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Central Unified School District, California

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Central Unified School District
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Fresno County, California
District details
Superintendent: Ketti Davis
# of school board members: 7
Website: Link

The Central Unified School District is a school district in California.

Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...

Superintendent

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 		This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates.

Ketti Davis is the superintendent of the Central Unified School District. She was appointed acting superintendent in June 2021 and was approved as her own permanent successor on May 10, 2022. Her previous career experience includes various administrative roles within the district, including, most recently, assistant superintendent of educational services.[1]

Past superintendents

  • Andrew G. Alvarado was the superintendent of the Central Unified School District from June 2018 until his resignation in August 24, 2021.[2] In June 2021, Alvarado was arrested on domestic violence charges, but these charges were later dropped on August 5, 2021.[3][4] Alvarado's previous career experience includes working as the superintendent of the Golden Valley Unified School District.[5]
  • Kelly Porterfield was the interim superintendent of the Central Unified School District in 2018. Porterfield's previous career experience included working as an associate and interim superintendent of the Madera Unified School District.[6]
  • Mark G. Sutton was the superintendent of the Central Unified School District from 2015 to 2018. Sutton's previous career experience included working as the superintendent of the Selma Unified School District.[6][7]
  • Michael Berg was the superintendent of the Central Unified School District from 2009 to 2015. Berg's previous career experience included working as the director of facilities and management planning of the Fresno Unified School District.[8]

School board

The Central Unified School District board of trustees is composed of seven members elected to four-year terms. Elections are held by district.[9]


Elections

See also: Central Unified School District, California, elections

Elections for the Central Unified School District board of trustees are held in November of even-numbered years. Elections are staggered so that three or four seats are up for election at a time.

Three seats on the board were up for general election on November 5, 2024.


Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.


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Public participation in board meetings

The Central Unified School District board of trustees maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[10]

“

Members of the public are encouraged to attend Board meetings and to address the Board concerning any item on the agenda or within the Board's jurisdiction. So as not to inhibit public participation, persons attending Board meetings shall not be requested to sign in, complete a questionnaire, or otherwise provide their name or other information as a condition of attending the meeting, except that if the meeting is conducted using remote public participation or with a Board member attending remotely pursuant to Government Code 54953, a member of the public desiring to provide comment through the use of a third party internet website or online platform may be required to register as required by the third party provider.

In order to conduct district business in an orderly and efficient manner, the Board requires that public presentations to the Board comply with the following procedures:

1. The Board shall give members of the public an opportunity to address the Board on any item of interest to the public that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Board, either before or during the Board's consideration of the item. (Education Code 35145.5, Government Code 54954.3)

2. At a time so designated on the agenda at a regular meeting, members of the public may bring before the Board matters that are not listed on the agenda. The Board shall take no action or discussion on any item not appearing on the posted agenda, except as authorized by law. (Education Code 35145.5, Government Code 54954.2)

3. Without taking action, Board members or district staff members may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by the public about items not appearing on the agenda. Additionally, on their own initiative or in response to questions posed by the public, Board members or staff member may ask a question for clarification, make a brief announcement, or make a brief report on their own activities. (Government Code 54954.2)

Furthermore, the Board or a Board member may provide a reference to staff or other resources for factual information, ask staff to report back to the Board at a subsequent meeting concerning any matter, or take action directing staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda. (Government Code 54954.2)

4. The Board need not allow the public to speak on any item that has already been considered by a committee composed exclusively of Board members at a public meeting where the public had the opportunity to address the committee on that item. However, if the Board determines that the item has been substantially changed since the committee heard the item, the Board shall provide an opportunity for the public to speak. (Government Code 54954.3)

5. A person wishing to be heard by the Board shall first be recognized by the Board President and shall then proceed to comment as briefly as the subject permits.

In general, individual speakers shall be allowed three (3) minutes to address the Board on each agenda or non-agenda item. The Board will limit the total time for public input on each item to twenty (20) minutes. However, in exceptional circumstances when necessary to ensure full opportunity for public input, the Board President may, with Board consent, adjust the amount of time allowed for public input and/or the time allotted for each speaker. Any such adjustment shall be done equitably so as to allow a diversity of viewpoints. The President may also ask members of the public with the same viewpoint to select a few individuals to address the Board on behalf of that viewpoint.

