Public school · Merced Union High · Merced, California

Golden Valley High — Rating & test scores

Merced · 9–12 · 1,917 students (2024–25)

2121 East Childs Avenue, 95344gvhs.muhsd.org ↗(209) 325-1800

31stpercentileDeveloping

The dots are California’s 1,498 scored public high schools, placed by Scope Score on spring 2025 tests. Why not spring 2026? High school scores include graduation and college-readiness records, which the state publishes a year after the tests. How it’s built →

Scope Score

Weighted composite · 2024–25
A weighted mix of seven measures.

See this school’s score factors ↓

Golden Valleyhigher than 31 of the 100 California dots

California’s public high schools · 1 dot = 1 in 100

Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100

Golden Valleyhigher than 31 of the 100 California dots

California’s public high schools · 1 dot = 1 in 100

Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100

Golden Valleyhigher than 31 of the 100 California dots

California’s public high schools · 1 dot = 1 in 100

Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100

In 2024–25, 95% of the class graduated in four years (422 of 443); across California, 89%.

Source

Source: CDE four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR), 2024–25
Students: students who started 9th grade together: 443
Comparison: California: graduates divided by students who started 9th grade together, across 2,281 public schools’ rows (our combination, not CDE’s published state rate; 432,702 of 487,177).

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Campus map · © OpenStreetMap

Drawn from OpenStreetMap. Volunteers map it, so a new building may be missing. Buildings with no mapped height are drawn one storey high.

A picture of the campus, not an attendance boundary or a rating.

Schools maintain a closed campus policy. For students’ safety, visitors may enter a campus only with the school’s official permission; this drawing implies no permission to enter.

In grade 11, spring 2026, 41% scored Proficient or Advanced in English (reading and writing) and 13% in math, against 57% and 32% across California.

From spring 2026, the state calls its top two levels “Proficient or Advanced” (formerly “Met or Exceeded”).

Sources

The sentence above: California’s state tests (CAASPP), California Department of Education, spring 2026. All students tested in grade 11: 480 in English, 479 in math. California: CDE’s grade 11 rows for the whole state combined, weighted by students tested (our calculation; 414,559 in English and 413,523 in math tested).

Common questions

How do I get in?

Ask Merced Union High which school serves your address. Evidence ↓

Is Golden Valley a good high school?

Golden Valley High scores higher than 31 in 100 of California’s 1,498 scored public high schools: 31st percentile, Developing, spring 2025. Evidence ↓

How often do students miss school or get suspended?

In 2025–26, 28 in 100 students missed 10% or more of school days, against 25 in 100 at the average high school in the Merced Union High district. 1.4% of students (28 of 2,033) were suspended at least once in 2025–26, against 2.9% at the average California high school. Evidence ↓

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 28 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 25 points across California. Evidence ↓

How do kids like mine do here?

In spring 2026, 40% of low-income students in grade 11 at Golden Valley High in Merced scored Proficient or Advanced in English, against 49% for the same group across California. Evidence ↓

What could my child study here?

The College Board approved this school to teach 16 AP courses in 6 subjects for 2025–26.

154 students took a college course for credit in 2023–24, by the federal Civil Rights Data Collection

Evidence ↓

Where do students go after finishing high school here?

37% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months, by CDE’s college-going records. Evidence ↓

What should I ask on a visit?

The questions drawn from this page are under Next steps, ready to copy. Evidence ↓

Academic achievement

How did students here do on state tests?

Well below California in both subjects.

State tests (CAASPP), grade 11, spring 2026

In grade 11, spring 2026, 41% scored Proficient or Advanced in English and 13% in math, against 57% and 32% across California.

Source

Source: California’s state tests (CAASPP), California Department of Education, spring 2026
Students: all students tested in grade 11: 480 in English, 479 in math
Comparison: California: CDE’s grade 11 rows for the whole state combined, weighted by students tested (our calculation; 414,559 in English, 413,523 in math tested). The comparisons use the same grade and year.

AdvancedProficientBelow the standard

English

Grade 11 · spring 2026 · 480 tested

Advanced: 14%
Proficient: 27%
Below the standard: 59%

This school41%

California57%

Merced Union High42%

41% Proficient or Advanced in grade 11.

Math

Grade 11 · spring 2026 · 479 tested

Advanced: 4%
Proficient: 9%
Below the standard: 87%

This school13%

California32%

Merced Union High16%

13% Proficient or Advanced in grade 11.

New to these scores? Read CAASPP scores explained: how to read your child’s report →

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 28 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 25 points across California. The grade 11 cards above give each subject’s share.

Have results changed?

Results in both subjects were similar to 2025. English stayed at 41% and math went from 17% to 13%.

English · top two levels · grade 11

202541%444 tested

→

202641%480 tested

This school

California, same grades57% → 57%2025 → 2026 · 432,651 → 414,559 tested

Math · top two levels · grade 11

202517%444 tested

→

202613%479 tested

This school

California, same grades30% → 32%2025 → 2026 · 431,903 → 413,523 tested

Each year is a different group of students.

Ask: What extra help do students who are behind get, and how do you know it’s working?

