Fresno Unified restructures support for Black students

District starts with a name change to avoid losing $250 million in federal funding.

- LASHERICA THORNTON

FRESHNO Unified School District educators, parents and students share feedback about changes to the support department known as A4.

(LASHERICA THORNTON EdSource)

The Trump administration’s threat to cut federal funds to schools with race-based programs and a discrimination lawsuit prompted the Fresno Unified School District to restructure its academic support department for Black students.

Starting with a name change in October, the African American Academic Acceleration department — still known as A4 — is now the Advancing Academic Acceleration & Achievement department.

The district made the name change to avoid losing $250 million in federal funding. The change also shows that the department supports all marginalized racial and ethnic groups, not just African American students, the basis for the lawsuit, district leaders said.

“There’s a lot happening at the federal level that we have no control of,” said Lisa Mitchell, executive director of the program. “When we think about the threat and loss of $250 million, not only does it impact the students we're serving in A4, but it impacts students across our entire district.”

But Eric Payne, executive director of the Central Valley Urban Institute, a policy advocacy organization working in low-income communities, said the name change raises a “dangerous” question about whether equity is a priority for the district.

“Is the name change an attempt to dilute the focus on Black student equity and set a new precedent that makes other culturally responsive programs vulnerable?” he said.

Addressing an achievement gap

The history of A4 dates to 2017, when 79% of Fresno Unified’s Black students failed to meet California’s reading standards, and 86% failed to reach math proficiency, according to the state’s assessment results.