The California Department of Education released a bunch of student data from the 2025-26 school year today, including math and English scores, graduation and dropout data, and chronic absenteeism numbers.
The state is celebrating minor gains in reading, math, and science compared to last year. English scores rose half a percentage point. Math rose one point.
In San Francisco, reading scores are higher than the state average, and English language learners have made real strides.
But the news isn’t as good in other areas. Statewide, 18% of students are chronically absent, meaning they missed at least 18 school days. And that rate is going down. In San Francisco, 24% of students are chronically absent, and the rate is going up.
The average student in San Francisco missed 17 days of school last year, just one day short of being considered chronically absent.
This is the first year the state has released Smarter Balanced Assessment scores alongside its “dashboard,” California’s tool for holding districts accountable. It’s also the first time science scores appear on the dashboard.
KALW reached out to San Francisco Unified School District for comment, but didn’t hear back.