All four levelsThe state’s test levels Advanced, Proficient, the Developing level (formerly Nearly met) and Minimal, with tested counts

Share of students tested at each level, spring 2026
Students	Advanced	Proficient	Developing level	Minimal	Tested
English, grade 11 · This school	14%	27%	29%	30%	480
English, grade 11 · California	27%	30%	21%	22%	414,559
English, grade 11 · Merced Union High	14%	28%	26%	32%	2,645
Math, grade 11 · This school	4%	9%	21%	66%	479
Math, grade 11 · California	16%	16%	20%	48%	413,523
Math, grade 11 · Merced Union High	5%	11%	22%	62%	2,643

Below the standard combines the state’s Developing and Minimal levels, its two lowest. Data source: California Department of Education, spring 2026. The state comparison combines CDE’s rows for the same grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation). The district row combines its public schools in the same grades, weighted by students tested.

Grade 11 tests are one part of the picture. Graduation, readiness and college destinations answer different questions below.

Results since 20178 tested years shown · English and math have been below California in every tested year since 2017

Chart and table: 2017–2026.

English top two levels, grade 11

This schoolCalifornia

0%50%100%20172022202641%57%

Math top two levels, grade 11

This schoolCalifornia

0%50%100%20172022202613%32%

The lines break across the COVID years, when state testing was waived or optional.

In grade 11, the share at the state’s top two levels in English went from 56% in 2017 to 41% in 2026, with 2025 and 2026 about the same. In math, it went from 18% in 2017 to 13% in 2026. Each year is a different group of students.

Each year’s results and tested counts

English · top two levels · grade 11
Year	This school	California
2017	56% 405 tested	60% 444,040 tested
2018	46% 387 tested	56% 439,134 tested
2019	48% 429 tested	57% 439,947 tested
2022	35% 443 tested	55% 427,007 tested
2023	41% 487 tested	55% 442,128 tested
2024	47% 439 tested	56% 435,296 tested
2025	41% 444 tested	57% 432,651 tested
2026	41% 480 tested	57% 414,559 tested

Math · top two levels · grade 11
Year	This school	California
2017	18% 405 tested	32% 442,457 tested
2018	19% 390 tested	31% 437,883 tested
2019	14% 429 tested	32% 438,107 tested
2022	14% 441 tested	27% 424,390 tested
2023	11% 485 tested	27% 440,912 tested
2024	12% 439 tested	28% 434,711 tested
2025	17% 444 tested	30% 431,903 tested
2026	13% 479 tested	32% 413,523 tested

What you can do

Who can act on Golden Valley’s results?

Merced Union High’s board decides Golden Valley’s plan.

The state hasn’t placed Golden Valley in a support program. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26. Source

When is the plan set, and how can you take part?

Merced Union High’s board must adopt its yearly plan (LCAP) by July 1, after at least one public hearing at an earlier meeting.

How to take part

Watch the board’s agenda: the hearing is posted at least 72 hours ahead.
Send written comments on the actions and spending the plan proposes.
Raise questions through the district’s parent advisory committee; the superintendent must answer its comments in writing.
Read the midyear report, due by February 28.
Read Merced Union High’s 2026–27 plan (LCAP, PDF)

Life at school

How many students here graduate, and where do they go next?

95% of students graduated in four years in 2024–25.

State graduation, readiness, college-going, attendance and suspension records

That compares with 89% across California. 55% were ready for college or career (state measure) in 2024–25. 37% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months.

Preparation · each measure describes a different student group

Graduated in four years

95%

Across California: 89%

2024–25 · 422 of 443 students who started 9th grade together

Ready for college or career (state measure)

55%

Across California: 52%

2024–25 · 244 of 443 students in the state’s measure

Finished the UC/CSU course list

36%

Average California high school: 56%

2024–25 · 151 of 422 graduates finished the UC/CSU course list

Destinations · class of 2023

Where students who finished high school went

37% enrolled in college within 12 months · 453 students who finished high school

University of California UC detail ↓38 · 8%
California State University CSU detail ↓27 · 6%
California community college91 · 20%
In-state private1 · <1%
Out-of-state, 4-year7 · 2%
Out-of-state, 2-year2 · 1%
Not enrolled287 · 63%

Source: CDE college-going records, class of 2023. Shares are our arithmetic: each count divided by all high-school completers (graduates and other students who finished), rounded together so they total 100. “Not enrolled” does not describe employment, military service or other routes.

What could my child study here?

AP courses the school is approved to teach

The College Board approved this school to teach 16 AP courses in 6 subjects for 2025–26.

College Board AP Course Audit Ledger · 2025–26. Authorization doesn’t show which courses run or who can take them; ask the school.

Math & Computer Science5
Sciences3
English2
History & Social Science3
World Languages & Cultures1
Arts2

Every approved AP course16 courses in 6 subjects

Math & Computer Science 5

Calculus AB
Computer Science A
Computer Science Principles
Precalculus
Statistics

Sciences 3

Biology
Chemistry
Physics 1

English 2

English Language and Composition
English Literature and Composition

History & Social Science 3

European History
U.S. Government and Politics
United States History

World Languages & Cultures 1

Spanish Language and Culture

Arts 2

2-D Art and Design
Drawing

What other courses and pathways are on record?

College courses in high school (dual enrollment)

154 students took one

2023–24

Students taking a college course for credit while in high school, often through a community college. Federal Civil Rights Data Collection, school-reported.

