Many Valley schools continued a recent trend of performing slightly better on state standardized tests in the last school year than the year before, according to results released Friday.

Valley school officials said they are pleased that more students are testing at or above grade level in English and math but noted there is room for improvement.

"Our students, teachers and staff are working hard and these results are a testament to their dedication," Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson said. "We have more work ahead of us, but this latest round of data ... is very encouraging."

In Fresno Unified, 42% of students tested at or above grade level in English language arts, compared with 39% last year, and 42% tested at or above grade level in math, compared with 40% last year.

Scores from the 2012 Standardized Testing and Reporting -- or STAR -- were Fresno Unified's seventh consecutive year of gains.

Carlo Prandini, a Clovis Unified associate superintendent, said the district will use its data to identify students who need intervention.

"While we showed overall growth in both math and (English), we need to continue our focus in math to get more students prepared for upper level math in high school," he said.

Prandini credited the rise in English scores to a recent focus on writing and fluency.

At Clovis Unified, the percentage of students testing at or above grade level in English was 75%, compared with 72% last year, and 68% tested at or above grade level in math, the same as last year.

A school's scores determine whether it conforms with the standards spelled out in No Child Left Behind, the federal schools improvement law. The scores are intended to measure student achievement over time and ultimately could affect federal funding.

At Sanger Unified, 59% of students tested at or above grade level in English, and 57% tested at or above grade level in math. Both percentages were 56% last year.

"There are more students meeting expectations in Sanger Unified than ever before and that's our goal," Superintendent Marc Johnson said.

At Central Unified, 47% of students were at or above grade level in English, the same as last year, and 49% were at or above grade level in math, compared with 50% last year.

In Visalia Unified, 54% of students scored at or above grade level in English, compared with 50% last year, and 51% tested at or above grade level in math, down one percentage point from last year.

At Madera Unified, 43% of students were at or above grade level in English -- one percentage point above last year -- and 39% were at or above grade level in math, down one percentage point from a year ago.

Statewide, the 2012 STAR test results marked the ninth straight year students improved their scores in the annual math and English exams, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said.

About 4.7 million students participated in the 2012 STAR program, with 57% testing at or above grade level in English, compared with 54% last year, and 51% scoring at or above grade level in math, up one percentage point from last year.

The complete results can be found at http://star.cde.ca.gov/.