Independence High (Alternative) · Merced

Independence High (Alternative): No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Independence High (Alternative) posts 10% meeting the standard and 1.3% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

1900 G Street, 95340·Merced Union High·Merced·Grades 9-12·87 students·89% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(209) 325-1600·Website

Alternative school — serves students who benefit from a non-traditional educational setting. Scores are not directly comparable to comprehensive schools.

2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP

	Scope	% Exceeded	% Met+	Grad rate	College readiness	Absence	Suspension
This school	37	1%	10%	89.1%	50.0%	36.2%	1.0%
CA average · High School	44	16%	36%	87.6%	35.4%	30.2%	3.6%

This schoolCA avg

Scope3744

% Exceeded1%16%

% Met+10%36%

Grad rate89.1%87.6%

College readiness50.0%35.4%

Absence36.2%30.2%

Suspension1.0%3.6%

Scope Score

🌱 Building Momentum · Developing

ranked #1,459 statewide · #7 of 8 in Merced Union High

Independence High (Alternative) scores 37 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 32nd percentile of 2,160 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “10% proficient” and call it done. Independence High (Alternative) deserves a closer read. The school sits in Merced, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 32nd percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard

ELARed(Declined Significantly)MathRed(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 10% meet the standard today, versus 19% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade

Grade	2019	2022	2023	2024	2025
Grade 11	38%	30%	21%	16%	21%

Math — % met or exceeded, by grade

Grade	2019	2022	2023	2024	2025
Grade 11	0%	2%	2%	0%	0%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade

10%

State 36%

Graduate

89%

State 88%

Pass an AP exam

50%

State 35%

Of 100 students here: 10 are proficient by 11th grade → 89 graduate → 50 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate

89.1%

State 87.6%

1.5pp above state avg

Exceeded standard

1.3%

State 15.8%

14.6pp below state avg

College readiness

50.0%

State 35.4%

AP exam pass rate above state avg

Met or exceeded

10.3%

State 35.7%

25.4pp below state avg

Chronic absenteeism

36.2%

State 30.2%

6.0pp above state avg

Suspension rate

1.0%

State 3.6%

2.6pp below state avg

EL proficiency (ELPAC)

7.7%

State 18.0%

10.3pp below state avg

Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

Ask how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

All students at this school: 10% met or exceeded

All Students10%

Socioeconomically Disadvantaged8% · −3 vs school

Female6% · −4 vs school

Hispanic/Latino7% · −4 vs school

Male17% · +6 vs school

White18% · +8 vs school

6 of 12 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeism36.2% · +6.0pp vs state

Suspension rate1.0% · −2.6pp vs state

Chronic absenteeism by grade band

Grades 9–1238.0%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score

Student : teacher9:1

Teaching staff12 teachers

Avg. experience20.5 years

Fully credentialed18%

First-year teachers8%

Salary Schedule

Teacher salary schedule$69,345 – $131,810

Principal salary$0 – $183,586

Superintendent salary$301,880

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth

AP courses offered0

AP exam qualifiers1 students

CTE pathway completers1 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spending$29,315 · spent at this school

Federal share$448 per student

$448 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

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

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS

Instruction54%

Instruction support13%

Student services13%

Administration7%

Buildings & maintenance9%

Other3%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published

2020$13,809 per pupil

2019$13,274 per pupil

2018$14,146 per pupil

2017$12,554 per pupil

2016$12,581 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic70.1%

District 73.4% · CA 56.1%

White14.9%

District 11.8% · CA 19.9%

Black10.3%

District 3.6% · CA 4.8%

Other3.5%

District 3.8% · CA 9.0%

Asian1.1%

District 7.5% · CA 10.2%

Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 88.5% (25pp above CA avg)

Neighborhood — American Community Survey

Median income$71K · CA $85K

Median home value$399K · CA $659K

Bachelor's degree+27% · CA 35%

ZIP population38,303

Median age32 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

At 87 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 5% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Independence High (Alternative) a good high school?

Independence High (Alternative) has a Scope Score of 37 out of 100, placing it in the 32nd percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,459 statewide. 1.3% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 14.6 percentage points below the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Independence High (Alternative)'s CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 10.3% of students at Independence High (Alternative) met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 1.3% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 9.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 1.3% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 78 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Independence High (Alternative) rank in California?

