Quick look: Newly released data show Orange County students continuing to outperform statewide averages in English language arts, mathematics and science, with notable gains in math and science. The results also point to persistent achievement gaps among some student groups and areas where continued support is needed.
Orange County students continued to outperform statewide averages in English, mathematics and science in 2025-26 while posting encouraging gains in math and science, according to data released Thursday by the California Department of Education.
About 59 percent of local students scored at the proficient or advanced levels in English language arts, compared with 49 percent statewide. In mathematics, just over 50 percent of the county’s test-takers reached those levels, compared with about 38 percent across California.
About 46 percent of local students scored proficient or advanced in science, compared with 36 percent statewide.
To see how your school or district performed, visit www.caschooldashboard.org.
For the first time, California shared several major sets of education data at the same time. The release included results from the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, or CAASPP, which measures student performance in English language arts, mathematics and science, and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California, or ELPAC, which focuses on English language development.
The state on Thursday also published an updated California School Dashboard and reports through DataQuest, bringing together information on graduation, chronic absenteeism, suspension rates, college and career readiness and other measures. Taken together, the data offer families, educators and communities a broad picture of how students and schools are doing.
“These results give us good reason to be encouraged, particularly the progress we’re seeing in math and science and the strong performance of Orange County students compared with statewide averages,” County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean said. “At the same time, the data remind us that averages never tell every student’s story. Our focus is on working alongside districts and schools to build on what’s working and strengthen support for every student where they need it most.”
Statewide, the four-year graduation rate reached 87.9 percent, its highest level in a decade, while chronic absenteeism declined to 18.3 percent. The suspension rate also fell to 2.8 percent, marking the third consecutive year of decline.
Strong gains in math, science
On the assessment front, mathematics represented one of Orange County’s clearest areas of progress. The percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced increased from 49.2 percent in 2025 to 50.2 percent in 2026, putting the county just shy of its pre-pandemic level of 50.4 percent in 2019.
Science showed the largest year-over-year gain. About 46 percent of local students who were tested in the spring scored proficient or advanced, an increase of three percentage points from 2025. That rate is also six percentage points higher than the county’s pre-pandemic mark.
Those gains generally mirrored statewide trends. Across California, the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced increased by 0.5 percentage points in English language arts, 1.1 points in mathematics and 3.3 points in science.
Orange County’s English language arts performance, meanwhile, remained largely steady. About 59.2 percent of students scored proficient or advanced, up slightly from the previous year but still just below the 59.7 percent recorded in 2019.
Some regional comparisons were also notable. Orange County students performed at least six percentage points higher in English language arts than students in seven other Southern California counties overall and across every elementary and middle school grade included in the comparison.
In math, Orange County’s overall proficiency rate was 8 percentage points higher than the next-highest county.
Progress not evenly shared
Countywide numbers also show where more work remains. Students experiencing homelessness improved in both English language arts and math, while foster youth posted gains in English language arts. But substantial differences remain between overall county performance and results for several student groups.
Long-term English learners, or LTELs, showed some of the widest gaps in achievement, with just 5 percent scoring proficient or advanced in English language arts and 4 percent meeting that standard in mathematics. English learners and students with disabilities also posted proficiency rates below the countywide averages.
Again, similar challenges are facing schools and districts statewide. Under California’s accountability system, students with disabilities, long-term English learners and English learners were among the student groups most frequently associated with districts qualifying for additional support. (More on that in a minute.)
The California School Dashboard also shows that student outcomes can vary widely across groups, reinforcing the need to look beyond overall averages and consider test scores alongside classroom work, grades, teacher observations and other measures of learning.
English language development
Even as the CAASPP results highlighted continuing academic gaps, local results from the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California, or ELPAC, showed signs of progress in English language development.
The percentage of English learners whose overall English language skills were rated “moderately or well developed” rose from 52 percent to 54 percent in 2026.
Oral language continued to be the strongest category, with 70 percent of students rated moderately or well developed. Students in grades four and five posted the strongest oral language results.
Written language remains an area for continued attention. About one-third of Orange County English learners were rated moderately or well developed in that area, and fewer than one-quarter of students in grades nine, 11 and 12 reached those levels.
Statewide, ELPAC performance remained relatively stable. But the percentage of students at the beginning stage of developing English skills declined.
Turning data into action
While California sets statewide standards and accountability measures, decisions about instruction and student supports are made locally.
OCDE works with Orange County’s 28 school districts and charter schools to help educators understand performance data, identify areas of need and strengthen local strategies. That support can include professional learning, instructional and literacy resources, data analysis, and assistance focused on English learners and other student groups.
County offices also play a formal role in California’s Differentiated Assistance system, which provides targeted support to school districts, charter schools and other local educational agencies that meet state eligibility criteria. Changes approved this year give county offices more opportunities to support these local educational agencies — often referred to as LEAs — whether or not they formally qualify for Differentiated Assistance.
Beginning with the 2026 California School Dashboard, eligibility is based on three years of performance data, and LEAs identified for support will receive assistance for three years, aligning with the state’s three-year Local Control and Accountability Plan cycle. In Orange County, LEAs have been identified for support in English language arts and mathematics.
Rather than prescribing a single solution, OCDE works alongside local educators to examine the data, identify underlying challenges and determine strategies that best fit the needs of their students and communities.
“Our job is to be a strong partner to districts — to help them understand what the data are telling us, connect them with effective resources and support the work they are already leading in their schools,” Bean said. “Every community is different, and meaningful improvement happens when we combine good information with the expertise of the educators who know their students best.”