyAKrcvo6I0JDeCcsHVpa-~EXnuyLUZvfTXv0fSjBUsZWXA-DFxp5~thDs6ORLc4kazFpceoOIAPX~KQte-D1sKcbvLKnQ7JCFAZ-6W6JbTVEOlDd1sxuWDOIuWHZ6YW1wl6~jXk~Otr955XI7pzbKNoKcUq74E1It3VVls1n5Hn4orvGFOrOUEP63O4wTHPiaIhTAoBerFggs8FuRQY5bXdNXen0nmXrSvmv2NeZdWAS0bs~1VlRoklecKeKra0eDUifZJ7G0syEkHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Central Unified School District on June 24 detailed how it will implement a state‑mandated ethnic studies course next school year, saying the semester‑long class will be UC A‑G approved as a ‘G’ college‑preparatory course and will be taught at all three comprehensive high schools.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction Director English (transcript identifies as “Director English”) told the Board of Trustees the course “will be a semester long course that will explore the foundational disciplines of the African American, Chicano X, and Latin or Latinx, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander studies,” and that the curriculum was developed from the state model course and submitted for UC approval.

English said Central Unified began course development in February 2024 with department chairs from Central High School, Central East High School and Justin Garza High School. The district worked from the state model curriculum, prepared unit overviews and sample assignments required for UC A‑G review, and obtained UC approval April 30, the presentation said. The district also included a unit focusing on local indigenous peoples and a land‑acknowledgement project that had already been piloted at Central High School.

On teacher qualifications, English said the UC Office’s determination means instructors must hold the history–social science credential. “Because the UC approved it as a G for college preparatory course, and we are in the history social science world, the teachers who instruct this course must have the history social science credential,” English told the board when asked by Trustee Chavez.

Master schedules for 2025–26 are in place, English said: four teachers will teach the course at Central High School, three at Central East and three at Justin Garza. The course also will be available to students at nontraditional sites through Edgenuity; district staff reviewed the Edgenuity offering to confirm it meets the course’s rigor and UC requirements.

To support teachers, the district is providing library and research resources tied to the course’s units and scheduling professional learning on Aug. 7 for the initial cohort of teachers. English said literacy and research databases from the state model curriculum will be made available for literature circles and deeper study and that additional professional learning and conferences will be offered over time.

English described student‑level feedback from pilot activities during world‑culture coursework: some students told teachers “this information was big for me,” explaining they had not previously learned about local indigenous peoples or aspects of their own ethnic histories. The district also held a community night and promoted materials in multiple languages through ParentSquare; attendance was lower than hoped, the presentation said, and staff plan to add a website feedback form and promote it over the summer.

Trustees asked follow‑up questions about sustainability and scope; Trustee Kirk asked whether the course will be offered in both fall and spring terms (since it is a one‑semester course) and about options to create a second, year‑long elective for upperclassmen. English said the district will explore longer electives for upperclassmen and confirmed the semester model will allow students to take the course either fall or spring as part of schedule rotations with health classes.

Interim Superintendent Dr. O’Brien said the district will post a hyperlink to the state model curriculum and provide summer opportunities for Director English to answer parent questions online, and she urged continued community outreach.

No board action was required that evening; the presentation concluded with trustees directing staff to expand outreach and confirm any state or UC procedural requirements as the course is implemented.","Director English presented the district’s plan to offer a semester‑long ethnic studies course at Central Unified’s three comprehensive high schools and via Edgenuity for alternative programs; the course was submitted for UC A‑G approval and requires teachers to hold a history–social science credential, the district said.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6185690,"Central Unified adopts 2025–26 LCAP after months of outreach; trustees press for clearer community metrics",93,733000,826000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081320-ac4dcec6b6070ec181e028b105b74cd0&start=733&end=826","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081320-ac4dcec6b6070ec181e028b105b74cd0/thumbnail_733000.jpg","/articles/6185690/California/Central-Unified-adopts-202526-LCAP-after-months-of-outreach-trustees-press-for-clearer-community-metrics","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185690-4c93c690d450b524ba3393d33762f557/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181674&Signature=Y91CtCDwLkXRbcEwcjfj5ORPKdh1fGKfbpOmJWvX9dRtTxjnj26TTeZ9naBS5gcPQYka-1Fi3h-l5N9GA9GJqymtf1smlmu0Me5Jyin7Ax2JNB65kvZ78IT2YpO9oI3yz7iruAfhQ3T3r0h1hvRPLPyuAkRhAOrFGX73gBciwi8RmMDlMpA7mQFy50izYpkeCy1Z2eJjChcUt6yeg4nxeN33Jc8B6M7U-wyQpkLiSne1f1eUssHrJMjzyRaAD6aGaPsiXIk3iYeA5yfEUeldH88Q4Bd2AUv6ZZ2hqncQ07-53tWUek2gokw4RICk1gzepByS2umPdMXbKZNn6LhiJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Central Unified School District trustees voted 7–0 June 24 to adopt the district’s 2025–26 Local Control and Accountability Plan, the three‑year blueprint the district uses to allocate state and federal funds and to set goals on academics, student wellness and equity.

