Summary:
This analysis examines four high schools serving grades 9-12 in Fresno's 93703 zip code, revealing a diverse educational landscape with one standout charter school and three schools within the Fresno Unified district.
The clear top performer is Career Technical Education Charter, which ranks among the best high schools in California, boasts a 100% graduation rate with zero dropouts, and significantly outpaces state averages in English, math, and science. Another school with perfect graduation and dropout rates is Phillip J Patino School of Entrepreneurship, which also excels in English proficiency. The largest traditional school, McLane High, shows strong graduation rates above state averages but faces significant challenges in math proficiency. The very small Fulton program operates with vastly higher per-student spending, likely for specialized services, and has high chronic absenteeism.
Key takeaways for parents include the notable success of the charter school model in this area, particularly in supporting students to graduation, and a widespread need for improved mathematics instruction across most schools. There is a strong correlation between lower chronic absenteeism and higher academic performance. While graduation rates are generally a strength, parents should look closely at specific academic subject performance, especially in math and science, when comparing these schools.
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