Orange County students continued to outperform statewide averages in English language arts, mathematics, and science during the 2025-26 school year, according to data released by the California Department of Education. The new figures also indicate encouraging gains in both math and science performance.
Approximately 59 percent of Orange County students achieved proficient or advanced levels in English language arts. This compares to 49 percent of students statewide. In mathematics, just over 50 percent of local test-takers reached these levels, while approximately 38 percent did so across California. Science results showed about 46 percent of Orange County students scored proficient or advanced, exceeding the statewide figure of 36 percent.
This release from the state included several major sets of education data simultaneously. Among these were results from the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), which evaluates student performance in English language arts, mathematics, and science. Also included were the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), which measure English language development. The California School Dashboard, displaying performance through color-coded gauges, was updated, alongside DataQuest reports offering information on graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, suspension rates, and college and career readiness.
County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean acknowledged the positive results. Dr. Bean stated that these outcomes offer "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." He added that the data also reminds educators that "averages never tell every student’s story," emphasizing the need for continued support for all students.
Beyond test scores, Orange County compared favorably in other key areas. The county's four-year graduation rate reached 94.1 percent, notably higher than the statewide rate of 87.9 percent, which marked its highest level in a decade. Chronic absenteeism in Orange County was 13.6 percent, below the state's 18.3 percent. Similarly, the local suspension rate of 1.6 percent was lower than the statewide rate of 2.8 percent.
Mathematics represented one of the clearer areas of progress for Orange County. The percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced increased from 49.2 percent in 2025 to 50.2 percent in 2026. This places the county just shy of its pre-pandemic level of 50.4 percent recorded in 2019.
Science demonstrated the largest year-over-year gain. About 46 percent of local students tested in the spring of 2026 scored proficient or advanced, marking an increase of three percentage points from 2025. This rate is also six percentage points higher than the county’s pre-pandemic performance. These gains generally aligned with statewide trends, where 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 remained largely steady. Approximately 59.2 percent of students scored proficient or advanced, a slight increase from the previous year, though still just below the 59.7 percent recorded in 2019.
Regional comparisons further highlighted Orange County’s strong standing. Local students performed at least six percentage points higher in English language arts than students in seven other Southern California counties, across all elementary and middle school grades. In mathematics, Orange County’s overall proficiency rate was eight percentage points higher than the next-highest county.
Despite overall county success, the data also reveals persistent achievement gaps among various student groups. Students experiencing homelessness showed improvement in both English language arts and math, and foster youth posted gains in English language arts. However, substantial differences remain between overall county performance and the results for several specific student groups.
Long-term English learners (LTELs) showed some of the widest gaps in achievement, with only 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, reflecting challenges similar to those faced by schools and districts across California.
Local results from the ELPAC assessments, which measure English language development, showed signs of progress. The percentage of English learners whose overall English language skills were rated “moderately or well developed” increased 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, particularly strong among students in grades four and five.
Written language, however, remains an area requiring continued attention. About one-third of Orange County English learners were rated moderately or well developed in this area, and fewer than one-quarter of students in grades nine, 11, and 12 reached those levels. Statewide, ELPAC performance remained relatively stable, with a decline in the percentage of students at the beginning stage of developing English skills.
The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) works with the county’s 28 school districts and charter schools to help educators understand performance data, identify areas of need, and strengthen local strategies. This support includes professional learning, instructional and literacy resources, and data analysis, with a focus on English learners and other student groups.
OCDE also plays a formal role in California’s Differentiated Assistance system, which provides targeted support to school districts and other local educational agencies (LEAs) that meet state eligibility criteria. Recent changes approved this year grant county offices more opportunities to support these LEAs. Starting with the 2026 California School Dashboard, eligibility for support is based on three years of performance data, and identified LEAs 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 both English language arts and mathematics.