Ask: How does the school help students who don’t go to college plan what comes next?

Where these figures come fromEach measure’s source, student group and definition

Graduated in four years: 2024–25 · 422 of 443 students who started 9th grade together. California Department of Education, adjusted cohort graduation records. Comparison is SchoolScope’s combination of graduates and cohort counts across the reference schools, not CDE’s published state rate.
Ready for college or career (state measure): 2024–25 · 244 of 443 students in the state’s measure. California Department of Education, College/Career Indicator (CCI), overall “Prepared” rate, among the students in the indicator’s group. Prepared is CDE’s overall classification, not AP participation or a college admission rate.
Finished the UC/CSU course list: 2024–25 · 151 of 422 graduates finished the UC/CSU course list. California Department of Education, A–G completion records (graduates who met the UC/CSU course requirements). Course completion is separate from college enrollment.
Where students who finished high school went: CDE college-going records, class of 2023. College enrollment is counted for 12 months after finishing high school and matched to college records, so this runs about two years behind. A dash is unavailable, not zero.

A closer look: UC and CSU admission recordsApplied, admitted and enrolled, from each university system’s own records

UC’s own records

University of California

Fall 2025 first-year entry · counts, not a school rating

Applied: 100
Admitted: 92
Enrolled: 59

By campus · fall 2025

UC MercedApplied 91 · Admitted 87 · Enrolled 44
UC DavisApplied 52 · Admitted 23 · Enrolled under 3
UC BerkeleyApplied 42 · Admitted 6 · Enrolled 3
UCLAApplied 32 · Admitted 3 · Enrolled under 3
UC San DiegoApplied 30 · Admitted 10 · Enrolled under 3
UC IrvineApplied 29 · Admitted 10 · Enrolled 5
UC Santa CruzApplied 25 · Admitted 17 · Enrolled under 3
UC RiversideApplied 22 · Admitted 20 · Enrolled under 3
UC Santa BarbaraApplied 18 · Admitted 14 · Enrolled 3

These records don’t show the school’s effect on admission. A student can apply to several campuses, so campus counts don’t add up to the total. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees; “+” marks a partial count; a dash is unavailable. Source: UC admissions by source school.

Each fall since 2016

Fall 2025Applied 100 · Admitted 92 · Enrolled 59
Fall 2024Applied 96 · Admitted 85 · Enrolled 53
Fall 2023Applied 86 · Admitted 73 · Enrolled 41
Fall 2022Applied 80 · Admitted 66 · Enrolled 40
Fall 2021Applied 78 · Admitted 63 · Enrolled 44
Fall 2020Applied 73 · Admitted 54 · Enrolled 28
Fall 2019Applied 72 · Admitted 48 · Enrolled 29
Fall 2018Applied 67 · Admitted 46 · Enrolled 28
Fall 2017Applied 67 · Admitted 51 · Enrolled 35
Fall 2016Applied 63 · Admitted 49 · Enrolled 35

CSU’s own records

California State University

Fall 2025 first-year entry · counts, not a school rating

Applied: 95
Admitted: 92
Enrolled: 24

By campus · falls 2021–2025 added together

Five years in each number, not one. CSU publishes campus counts only as five-year totals, so these aren’t comparable to the fall 2025 figures above or to UC’s one-fall campus bars.

Fresno StateApplied 289 · Admitted 277 · Enrolled 40
Stanislaus StateApplied 264 · Admitted 261 · Enrolled 43
Sacramento StateApplied 159 · Admitted 144 · Enrolled 13
San Diego StateApplied 100 · Admitted 22 · Enrolled under 6
Cal Poly San Luis ObispoApplied 90 · Admitted 33 · Enrolled 6
Cal State Long BeachApplied 89 · Admitted 35 · Enrolled under 6
San Francisco StateApplied 81 · Admitted 72 · Enrolled under 6
Chico StateApplied 76 · Admitted 71 · Enrolled under 6
Cal State Monterey BayApplied 62 · Admitted 59 · Enrolled 8
San José StateApplied 57 · Admitted 54 · Enrolled 6
Cal State East BayApplied 36 · Admitted 22 · Enrolled —
Cal Poly PomonaApplied 34 · Admitted 20 · Enrolled under 6
CSU BakersfieldApplied 32 · Admitted 28 · Enrolled —
Cal State LAApplied 24 · Admitted 23 · Enrolled —
Cal State FullertonApplied 22 · Admitted 20 · Enrolled under 6
Cal Poly HumboldtApplied 21 · Admitted 19 · Enrolled —
Cal State NorthridgeApplied 19 · Admitted 18 · Enrolled under 6
Sonoma StateApplied 19 · Admitted 18 · Enrolled —
CSU Channel IslandsApplied 9 · Admitted 9 · Enrolled —
Cal State San BernardinoApplied 8 · Admitted 7 · Enrolled —
Cal State Dominguez HillsApplied under 6 · Admitted under 6 · Enrolled —
Cal Poly Maritime AcademyApplied under 6 · Admitted under 6 · Enrolled under 6
Cal State San MarcosApplied under 6 · Admitted under 6 · Enrolled —

These records don’t show the school’s effect on admission. A student can apply to several campuses, so campus counts don’t add up to the total. CSU withholds counts under 6; a dash is unavailable. Students who reach CSU from a community college aren’t counted here. Source: CSU High School Success dashboard.

