James S. Fugman Elementary, Fresno CA

Original Research by School Decision on James S. Fugman Elementary

James S. Fugman Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in the northern part of Fresno as part of Clovis Unified, one of California's largest school districts. The school sits in a suburban residential area at the northern edge of the city, where single-family neighborhoods and subdivisions dominate the built landscape.

The school's academic profile shows solid performance across the board. In English language arts, the school achieved proficiency in the high range, with fifth-grade students performing particularly strongly. Math proficiency held steady across the tested grades, ranging in the mid-to-high range, with third grade leading. The school also administered a science assessment at the fifth-grade level, where results came in solidly. Across both tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among elementary schools in Fresno County.

The student body is ethnically diverse and relatively affluent. Asian students make up the largest share of enrollment, followed by white students, with substantial representation from Hispanic and multiracial families. The school serves a small proportion of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a neighborhood with higher median household incomes than is typical for the broader Fresno area. Special population data for students with IEPs or English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those populations and the support systems in place.

Enrollment is steady at roughly mid-size for an elementary school. The grade distribution is fairly even across the school, with slightly larger classes in the early grades and a slight dip in sixth grade. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, so admission is based on residential attendance zones. This matters in Clovis Unified because the district made significant attendance boundary changes in 2025-26, so a family's address determines not only which elementary school they attend but also which intermediate and high schools their children will feed into over time. The district's website or the school office can confirm which boundary zone applies to a specific address.

The broader context for this school is one of rapid district growth. Clovis Unified added a new high school and intermediate school campus in southeast Fresno in August 2025, the first major school opening in many years, and the district is now California's twelfth largest. This growth reflects a suburban expansion pattern into and around Fresno that has accelerated over the past decade. The district also passed a major school facilities bond in November 2024, approved by voters, which will fund facility upgrades including the completion of the new high school and repairs to aging buildings across the system. For families in the area, this signals an active investment in school infrastructure.

The neighborhood around the school is part of Fresno's predominantly car-dependent suburban geography, though walking and cycling may be possible to nearby schools and parks. Housing in the zip code is moderately priced relative to California as a whole, with a healthy stock of single-family homes. The broader Fresno economy relies on agriculture, manufacturing, and services, with California State University, Fresno, Community Regional Medical Center, and various government and retail employers anchoring the region. Day-to-day life is supported by Woodward Park, a large regional park with trails and recreational facilities, and the Fresno Area Express bus system, though most residents rely on personal vehicles for getting around.

James S. Fugman serves families who want a regular public elementary school in a stable, diverse neighborhood with solid academic results and access to district resources as their children move through middle and high school.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 379%

School 79% · District 64% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 37 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Grade 475%

School 75% · District 58% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 41 pts above county median

Grade 576%

School 76% · District 50% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 46 pts above state median · ▲ 49 pts above county median

Grade 672%

School 72% · District 54% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 377%

School 77% · District 63% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Grade 477%

School 77% · District 63% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Grade 587%

School 87% · District 65% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 45 pts above county median

Grade 680%

School 80% · District 65% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Science

Grade 578%

School 78% · District 48% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 50 pts above state median · ▲ 55 pts above county median

This schoolClovis Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income39%Higher-income85%47 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income52%Higher-income84%33 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income64%Higher-income93%29 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income52%Higher-income85%33 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income42%Higher-income88%46 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income49%Higher-income83%35 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income52%Higher-income83%31 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income30%Higher-income81%50 pp gap