J. E. Young Academic Center, Fresno CA

Original Research by School Decision on J. E. Young Academic Center

J.E. Young Academic Center is an alternative school in central Fresno that serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. It operates as a public school under the Fresno Unified district and sits within a city undergoing active downtown revitalization efforts alongside ongoing sprawl into surrounding neighborhoods.

The school enrolls a moderate-sized population for its grade span, with a student body that is substantially Hispanic, alongside smaller shares of Asian, white, Black, and other students. A very large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the neighborhood and broader Fresno area. State testing data in English language arts and math show proficiency rates in the mid-to-lower range across grades three through eight. In English language arts, proficiency averages in the low to mid-thirties; in math, rates cluster in the similar range, with slight variation by grade. Science proficiency, measured in grades five and eight, runs considerably lower, with eighth-grade science proficiency particularly weak. The school's overall proficiency index positions it above the midpoint among school entities in Fresno County, though the actual proficiency levels remain modest in absolute terms.

As an alternative school, J.E. Young Academic Center likely serves a specific population or follows an educational model that differs from traditional public schools, though the particular pedagogical approach or student population served is not detailed in available records. The absence of graduation rate data, common for schools serving full grade spans from kindergarten through twelfth, reflects the reality that this metric is typically calculated only at the high school exit level and requires specific cohort tracking. Chronic absenteeism and other attendance metrics were not available in the data, so a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand engagement patterns.

The housing context around the school is mixed. The immediate area of central Fresno where the school is located carries modest home values and rental rates compared to state and national benchmarks, making housing relatively more affordable on a price-to-income basis than many California communities. Downtown and nearby neighborhoods are gradually undergoing reinvestment, with new affordable housing projects and commercial activity increasing, though the surrounding broader city remains car-dependent and sprawling in character. Recent state infrastructure funding and planning for a future high-speed rail station are driving some of this change.

A parent considering J.E. Young Academic Center would want to understand more about what alternative model or specialized focus, if any, guides the school's daily operations and whether that aligns with their family's educational priorities. The low proficiency rates, particularly in science, warrant direct conversation with school leadership about curriculum, student support, and the context in which these students learn.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

83.0%Cohort of 228 students · Class of 2021

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 37%

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 34% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 26% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 29% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 740%

School 40% · District 25% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 21% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 334%

School 34% · District 35%

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 438%

School 38% · District 35% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 36% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 636%

School 36% · District 38% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 736%

School 36% · District 36%

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 33% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Science

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 19% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 16% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 813%

School 13% · District 37% · ▼ 24 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

This schoolFresno 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.