Each fall since 2021

Fall 2025Applied 95 · Admitted 92 · Enrolled 24
Fall 2024Applied 94 · Admitted 89 · Enrolled 24
Fall 2023Applied 89 · Admitted 89 · Enrolled 29
Fall 2022Applied 93 · Admitted 89 · Enrolled 20
Fall 2021Applied 92 · Admitted 89 · Enrolled 30

How often do students miss school or get suspended?

28 in 100 students were chronically absent in 2025–26. That means they missed 10% or more of school days. 1.4% of students were suspended at least once in 2025–26, against 2.9% at the average California high school.

Context Close to the 25 in 100 at the average high school in the Merced Union High district: a pattern across the district.

Source

Source: CDE chronic absenteeism and suspension files, 2025–26
Students: chronic absence: 547 of 1,990 students counted for it; suspension: 28 of 2,033 students enrolled during the year
Comparison: Each comparison is the rate at the average school (our average of school rates), not a pooled rate. Also: suspensions at the average high school in the Merced Union High district 0.7%.

Chronically absent, 2025–26

28 in 100This school

25 in 100At the average high school in the Merced Union High district

22 in 100At the average California high school

547 of 1,990 students were chronically absent, meaning they missed 10% or more of school days.

Suspensions, 2025–26

1.4%

of students were suspended at least once (28 of 2,033). Average California high school 2.9%.

Ask: When a child starts missing school, who calls the family, and how soon?

Ask families and staff yourselfWhat to ask the people at Golden Valley

Ask current families how the school keeps them informed, and what happened when their child needed help. Ask staff how long teachers tend to stay.

Questions for your visit ↓

Have a child here? Answer 7 questions Responder en español

Teach here? Tell us Merced Union High’s email domain so staff can answer our workplace questions.

Every learner

How do kids like mine do here?

Four student groups scored below the same groups across California in English.

Student groups, grade 11, spring 2026

38% of Hispanic or Latino students scored Proficient or Advanced in English (grade 11, spring 2026), against 49% for the same group across California. Low-income and White students and students with disabilities also scored below the same groups across California; the chart gives their figures. Every group’s math results are in the table below.

Source

Source: California Department of Education, CAASPP research file, spring 2026
Students: grade 11; each row gives its tested count. Low-income is CDE’s “socioeconomically disadvantaged”.
Comparison: California: the same group in the same grades, CDE’s rows for the whole state combined and weighted by students tested (our calculation).

Golden ValleySame group, California

Asian48 tested69%Same group, California 79%
White37 tested46%Same group, California 68%
Low-income406 tested40%Same group, California 49%
Hispanic or Latino353 tested38%Same group, California 49%
English learners62 tested8%Same group, California 8%
Students with disabilities47 tested4%Same group, California 19%

Proficient or Advanced, grade 11 English, spring 2026. In math the same groups run from 6% to 25%; every value is in the table below.

Who are the students?

2025–26 · students counted

Hispanic or Latino74%
White9%
Asian9%
Black or African American5%
Two or more races2%
Not reported<1%
Filipino—
American Indian or Alaska Native—
Pacific Islander—
Unallocated share<1%

A dash means the share isn’t available; it isn’t zero. The unallocated share is what’s left after the shares we have; it isn’t a student group. “Not reported” is different: it is a category in the state’s own count of students. Source and comparisons: the full student mix below.

Are English learners moving up on the state’s English test?

23% of English learners here moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top, spring 2025 to spring 2026.

Spring 2025 to spring 2026 · English learners with state English test (ELPAC) scores in both years

This school · 50 of 217 English learners23%

Merced Union High · 472 of 1,27037%

California · 355,274 of 748,91647%

It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent. Data source: California Department of Education, 2026 Dashboard ↗.

Who are the families and teachers?

85%of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25, 1,632 of 1,917. California: 63%.

90teachers, 2024–25

12 yearsaverage experience, 2024–25

3%in their first year, 2024–25

85%of teaching positions with proper credential and placement, 2021–22

Ask: What extra help is there in English for Hispanic or Latino students and other student groups, and how does the school check that it works?

All group results, district comparisons and sources

Proficient or Advancedgrade 11 · spring 2026

Group and subject	Here	vs Merced Union High	vs California
Low-income · 406 tested in English, 404 in math
English	40%	+238%	−949%
Math	13%	013%	−1023%
Hispanic or Latino · 353 tested in English, 351 in math
English	38%	−139%	−1149%
Math	11%	−213%	−1021%
Asian · 48 tested
English	69%	+1554%	−1079%
Math	25%	+421%	−4267%
White · 37 tested
English	46%	−955%	−2268%
Math	22%	−830%	−2244%
English learners · 62 tested in English, 61 in math
English	8%	+17%	08%
Math	7%	−18%	−18%
Students with disabilities · 47 tested
English	4%	−610%	−1519%
Math	6%	06%	−28%

Each gap is to the same group, grades and subject: in Merced Union High, and across California. No group that is behind across California does 10 or more points better here.

Black or African American and homeless students and students of two or more races: fewer than 30 tested here. No published rate here for Filipino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Pacific Islander and military-family students and foster youth. That can reflect privacy rules or small numbers; it isn’t evidence of a gap. This table covers groups by income, race or ethnicity, language and disability; girls and boys aren’t split out.