The plan includes additions the district said were driven by stakeholder input: Madison Elementary was added as an “equity multiplier” school that will receive supplemental state support, the district is adding an instructional support coach targeted at secondary schools and an additional newcomer teacher to support students newly arrived to California, and staffing and counseling hours were increased in targeted actions.

Director of Educational Services Kayla Grigsby said the district collected feedback using a new vendor, Parsec, which she described as easier for families and able to “do automatic translations on the fly and convert it back to a language that the staff here at the district office can utilize.” Grigsby told trustees that 1,237 respondents completed the district’s outreach evaluations and that more than 561 student surveys came from unduplicated or underrepresented student groups.

Trustees and community speakers said they appreciated the outreach but asked for more concrete, trackable evidence of engagement. Trustee Sellers asked that counts of survey responses and town‑hall attendance be included in the plan or accompanying materials so future boards can compare year‑to‑year participation. “If it’s not in writing, it didn’t happen,” Sellers said during discussion, pressing staff to find a place in the template to record response totals and partner engagement.

Trustee Carrillo and others urged the district to strengthen training for family outreach liaisons (FOLs), ELACs and School Site Councils so those groups can meaningfully participate in LCAP discussions. Carrillo noted the district had created the FOL positions and said she expects them to be central to collecting parent feedback. Director Grigsby and Interim Superintendent Dr. O’Brien said staff will convene training and provide more targeted supports at the start of the school year.

Public commenter Elizabeth Grama Luna, speaking as a DELAC member, told the board she had observed inconsistent knowledge of the LCAP at site ELAC meetings and urged that all EL coordinators receive training so parents can engage effectively.

Board members also requested that the district preserve and report the names of community partners who participated in town halls and outreach and consider quarterly check‑ins to show how relationships with community‑based organizations evolve. Grigsby said the district will attempt to include partner lists and evidence of engagement in the LCAP’s “analysis” sections where allowable under the state template and will provide additional reports if the template does not permit detail.

The plan will be submitted to the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools on or before June 30 for county review, as required by state timelines. Grigsby said the district will provide a training session for principals and site leaders at the start of the school year to help them lead LCAP and school site council discussions.

Direction and next steps from the board included: staff will (1) attempt to add response counts and partner lists to the LCAP where the state template allows or include them in the analysis sections, (2) convene FOLs and site leaders before the school year for training on LCAP and parent engagement, and (3) provide a quarterly report or an agreed cadence of check‑ins so trustees can track progress on community partnerships and engagement metrics.

The board approved the LCAP following a motion by Trustee Carrillo, seconded by Trustee Kirk, by a vote of 7–0.

Grigsby said the district will submit the final LCAP and accompanying budget materials to the county by June 30 and will return to the board in early fall with training plans and any technical edits from county review.","The Central Unified School District Board of Trustees approved the district’s 2025–26 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) 7–0 on June 24; trustees and community members pressed staff to add clearer, site-level engagement metrics and to train family outreach liaisons and school leaders to better gather and explain parent feedback.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Central Unified reports double‑digit third‑grade gains after LETRS training; district cites 17‑point SBAC jump in cohort

Central Unified outlines ethnic studies rollout; district says UC A‑G approval secured and teachers must hold history credential

Central Unified adopts 2025–26 LCAP after months of outreach; trustees press for clearer community metrics