In order to ensure that non-English speakers receive the same opportunity to directly address the Board, any member of the public who utilizes a translator shall be provided at least twice the allotted time to address the Board, unless simultaneous translation equipment is used to allow the Board to hear the translated public testimony simultaneously. (Government Code 54954.3)

6. The Board President may rule on the appropriateness of a topic, subject to the following conditions:

a. If a topic would be suitably addressed at a later time, the Board President may indicate the time and place when it should be presented.
b. The Board shall not prohibit public criticism of its policies, procedures, programs, services, acts, or omissions. (Government Code 54954.3)
c. The Board shall not prohibit public criticism of district employees. However, whenever a member of the public, initiates specific complaints or charges against an individual employee, the Board President shall inform the complainant of the appropriate district complaint procedure.

7. The Board President shall not permit actual disruption of Board meetings. Actual disruption by an individual or group or any conduct or statements that threaten the safety of any person(s) at the meeting shall be grounds for the president to terminate the privilege of addressing the Board and remove the individual from the meeting.

The Board President or their designee, may remove an individual for actually disrupting the meeting. Prior to removal, the individual shall be warned that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that failure to cease the disruptive behavior may result in their removal. If after being warned, the individual does not promptly cease the disruptive behavior, the Board President, or designee may then remove the individual from the meeting (Government Coded 54957.95)

When an individual's behavior constitutes the use of force or a true threat of force, the individual shall be removed from a Board meeting without a warning. (Government Code 54957.95)

Disrupting means engaging in behavior during a Board meeting that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting and includes, but is not limited to, a failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations adopted by the legislative body pursuant to Section 54954.3 or any other law, or engaging in behavior that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force. (Government Code 54957.95)True threat of force means a threat that has sufficient indicia of intent and seriousness, that a reasonable observer would perceive it to be an actual threat to use force by the person making the threat. (Government Code 54957.95)

The Board President may order the room cleared if necessary. In this case, members of the media not participating in the disturbance shall be allowed to remain, and individuals not participating in such disturbances may be allowed to remain at the discretion of the Board.

When the room is ordered cleared due to a disturbance, further Board proceedings shall concern only matters appearing on the agenda. (Government Code 54957.9)

When disruptive conduct occurs, the Board may decide to recess the meeting to help restore order, or if removing the disruptive individual(s) or clearing the room is infeasible, move the meeting to another location. The Board may direct the Superintendent or designee to contact local law enforcement as necessary. [11]

”


District map

School district map

Budget

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[12]

Revenue, 2020-2021
SOURCE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Federal: $33,281,000 $2,114 13%
Local: $45,982,000 $2,921 18%
State: $171,379,000 $10,887 68%
Total: $250,642,000 $15,922
Expenditures, 2020-2021
TYPE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Total Expenditures: $261,269,000 $16,596
Total Current Expenditures: $202,183,000 $12,843
Instructional Expenditures: $118,436,000 $7,523 45%
Student and Staff Support: $28,103,000 $1,785 11%
Administration: $22,818,000 $1,449 9%
Operations, Food Service, Other: $32,826,000 $2,085 13%
Total Capital Outlay: $47,705,000 $3,030
Construction: $45,816,000 $2,910
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: $2,921,000 $185
Interest on Debt: $6,906,000 $438


Teacher salaries

The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.

Year Minimum Maximum
2024-2025[13] $62,282 $118,107
2023-2024[14] $53,437.55 $108,591.13
2020-2021[15] $49,569.04 $94,000.10

Academic performance

Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[16]

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 18 25-29 15-19 14 PS <50 25-29
2018-2019 33 44 22 28 20-29 40-44 49
2017-2018 31 43 17 26 30-39 40-44 45
2016-2017 28 39 16 24 30-39 35-39 42
2015-2016 26 38 14 21 20-29 30-34 40
2014-2015 22 31 12 18 20-29 35-39 34
2013-2014 56 65-69 40-44 53 PS 40-59 60-64
2012-2013 60 67 48 56 55-59 60-64 71
2011-2012 58 68 45 55 45-49 65-69 68
2010-2011 59 66 46 56 45-49 55-59 69