Full student mix, comparisons and sources, 2025–26

Students, 2025–26	Here
Hispanic or Latino	74%
White	9%
Asian	9%
Black or African American	5%
Two or more races	2%
Not reported	<1%
Filipino	—
American Indian or Alaska Native	—
Pacific Islander	—

Data source: California Department of Education chronic-absence file, 2025–26. Shares are of the students the file counts for attendance (CDE’s “eligible enrollment”); unavailable categories are shown as a dash.

How the credential rate is counted

CDE SARC report 2024–25, measured 2021–22: 85% of teaching positions, 76.2 properly credentialed teaching-position FTE out of 89.6 total position FTE. This measures positions, not individual teachers.

Next steps

How do I get in?

Ask Merced Union High which school serves your address.

School website: gvhs.muhsd.org ↗Office: (209) 325-1800Administrator: Mike Richter

Location and visiting

Get directions

2121 East Childs Avenue, Merced 95344

Directory location · Explore nearby schools on the map. Confirm which school serves your address with Merced Union High.

Questions for your visit

How much of each day do English learners spend learning English, and how do families see their progress? 23% of English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top, spring 2025 to spring 2026 (50 of 217 students); California: 47%
What extra help do students who are behind get, and how do you know it’s working? 59% in English and 87% in math scored at the Developing or Minimal level, grade 11, spring 2026 (480 tested in English, 479 in math); California: 43% and 68%
How does the school help students who don’t go to college plan what comes next?
When a child starts missing school, who calls the family, and how soon? 28 in 100 chronically absent, 2025–26 (547 of 1,990 students); average high school in the Merced Union High district: 25 in 100
What happens before a suspension, and who talks with the family? 1.4% suspended at least once, 2025–26 (28 of 2,033 students); average high school in the Merced Union High district: 0.7%
Which courses and career pathways does the school run, and who can enroll?

Office (209) 325-18002121 East Childs Avenue, directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Nearby high schoolsClosest first, by straight-line distance

The closest high schools, by straight-line distance from this campus. Distance isn’t an attendance boundary.

Nearby high schoolsPercentile among California high schools, 2025

Independence High (Alternative)1.7 mi
2ndNeeds SupportScope Score 31
Merced High2.5 mi
26thDevelopingScope Score 48

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Explore nearby schools on the map

Source records

Every figure on this page, with its source, grades, year and count.

Score factorssource values, index and weights · 2024–25 · ranked #1,022 of 1,498 California high schools we score · #4 of 7 in Merced Union High

Score factors, 2024–25
Factor	School	Index	Weight
Graduation rate	95%	59	25%
Exceeded standardaverage of English and math	9%	43	22%
Ready for college or career (state measure)	55%	57	20%
Met or exceededaverage of English and math	29%	45	18%
Chronically absent	30 in 100	50	5%
Suspension rate	1.1% (22 of 2,072)	61	5%
English learners: top level	11%	41	5%

Index is where the school's value sits among the California high schools we score, from 0 to 100, where 50 is their average; it is not a percentile. School values are from 2024–25. Chronic absence and suspension are CDE's all-students school rates; the score uses an adjusted version of each that pulls small schools toward the average, so their index can sit nearer 50 than the rate suggests.

Scope Score by year2018–19 to 2024–25 · each year’s inputs, and the score for each year we could verify

The 2024–25 Scope Score, in the current-formula row below, uses the state’s college-or-career readiness measure, 2024–25. No verified earlier Scope Scores are available here.

Scope Score

School year	Scope Score	Percentile	Rank	Comparison group
2024–25	50	31	#1022	California high schools · 1,498 schools · current formula

2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23 and 2023–24 have records on file but no Scope Score we could verify against that year’s source files, so no score is shown for them.

School year	Chronic absence	Suspension
2018–19	12 in 100	1.2% (23 of 1,873)
2021–22	not on file	not on file
2022–23	not on file	not on file
2023–24	27 in 100	1.0% (20 of 2,082)
2024–25	30 in 100	1.1% (22 of 2,072)

Chronic absence and suspension are CDE’s all-students school rates for each year.

No 2019–20 or 2020–21 records in this SchoolScope series

Results by gradeEnglish and math · grade 11 · spring 2026 · % of tested students

What each level means: California's level descriptions.

English · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
English	Tested	Advanced	Proficient	Developing level	Minimal	Proficient or Advanced	California	Difference
Grade 11	480	14%	27%	29%	30%	41%	57%	−16

California is CDE’s statewide English row for each grade, counting every student tested there; the comparisons in the chapters combine these rows for their grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

Math · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
Math	Tested	Advanced	Proficient	Developing level	Minimal	Proficient or Advanced	California	Difference
Grade 11	479	4%	9%	21%	66%	13%	32%	−19

California is CDE’s statewide math row for each grade, counting every student tested there; the comparisons in the chapters combine these rows for their grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

A grade the school doesn't teach has no row. “Suppressed” marks a result CDE blanks because fewer than 11 students tested (CDE’s reporting rule); “none tested” marks a grade CDE lists with no students tested; “not on file” marks a result missing from the records we hold. None of them means zero.

