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Advanced Placement (AP)
The Advanced Placement (AP) program is a cooperative endeavor that helps able high school students complete college-level courses and permits colleges to evaluate, acknowledge,and encourage that accomplishment through the granting of appropriate credit and/or placement. The AP program is national in scope; its policies are determined by representatives of the College Board member institutions and agencies throughout the country (public and private secondary schools,colleges, and universities) and are implemented by the College Board.
Advanced Placement exams are offered each spring. Students successful in AP courses generally have adequate preparation for these three-hour long comprehensive examinations. Each exam is administered once a year during the second and third weeks in May. Most colleges award credits and/or advanced placement for demonstrated subject area proficiency. College entrance with sophomore standing is available through the AP program at cooperating colleges. Additional information about the AP program is available in the site supplement and in the counselors’ offices.
See the College Board website (https://CollegeBoard.org) for additional information. To find colleges and universities with AP credit policy information, please visit: https://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp
Alternative Education
Fresno Unified School District offers three alternative high school options. They are:
- Cambridge High School
- J. E. Young Academic Center
- DeWolf High School
For information on attendance criteria, please see your counselor.
Fresno Adult School (FAS)
Fresno Adult School provides academic and vocational opportunities including:
- A-G Credit Recovery – For Fresno Unified High School students who need to recover credits due to deficiencies in core subject areas
- Career Technical Education – For Adult students who seek vocational training in: CNA, Custodial, EMT, Groundskeeper, LVN, Office Assistant, and more
- English as a Second Language – For Adult students who desire to improve their English skills in reading, speaking,and writing
- GED – Classes are available in Spanish and English for Adult students 18 years or older, and FAS is an official GED test site
- High School Diploma – For adult students who need to obtain their high school diploma
For more information, contact 559-457-6000 or visit www.fas.edu
Dual Enrollment
Dual enrollment will provide students with the opportunity to gain college units while in high school at no cost to the student. This can lead students on a path towards certifications as well as preparing for college. At the end of each course, eligible students receive college credit as indicated on the student’s college transcript. This is an option to earn college credit in high school; contact your student’s instructor for more information.
Unitrack
The Unitrack program is in partnership with California State University, Fresno. Students in 11th and/or 12th grade may enroll in designated high school college prep courses,and by paying a nominal fee, receive up to 8 CSU credits per semester through Fresno State after successfully completing the course. There is no test other than course assessments required of students. This is an option to earn college credit in high school; see instructor for information.
AVID
AVID, Advancement Via Individual Determination, is an elementary through post secondary college readiness system that is designed to increase school-wide learning and performance. The AVID system accelerates student learning, uses research-based methods of effective instruction,provides meaningful and motivational professional development, and acts as a catalyst for systemic reform and change.
Although AVID serves all students, it focuses on the least served students in the academic middle. The formula is simple — raise expectations of students and, with the AVID support system in place, they will rise to the challenge. What differentiates AVID from other educational reform programs is its astounding success rate. Since 1990, more than 85,500 AVID students have graduated from high school and planned to attend college. For more information, please contact your counselor.
Career Readiness
The Career Readiness Department plays an integral part in achieving the District’s mission of preparing career-ready graduates. “A career ready graduate is a student who has all possible options available to them upon graduation from Fresno Unified School District. This student has a strong academic foundation, has completed required courses, and has acquired the workplace skills and competencies necessary for success after high school.” Linked Learning pathways offer challenging academic courses, demanding technical courses, and a work-based learning component with sequential grade 9-12 pathway courses. Through rigorous hands-on learning opportunities, students will better understand the relevance of what they are learning and learn early about potential career options.Career Technical Education (CTE) courses represent fifteen recognized California Industry Sectors and over 25 pathway programs. CTE courses empower students to make meaningful career choices by providing opportunities to explore their interests, develop career skills, and reinforce academics. These courses also offer a wide range of additional educational benefits, including college credit for qualifying courses, industry certification, and internships when appropriate.