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 40 50-54 25-29 34 PS <50 55-59
2018-2019 45 55 32 40 40-49 60-64 61
2017-2018 44 55 31 39 40-49 60-64 58
2016-2017 40 51 27 36 30-39 60-64 54
2015-2016 39 48 25 35 20-29 55-59 52
2014-2015 31 42 19 26 20-29 40-44 43
2013-2014 51 55-59 45-49 48 PS 21-39 60-64
2012-2013 50 55 40 46 40-44 55-59 64
2011-2012 51 56 40 47 40-44 55-59 62
2010-2011 49 51 39 45 35-39 45-49 63

The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2019-2020 88 85-89 85-89 87 PS >=80 90-94
2018-2019 86 90-94 85-89 84 >=50 >=50 85-89
2017-2018 86 90-94 80-84 83 PS >=50 85-89
2016-2017 86 85-89 85-89 85 >=50 >=50 85-89
2015-2016 83 90-94 75-79 81 PS >=50 80-84
2014-2015 84 85-89 75-79 85 PS >=50 80-84
2013-2014 81 85-89 70-74 80 >=50 >=50 85-89
2012-2013 80 85-89 75-79 76 PS >=50 85-89
2011-2012 77 85-89 60-64 72 >=50 >=50 85-89
2010-2011 72 80-84 60-64 68 PS >=50 75-79


Students

Year Enrollment Year-to-year change (%)
2022-2023 15,742 0.1
2021-2022 15,729 -0.1
2020-2021 15,742 -0.6
2019-2020 15,841 -0.3
2018-2019 15,881 -0.1
2017-2018 15,893 0.8
2016-2017 15,772 0.3
2015-2016 15,717 0.8
2014-2015 15,584 0.6
2013-2014 15,490 1.5
2012-2013 15,262 2.4
2011-2012 14,896 0.5
2010-2011 14,817 1.8
2009-2010 14,547 1.9
2008-2009 14,266 0.6
2007-2008 14,180 4.7
2006-2007 13,515 5.9
2005-2006 12,713 2.7
2004-2005 12,375 4.2
2003-2004 11,851 4.7
2002-2003 11,289 6.6
2001-2002 10,548 2.4
2000-2001 10,290 3.9
1999-2000 9,885 0.0
Racial Demographics, 2022-2023
RACE Central Unified School District (%) California K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.4 0.0
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 16.7 0.0
Black 7.9 0.0
Hispanic 61.4 0.0
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.2 0.0
Two or More Races 2.2 0.0
White 11.1 0.0

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


Staff

As of the 2022-2023 school year, Central Unified School District had 676.79 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 23.26.

Teachers, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten: 0.00
Kindergarten: 57.65
Elementary: 386.56
Secondary: 232.58
Total: 676.79

Central Unified School District employed 7.00 district administrators and 59.00 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Administrators, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators: 7.00
District Administrative Support: 44.82
School Administrators: 59.00
School Administrative Support: 78.16
Other staff, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides: 225.44
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: 10.73
Total Guidance Counselors: 21.00
Elementary Guidance Counselors: 6.00
Secondary Guidance Counselors: 11.60
Librarians/Media Specialists: 6.00
Library/Media Support: 0.00
Student Support Services: 62.70
Other Support Services: 364.41


Schools

The Central Unified School District operates 25 schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
List of schools
SCHOOL NAMENUMBER OF STUDENTSGRADES
Biola-Pershing Elementary207KG-6
Central East High2,0619-12
Central Elementary762KG-6
Central High7729-12
Central Online Home269KG-12
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity214KG-12
El Capitan Middle6997-8
Glacier Point Middle8737-8
Hanh Phan Tilley Elementary632KG-6
Harvest Elementary972KG-6
Herndon-Barstow Elementary696KG-6
Houghton-Kearney Elementary190KG-8
John Steinbeck Elementary683KG-6
Justin Garza High1,5399-12
Madison Elementary420KG-6
Mckinley Elementary720KG-6
Norman Liddell Elementary613KG-6
Pathway Community Day107-12
Pathway Elementary Community Day0KG-6
Pershing Continuation High1219-12
Rio Vista Middle8047-8
River Bluff Elementary706KG-6
Roosevelt Elementary465KG-6
Teague Elementary608KG-6
William Saroyan Elementary699KG-6