Every tested year2017–2026 · rates, tested counts, and each grade

English and math by test year · all tested grades

Year · subject	Students with scores	Top level	Top two levels
2026 · English	480	14%	41%
2026 · Math	479	4%	13%
2025 · English	444	15%	41%
2025 · Math	444	4%	17%
2024 · English	439	14%	47%
2024 · Math	439	3%	12%
2023 · English	487	14%	41%
2023 · Math	485	3%	11%
2022 · English	443	13%	35%
2022 · Math	441	3%	14%
2019 · English	429	14%	48%
2019 · Math	429	3%	14%
2018 · English	387	12%	46%
2018 · Math	390	2%	19%
2017 · English	405	20%	56%
2017 · Math	405	4%	18%

Each year names its school year end (2026 = 2025–26). “Students with scores” counts each subject on its own, so don’t add the English and math counts together. A dash is unavailable, not zero.

Earlier years · grade and subject

Year · grade · subject	Students with scores	Met or exceeded
2025 · Grade 11 · English	444	41%
2025 · Grade 11 · Math	444	17%
2024 · Grade 11 · English	439	47%
2024 · Grade 11 · Math	439	12%
2023 · Grade 11 · English	487	41%
2023 · Grade 11 · Math	485	11%
2022 · Grade 11 · English	443	35%
2022 · Grade 11 · Math	441	14%
2019 · Grade 11 · English	429	48%
2019 · Grade 11 · Math	429	14%
2018 · Grade 11 · English	387	46%
2018 · Grade 11 · Math	390	19%
2017 · Grade 11 · English	405	56%
2017 · Grade 11 · Math	405	18%

Current 2025–26 grade results appear above. “Students with scores” counts the students tested in that grade, subject and year. A missing result is not zero, and each year’s row is a different group of children.

Science (CAST)schoolwide · spring 2026

Science (CAST)	Tested	Advanced	Proficient	Developing level	Minimal
Schoolwide	482	4%	19%	67%	10%

CAST is tested in grades 5 and 8, then once in grade 10, 11, or 12. This row is the school's all-student aggregate. Not part of the Scope Score.

Student groups: test resultsEnglish · spring 2026 · against the same group in the district and California

Group · English	Tested	Proficient or Advanced	vs district	vs California
Low-income	406	40%	+2	−9
Hispanic or Latino	353	38%	−1	−11
English learners	62	8%	+1	0

Attendance and suspensionsState records · this school and each student group · 2018–19 and 2025–26

CDE’s all-students school rates for 2024–25 and 2025–26; the change is the difference between the two rates as printed.

Year-over-year school rates
Chronic absenteeism2024–25 · 30 in 100 → 2025–26 · 28 in 100 · −2 in 100
Suspension rate2024–25 · 1.1% (22 of 2,072) → 2025–26 · 1.4% (28 of 2,033) · +0.3 percentage points

Group	2018–19	2025–26	Change
Female	13 in 100	31 in 100	+18 in 100
Male	11 in 100	24 in 100	+13 in 100
Asian	3 in 100	13 in 100	+10 in 100
Black or African American	18 in 100	45 in 100	+27 in 100
Hispanic or Latino	13 in 100	28 in 100	+15 in 100
Two or more races	6 in 100	30 in 100	+24 in 100
White	11 in 100	30 in 100	+19 in 100
Students with disabilities	21 in 100	40 in 100	+19 in 100
English learners	13 in 100	30 in 100	+17 in 100
Foster youth	30 in 100	26 in 100	−4 in 100
Homeless	13 in 100	47 in 100	+34 in 100
Military families	31 in 100	41 in 100	+10 in 100
Low-income	13 in 100	30 in 100	+17 in 100
All students	12 in 100	28 in 100	+16 in 100

Two reported school years only; no intervening-year result is implied. Source: CDE school-level chronic absenteeism by student group.

Graduation and readinessstate records · each rate for its own year and class of students

Measure	Source record
This school · CCI overall Prepared	CDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · all students in the current four-year graduation cohort, plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. Overall CCI Prepared rate 55% · numerator 244 students classified Prepared · denominator 443 CCI students.
California · CCI overall Prepared	CDE statewide CCI cohort · CCI source year 2025 · all students · overall Prepared rate 52% · numerator 257,567 students classified Prepared · denominator 497,814 CCI students.

AP pathway among CCI Prepared studentsCDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · AP pathway rate 38% · AP-pathway numerator 93 · denominator 244 (CCI Prepared students). This measure uses Prepared students as its denominator, not the whole CCI cohort; it is not an AP exam-taking rate or a count of AP courses offered. That cohort includes all students in the current four-year graduation cohort plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. In 2025 the pathway accepts two qualifying AP exams, two qualifying AP courses, or a combination of one of each in different subjects.

CDE's overall Prepared rate is the college-readiness factor in the Scope Score (20% of the high school score). The school rate is 244 of 443 CCI students, not the AP-only pathway or A–G completion rate. The California figure is CDE's statewide CCI student cohort, not an average of SchoolScope's comparable high schools or the SchoolScope school-rank pool.

Graduation rate

95%

AP route, among those ready for college or career

38%

2025 CDE CCI cohort · AP courses, exams, or both; share of students ready for college or career (CDE’s “Prepared”), not course offerings

Finished the UC/CSU course list (A–G)

36%

A–G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility

College-going rate

37%

These source periods and populations differ: graduation uses an adjusted cohort, while A–G completion and college-going use separately reported groups. The rates are shown individually, without a shared performance tier.