English Learners
The mission of the Department of English Learner Services is to provide schools with quality instructional support, guidance, and direction to improve the instruction of English Learners and ensure their academic success. This entails the implementation of proven, research-based instructional strategies utilized in conjunction with district-adopted resources to meet the academic needs of English Learners based on individually assessed needs. In addition to guiding academic instruction, English Learner Services supports the productive engagement and involvement of parents of English Learners as critical partners in the success of our students. This support includes the establishment of functioning English Learner Advisory Committees and the creation of a welcoming environment for English Learners and their families.
Expanded Learning
After School Program
The Fresno Unified’s ASSETs (After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens) program is offered at Edison, Fresno, McLane, Roosevelt and Sunnyside High Schools through the 21st Century Community Learning Grant funds programs.
Program activities are planned to reflect school site and district goals. Program opportunities include:
- Tutorials
- Homework Support
- City of Fresno’s Youth Job Prep Program
- Enrichment Activities
Online Learning
High school students have the opportunity to take courses online to achieve credit recovery and, in certain circumstances, for original credit. Fresno Unified currently uses Apex Learning and Edgenuity as its course content providers. Students who are interested in taking online courses should speak to their high school guidance counselor.
Online courses are offered during the regular school day, after school, and as part of summer school offerings. Having these online courses available allows students to get back on-track for graduation and for a-g purposes.
Students who wish to use online courses for NCAA purposes must see a counselor first for permission and to complete the required forms. All Fresno Unified online courses are listed at https://www.ucop.edu/doorways.
Summer School
Students enrolled in grades 9–12 may take only one (1) original credit summer school class from each of the core curriculum subject areas (math, English/Language arts,history/social science, and science) during his/her four-year high school career.
Please contact your student’s counselor for additional information on original credit summer school policy.
Honors & GATE
Fresno Unified School District offers rigorous courses for accelerated students. Similar to Advanced Placement, grades in Honors courses receive augmentation.
Seal of Biliteracy
The Fresno Unified School District awards the Seal of Biliteracy in accordance with criteria developed by the California Department of Education. The award recognizes students who speak, read and write in English and in one or more other languages at a level equivalent to four years of world language instruction. Students attaining the California Seal of Biliteracy receive a medallion in their senior year and a certificate that verifies their bilingual skills to potential employers. The Seal of Biliteracy is placed on the high school diploma and an insignia is printed in the commencement program as well.
International Baccalaureate
International Baccalaureate, offered at Cooper Academy and Fresno High, is internationally recognized as the most cohesive, rigorous and comprehensive college and career preparatory programs available. All students at Fresno High School (FHS) and Cooper Academy are part of the IB Programme and are able to gain the benefits of a student-centered, inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning.
All students at Cooper Academy and all freshmen entering FHS are enrolled as students in the Middle Years Programme (MYP), which continues through their sophomore year. The MYP courses lay the foundation necessary for success in the Diploma Programme (DP).
The Diploma level courses are two year advanced courses which provide the opportunity for students to earn college credit through the end-of-course exams. Additionally, students with the prerequisite course work can opt to attempt the Full Diploma, which when successfully completed, awards a second international diploma in addition to their Fresno High Diploma. Students who choose to pursue the Full Diploma option complete six IB DP courses, a community service project, write an extended essay and participate in a Theory of Knowledge course. Through these offerings, FHS ensures that students graduate ready for the challenges of college and career.
Migrant Education
Migrant Education is a national program that provides supplemental educational and support services to eligible migrant children each year. These services help children of migrant workers overcome the disadvantages they face, one of which is disruption to their education due to mobility.
To qualify for the Migrant Education Program, a migrant child must have moved within the past three years across state or school district boundaries with a migrant parent, guardian, or self, to enable the child, the child’s guardian, or a member of the child’s immediate family to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in an agricultural, fishing, or food processing activity. The child may be in any grade between preschool and the 12th grade and must not be older than twenty-two and not a high school graduate.
Special Education
Each comprehensive high school site provides a continuum of services to meet the needs of students with identified disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004). The Individualized Education Program (IEP) developed by the student’s IEP Team will determine the necessary supports and services for the identified students with exceptional needs.
Refer to your student’s Special Education Case Manager or Counselor for more specific information regarding your child’s coursework.