Noteworthy events

2018: Recall effort

See also: Central Unified School District recall, California (2018)

Two efforts to recall a total of three board members from their positions on the Central Unified School District board of trustees in California did not go to a vote in 2018. The effort to recall Phillip Cervantes and Richard Solis started in February 2018, but it was later terminated. Supporters of that recall effort did not agree with the board's decision to terminate Superintendent Mark Sutton's contract.[17][18][19][20] Sutton's contract was due to expire in June 2018, but the board voted 4-3 to terminate his contract effective immediately on February 27, 2018. Solis voted in favor of terminating Sutton's contract, while Cervantes voted against it.[21][22]

The effort to recall Terry Cox began in April 2018. Cox was one of the three board members who voted against terminating Sutton's contract.[23] That effort did not go to a vote as paperwork that was required to move the recall forward was not submitted to the county by the deadline.[24]

Contact information

Central Unified School District seal.jpg
Central Unified School District
4605 N. Polk Ave.
Fresno, CA 93722
Phone: 559-274-4700


About school boards

Education legislation in California

Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.

See also

California School Board Elections News and Analysis
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ GVWire, "Central School Trustees Select Ketti Davis as New Superintendent," accessed September 11, 2023
  2. ↑ The Fresno Bee, "Fresno’s Central Unified schools superintendent Alvarado resigns two months after arrest," accessed September 11, 2023
  3. ↑ ABC 30 Action News, "Central Unified superintendent Andrew Alvarado arrested on domestic violence charges," accessed September 11, 2023
  4. ↑ The Fresno Bee, "Will Fresno’s Central schools chief face criminal charges? DA hands down decision," accessed September 11, 2023
  5. ↑ ABC 30, "Central Unified hires Andrew Alvarado to be next superintendent," accessed November 5, 2019
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 GVWire.com, "Fired Superintendent Sutton Thanks His Central Unified Supporters," accessed March 7, 2018
  7. ↑ ABC 30, "Central Unified Hires New Superintendent," accessed July 29, 2015
  8. ↑ Fresno Bee.com, "Berg is Central Unified superintendent," accessed November 2, 2009
  9. ↑ Central Unified School District, "Board of Trustees," accessed July 15, 2021
  10. ↑ Central Unified School District, "Board Bylaws: Meeting Conduct," accessed January 10, 2024
  11. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  12. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
  13. ↑ Central Unified School District, "Salary Schedules (Certified) ," accessed April 21, 2025
  14. ↑ CENTRAL UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, "Appendix A-1: Certificated Salary Schedule 2023-2024: 182 Days ," accessed February 2, 2024
  15. ↑ Central Unified School District, "Certificated Salary Schedule 2020-2021," accessed July 15, 2021
  16. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
  17. ↑ GV Wire, "Did Voters Oust Central Unified Trustees Over Sutton Firing?" November 8, 2018
  18. ↑ GV Wire, "Secret Meetings Led to Sutton Firing? ‘Never Happened,’ Says Board Leader." March 29, 2018
  19. ↑ GV Wire, "Two Central Unified Trustees Served Recall Notices," February 20, 2018
  20. ↑ GV Wire, "Janz Wins State Dems Endorsement in Nunes Battle," February 26, 2018
  21. ↑ The Fresno Bee, "Central Unified’s superintendent terminated without cause," February 27, 2018
  22. ↑ Central Unified School District, "Regular Meeting Of The Board Of Trustees Central USD February 27, 2018 6:00pm," accessed April 17, 2018
  23. ↑ The Fresco Bee, "Central Unified ousted its superintendent. Parents want to know if it was discrimination," April 16, 2018
  24. ↑ GV Wire, "Central Unified Secrets Revealed In Superintendent Firing," May 4, 2018
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