UC admissions, universitywidefall 2016–2025 · applied, admitted, enrolled, mean GPA · summed across CEEB codes

Year	Applied	Admitted	Enrolled	Mean GPA (applied)	Mean GPA (admitted)	Mean GPA (enrolled)
2025	100	92	59	3.84	3.88	3.93
2024	96	85	53	3.81	3.90	3.92
2023	86	73	41	3.85	3.94	3.90
2022	80	66	40	3.80	3.94	3.92
2021	78	63	44	3.77	3.91	3.94
2020	73	54	28	3.70	3.87	3.92
2019	72	48	29	3.74	3.95	3.96
2018	67	46	28	3.79	3.95	3.92
2017	67	51	35	3.69	3.88	3.89
2016	63	49	35	3.73	3.88	3.90

Source: UC admissions by source school. Dated fall first-year UC applicants, admitted students, and enrollees. GPA is each group's mean weighted, capped high-school GPA for 10th/11th-grade college-preparatory courses. SchoolScope leaves GPA unavailable when several CEEB codes contribute rather than combining their means. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees, shown here as “under 5” or “under 3”; — means unavailable, and a reported zero remains zero. A + marks a partial SchoolScope sum of observed counts, not a complete total; missing contributions may be zero. No admit rate is computed here. Complete, matching counts can support a historical descriptive rate, but do not establish a school's effect or predict individual chances. Series shown from 2016.

UC admissions by campuslatest falls on file · each campus counted separately

Campus	Year	Applied	Admitted	Enrolled
Berkeley	2025	42	6	3
Berkeley	2024	45	9	5
Berkeley	2023	29	5	under 3
Berkeley	2022	37	10	5
Berkeley	2021	43	8	3
Davis	2025	52	23	under 3
Davis	2024	44	22	under 3
Davis	2023	35	15	under 3
Davis	2022	39	18	under 3
Davis	2021	48	25	under 3
Irvine	2025	29	10	5
Irvine	2024	24	8	under 3
Irvine	2023	20	3	under 3
Irvine	2022	18	under 3	under 3
Irvine	2021	25	4	under 3
Los Angeles	2025	32	3	under 3
Los Angeles	2024	38	4	under 3
Los Angeles	2023	35	3	under 3
Los Angeles	2022	21	under 3	under 3
Los Angeles	2021	37	under 3	under 3
Merced	2025	91	87	44
Merced	2024	82	75	42
Merced	2023	66	60	35
Merced	2022	66	58	25
Merced	2021	66	58	35
Riverside	2025	22	20	under 3
Riverside	2024	10	9	under 3
Riverside	2023	8	4	under 3
Riverside	2022	15	5	under 3
Riverside	2021	11	6	under 3
San Diego	2025	30	10	under 3
San Diego	2024	31	12	under 3
San Diego	2023	24	8	under 3
San Diego	2022	25	15	under 3
San Diego	2021	22	6	under 3
Santa Barbara	2025	18	14	3
Santa Barbara	2024	22	13	under 3
Santa Barbara	2023	19	13	under 3
Santa Barbara	2022	16	13	5
Santa Barbara	2021	20	12	under 3
Santa Cruz	2025	25	17	under 3
Santa Cruz	2024	30	24	under 3
Santa Cruz	2023	36	16	under 3
Santa Cruz	2022	36	15	under 3
Santa Cruz	2021	24	16	3
Universitywide	2025	100	92	59
Universitywide	2024	96	85	53
Universitywide	2023	86	73	41
Universitywide	2022	80	66	40
Universitywide	2021	78	63	44

Source: UC admissions by source school. Dated fall first-year UC applicants, admitted students, and enrollees. Campus totals are not interchangeable with Universitywide; students can apply to several campuses. Universitywide is separately reported; never derive it by adding campus rows. Universitywide applicant and admit counts are unduplicated. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees, shown here as “under 5” or “under 3”; — means unavailable, and a reported zero remains zero. A + marks a partial SchoolScope sum of observed counts, not a complete total; missing contributions may be zero. No admit rate is computed here; these records do not establish a school's effect or predict individual chances.

AP course catalog2025–26 · College Board course authorizations

Subject	Authorization recorded for
2-D Art and Design	this school
Biology	this school
Calculus AB	this school
Chemistry	this school
Computer Science A	this school
Computer Science Principles	this school
Drawing	this school
English Language and Composition	this school
English Literature and Composition	this school
European History	this school
Physics 1	this school
Precalculus	this school
Spanish Language and Culture	this school
Statistics	this school
U.S. Government and Politics	this school
United States History	this school

Authorization ≠ a section running this year — the Ledger records what the school may teach, not seat counts.

Advanced coursework, federal snapshot2023–24 · Civil Rights Data Collection · dated historical snapshot

Measure	This school
AP offered	offered
AP course count	2
AP enrollment (male/female)	51
IB participation	not reported
Dual enrollment	offered · 154 enrolled
Algebra I in grade 8	not reported
Calculus sections	0
Physics sections	0
Chemistry sections	1
Reported male/female enrollment (CRDC)	1,955

These counts aren’t part of the Scope Score. “Not reported” means the federal record has no value for that item; it isn’t a zero. Enrollment counts add the male and female students the survey reports.