Independence High (Alternative) ranks #1,459 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 32nd percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Independence High (Alternative)?

36.2% of students at Independence High (Alternative) are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 1.0%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Independence High (Alternative) compare to other schools in Merced?

Independence High (Alternative) scores 37/100 (32nd percentile) among California high schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 87 students. Use the schools in Merced page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Independence High (Alternative) serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Independence High (Alternative) in Merced, 15.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 38.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Independence High (Alternative) trails its district average for low-income students by 23.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (0.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (13.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 7.5 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 33 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

Nearby High Schools

3 within ~3 mi · avg 36

Merced High

Merced Union High · 1.3 mi

46Developing

Golden Valley High

Merced Union High · 1.7 mi

44Developing

Valley Merced Community

Merced County Office of Education · 1.8 mi

18Needs Support

See more on map →

Nearby Elementary Schools

3 within ~3 mi · avg 43

Allan Peterson Elementary

Merced City Elementary · 2 mi

49Developing

Luther Burbank Elementary

Merced City Elementary · 1.2 mi

40Developing

Charles Wright Elementary

Merced City Elementary · 0.7 mi

40Developing

See more on map →

All schools in Merced →

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25

Graduation rate · 25%

89.1%

↑ vs CA 87.6% · 52th pctile

Exceeded standard · 22%

1.3%

↓ vs CA 15.8% · 34th pctile

College readiness · 20%

50.0%

↑ vs CA 35.4% · 58th pctile

Met or exceeded · 18%

10.3%

↓ vs CA 35.7% · 32th pctile

Chronic absenteeism · 5%

36.2%

↓ vs CA 30.2% · 45th pctile

Suspension rate · 5%

1.0%

↑ vs CA 3.6% · 62th pctile

EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%

7.7%

↓ vs CA 18.0% · 39th pctile

02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students

ELA	Tested	EXC	MET	NEAR	NOT	MET+	+/CA
Grade 11	39	3%	18%	26%	54%	21%	−27

Math	Tested	EXC	MET	NEAR	NOT	MET+	+/CA
Grade 11	39	0%	0%	5%	95%	0%	−23

Science (CAST)	Tested	EXC	MET	NEAR	NOT
Grade 5/8/11	43	0%	5%	70%	26%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELA	Tested	MET+	vs district	vs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged	33	15.2%	−23	−23
Hispanic/Latino	23	13.0%	−25	−26

03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score

School	Dist	Scope	EXC	MET+	Growth	Susp
Independence High (Alternative) ←	—	37	1.3%	10.3%	—	1.0%
Merced High	1.3 mi	46	9.8%	28.1%	—	0.7%
Golden Valley High	1.7 mi	44	9.3%	28.9%	—	1.2%
Valley Merced Community	1.8 mi	18	0.0%	0.0%	—	2.4%
California average	—	44	15.8%	35.7%	—	3.6%

04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score

Graduation Rate

89.1%

AP Exam Prepared

50.0%

A-G Completion

3.5%

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

College-Going Rate

13.7%

Year	Scope	Pctile	Rank	Exc	Met+	Absent	Susp	Growth
2019	39	35	#1321	0.0%	18.8%	46.2%	2.7%	—
2022	40	41	#1237	5.9%	16.1%	36.9%	0.6%	—
2023	38	36	#1372	2.4%	11.9%	34.0%	1.9%	—
2024	36	33	#1432	1.2%	8.1%	35.2%	2.6%	—
2025	37	32	#1459	1.3%	10.3%	36.2%	1.0%	—

NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD

What we can't show

— Low-income students here trail the state average for their group by 23 points in ELA — worth asking how the school is closing that gap.

05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level

Group	2019	2025	Δ
Female	60.2%	31.9%	-28.3pp
Male	74.0%	44.7%	-29.3pp
Hispanic/Latino	69.1%	35.5%	-33.6pp
Students with Disabilities	68.0%	51.7%	-16.3pp
Foster Youth	90.0%	—	—
Homeless	81.8%	—	—
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged	66.1%	38.6%	-27.5pp
All Students	65.4%	38.0%	-27.4pp
Black/African American	—	47.6%	—
English Learners	—	45.0%	—

EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction

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