SD Unified Students Show Gains in Six 2025 California School Dashboard Categories
Students attending San Diego Unified Schools continue to make academic gains according to the 2025 California School Dashboard. Six out of seven indicators improved when compared to last year’s dashboard, which shows that San Diego Unified School District continues to make strong, measurable progress across key performance indicators.
Year-Over-Year Comparison: 2024 to 2025
|
Indicator
|
2024
|
2025
|
Change
|
Direction
|
|
Chronic Absenteeism
|
21.4%
|
19%
|
-2.4%
|
↓ Improved
|
|
Suspension Rate
|
2.5%
|
2.1%
|
-0.5%
|
↓ Improved
|
|
EL Progress
|
49.5%
|
46.2%
|
-3.3%
|
↓ Declined
|
|
Graduation Rate
|
88.3%
|
90.3%
|
+2%
|
↑ Improved
|
|
College/Career
|
62.9%
|
66.6%
|
+3.7%
|
↑ Improved
|
|
English Language Arts
|
7.2 above
|
12.4 above
|
+5.2 points
|
↑ Improved
|
|
Mathematics
|
23.6 below standard
|
19.1 below standard
|
+4.5 points
|
↑ Improved
|
“These results reflect the dedication and collaboration of our educators, staff, and families—and the resilience and hard work of our students,” said Dr. Fabi Bagula, Superintendent of San Diego Unified School District. “Our continued progress on the California School Dashboard shows that when we center instruction, relationships, and data around our Student Achievement Goals, we see meaningful results. While we are proud of this progress, we remain committed to closing equity gaps so that every student thrives.”
San Diego Unified leads large urban districts – Los Angeles Unified, Fresno Unified, Long Beach Unified, San Francisco Unified – in five categories, which are: English Language Arts, Mathematics, lower Chronic Absenteeism rate, and improved College and Career Indicators.
The 2025 Dashboard results highlight measurable growth across all four of San Diego Unified’s Student Achievement Goals, which guide the district’s academic and wellness priorities:
- Goal #1: Improve Student Wellness – The district’s low suspension rate (2.1%) and declining chronic absenteeism (down 2.4%) demonstrate the impact of expanded social-emotional supports, restorative practices, and wellness-centered programming.
- Goal #2: Increase Communication Skills and Literacy Achievement – Students continue to excel in English Language Arts, performing 12.4 points above standard, underscoring progress in literacy instruction and communication skills development.
- Goal #3: Increase Problem Solving Skills and Mathematics Achievement – With mathematics performance improving by 4.5 points, students are demonstrating stronger critical thinking and analytical skills supported by the district’s new math curriculum and teacher professional development.
- Goal #4: Increase College and Career Readiness – The district’s college/career readiness rate of 66.6% and record-high graduation rate of 90.3% reflect ongoing success in preparing students for life beyond high school through rigorous coursework, dual enrollment, and career pathway programs.
“Our data tells two stories—one of continued progress, and one that reminds us there is more work to do,” said Cody Petterson, Board of Education President, San Diego Unified School District. “We are proud of our overall growth, but we are equally committed to accelerating achievement for our most vulnerable students. Every indicator, every improvement, and every challenge drives our work to ensure equity and excellence for all.”
While San Diego Unified’s performance improved, the district continues to prioritize targeted support for specific student groups, including English Learners, as their progress declined slightly to 46.2%, and foster youth and long-term English learners continue to face persistent academic challenges, particularly in mathematics.
To learn more about the 2025 California School Dashboard, visit: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/cm/caschdashboard.asp