College destinationsclass of 2023 · state college-going records, 12 months after graduation

Destination	Completers	% (derived)
University of California	38	8%
California State University	27	6%
California community college	91	20%
In-state private	1	0%
Out-of-state, 4-year	7	2%
Out-of-state, 2-year	2	1%
Not enrolled	287	63%

453 students who finished high school, class of 2023 · state-reported college-going rate 37% · % column is computed by SchoolScope (count ÷ all who finished high school; CDE calls them completers), not a CDE-native rate · an unavailable or suppressed cell is marked as missing; a reported zero remains distinct · source: CDE 12-mo CGR, 2023 cohort (the newest published), National Student Clearinghouse match — a different, older vintage than the fall 2025 UC admissions rows above.

Fundingschool and district spending, from state and federal finance records · each row names its fiscal year and measure

Per-pupil spending

District · current expense$13,809 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · fall district membership: 10,977 pupils

California · selected district mean$14,491 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · SchoolScope’s unweighted mean across 818 selected California district finance records

School-level federal expenditures$1,190 per pupil

CDE ESSA · school-attributed per-pupil record · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 1,917

Central federal expenditures attributed here$399 per pupil

CDE ESSA · central expenditures attributed to this school · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 1,917

District current expense · FY 2024–25$19,638 per ADA

CDE SACS Current Expense of Education · district fiscal year ending 2025 · average daily attendance denominator

These figures are not directly comparable: school ESSA attributed spending and NCES district current expense use different measures and populations. Their fiscal years are labeled above.

How the California mean was selected

SchoolScope starts with its selected California finance records, not every NCES California district. For FY 2020–21, it calculates an unweighted mean of NCES F-33 current expense per pupil. District records contribute once, regardless of enrollment. The calculation keeps records with positive per-pupil current expense, enrollment over 100, CCD agency type 1, and a recorded district name; it excludes names ending in County Office of Education, Department of Education, or Superintendent of Schools. This is a SchoolScope calculation, not a state-published spending average.

Selected General Fund operating costs · FY 2024–⁠25 · SchoolScope calculation

Instruction 54%Instruction support 13%Student services 13%Administration 8%Buildings & maintenance 9%Other 3%

The arithmetic behind these shares · FY 2024–25
Group	Dollars	Share, to two decimals	Printed
Instruction	$109,289,770	54.35%	54%
Instruction support	$26,707,945	13.28%	13%
Student services	$25,728,723	12.80%	13%
Administration	$15,052,770	7.49%	8%
Buildings & maintenance	$18,811,999	9.36%	9%
Other	$5,476,595	2.72%	3%
Total	$201,067,802	100.00%	100%

These shares are our arithmetic: each group’s dollars divided by the $201,067,802 total of the groups shown, rounded to whole percents by largest remainder so they add up to 100. Dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, so they can differ from the total by a dollar. SchoolScope groups district-level CDE SACS UserGL actuals from Fund 01, using operating objects 1000–5999 and excluding retiree benefits, food and community services, facilities acquisition, other outgo, and nonagency goals. These shares use that filtered total; they do not exactly break down CDE's official current expense per ADA above. The school-level ESSA figure uses a separate source.

NCES F-33 district fiscal-year history, 2017–⁠2021; latest district record shown: 2021

2021$13,809 per pupil

2020$13,274 per pupil

2019$14,146 per pupil

2018$12,554 per pupil

2017$12,581 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

Staffing recordsstate teacher credential-and-placement and district salary records · each for its own year

Additional workforce records

Properly assigned intern credential holders1.7%

CDE 2024–25 SARC, Teacher Preparation and Placement table; measured school year 2021–22. Share of reported school teaching-position full-time equivalents assigned to properly assigned intern credential holders. A reported 0.0% is shown; unavailable rates are omitted. This is a position share, not a count of current teachers or of emergency permits.

Downloads, embed and methodologyCSV · embed code · sources · corrections

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Data sources: public data sources, including the California Department of Education · state tests (CAASPP) 2025–26 · Scope Score from 2024–25 results, compared across 1,498 high schools · attendance and suspensions by student group from 2018–19 and 2025–26 · district finance for the year each row names · UC fall first-year source records — UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or 3 admits or enrollees; “+” marks a partial count; the all-campus total is reported separately · AP courses the College Board approved, 2025–26 (approved to teach, not enrollment) · federal civil rights data (CRDC) 2023–24, a past snapshot · state college-going records, class of 2023, matched to National Student Clearinghouse enrollment · Data updated October 15, 2026

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Golden Valley High — Rating & test scores

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Spring 2026 state test results

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English

Math

How does math compare with English?

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English · top two levels · grade 11

Math · top two levels · grade 11

Each year’s results and tested counts

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Graduated in four years

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Finished the UC/CSU course list

Where students who finished high school went

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AP courses the school is approved to teach

Math & Computer Science 5

Sciences 3

English 2

History & Social Science 3

World Languages & Cultures 1

Arts 2

What other courses and pathways are on record?

University of California

Each fall since 2016

California State University

Each fall since 2021

How often do students miss school or get suspended?

Chronically absent, 2025–26

Suspensions, 2025–26

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