Esther Quintanilla / Central Valley Journalism Collaborative

This is the second year of the Fresno County Summer Art Academy’s Mariachi Performance and Composition course. The class was created for students in ensembles at their schools to continue developing their skills over the summer.

For students, summer is the time to take on new skills when they’re not in school. For a group of them in Fresno, this summer has included handling instruments and learning all about mariachi history. Journalist Esther Quintanilla with the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative takes us to the rehearsal room to hear the students’ finished pieces. Plus, the latest news headlines: A UC Merced report analyzes the potential cost of immigration raids on jobs; and a Kern County supervisor’s husband remains in jail.

In the culturally-diverse central San Joaquin Valley – where roughly one in five students are learning English as a second language – federal dollars account for a large portion of funding in school districts.

The Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to students who show a high level of proficiency in English and at least one other language.

As another school year comes to an end, so does an innovative program for the central San Joaquin Valley’s young learners.

A program is helping students in rural Fresno County get an early look at university life. Central Valley Journalism Collaborative reporter Esther Quintanilla brings us the story on how students as young as kindergarten through 8th grade are taking part.

The 2025 CIF Track and Field Championships in Clovis, California, drew national attention and reignited the debate over transgender females in women’s sports.

AB Hernandez from Jurupa Valley High School competed Friday in Clovis in the triple jump, high jump and long jump events – and came first in all three, according to the scores from the qualifying events.

Fresno Unified School District’s new superintendent, Misty Her, says her childhood experience as a refugee will help her identify with the challenges faced by today’s English learner students.

California is home to more than one million multilingual learners, according to state data. In the central San Joaquin Valley, where roughly one in five students is an English learner, federal dollars account for a notable portion of funding in school districts.