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McFarland High School Early College · McFarland

McFarland High School Early College: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

McFarland High School Early College posts 47% meeting the standard against 36% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

259 West Sherwood Avenue, 93250 (opens in new tab)·McFarland Unified·McFarland·Grades 9-12·1,027 students·82% low-income·Magnet·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 792-3126
Magnet program — specialized public school with themed curriculum. Enrollment via district lottery, not neighborhood-based.
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5044
% Exceeded20%16%
% Met+47%36%
Grad rate98.6%87.6%
College readiness13.7%35.4%
Absence10.8%30.2%
Suspension2.0%3.6%
Scope Score
50
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #774 statewide

McFarland High School Early College scores 50 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 64th 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 “47% proficient” and call it done. McFarland High School Early College deserves a closer read. The school sits in McFarland, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

McFarland High School Early College's low-income kids hit 65.2% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Climbed from the 40th to the 64th percentile since 2019 — past roughly 500 high schools.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 47% of students meet the standard today, above the 25% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1132%54%54%55%66%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1118%11%23%18%28%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
47%
State 36%
Graduate
99%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
14%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 47 are proficient by 11th grade → 99 graduate → 14 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

65.2%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

McFarland High School Early College's most underrated number

65.2% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.

McFarland High School Early College low-income: 65.2%State low-income: 38.2%McFarland High School Early College EL: 18.4%State EL: 10.4%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
98.6%
State 87.6%
11.0pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
20.0%
State 15.8%
4.1pp above state avg
College readiness
13.7%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
47.1%
State 35.7%
11.4pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
10.8%
State 30.2%
19.4pp below state avg
Suspension rate
2.0%
State 3.6%
1.6pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
26.7%
State 18.0%
8.7pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • Ask what share of students complete the full college-prep course sequence, and who gets steered into 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

At McFarland High School Early College in McFarland, 65.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. McFarland High School Early College outperforms its district average for low-income students by 30.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (26.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (66.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 48.0 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 244 students tested.

All students at this school: 47% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 47%, district —, state 36%47%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 47%, district 31%, state 32%47% · +0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 46%, district 29%, state 32%46% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 48%, district 32%, state 44%48% · +1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 46%, district 30%, state 42%46% · −1 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 11%, district 11%, state 11%11% · −37 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 19%, district 6%, state 15%19% · −28 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 39%, district 21%, state 22%39% · −8 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: too few students to report‹11
WhiteWhite: too few students to report‹11
this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 10.8%, district 16.7%, state 30.2%10.8% · −19.4pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.0%, district —, state 3.6%2.0% · −1.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–129.6%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path
▼
High School
McFarland High School Early Co…Magnet
50/100
This school

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 23:1, district 24:123:1
Teaching staff47 teachers
Avg. experience7.2 years
Fully credentialed66%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$58,356 – $109,333
Principal salary$142,202 – $156,964
Superintendent salary$211,100

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered6
AP exam qualifiers20 students
CTE pathway completers41 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $20,571, CA average $14,815$20,571 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,042 per student

$1,042 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$20,151 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
Instruction58%
Instruction support8%
Student services15%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other2%

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$13,117 per pupil
2019$12,795 per pupil
2018$13,102 per pupil
2017$11,191 per pupil
2016$11,064 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic98.0%
District 97.9% · CA 56.1%
White0.6%
District 0.5% · CA 19.9%
Black0.6%
District 0.4% · CA 4.8%
Other0.5%
District 0.6% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.3%
District 0.5% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 82.2% (18pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$54K · CA $85K
Median home value$273K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+6% · CA 35%
ZIP population15,599
Median age27 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 22% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is McFarland High School Early College a good high school?

McFarland High School Early College has a Scope Score of 50 out of 100, placing it in the 64th percentile of California high schools and ranked #774 statewide. 20.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 4.1 percentage points above 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 McFarland High School Early College's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 47.1% of students at McFarland High School Early College met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 20.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 27.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 20.0% 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. 537 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does McFarland High School Early College rank in California?

McFarland High School Early College ranks #774 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 64th 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 McFarland High School Early College?

10.8% of students at McFarland High School Early College are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 2.0%, 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 McFarland High School Early College compare to other schools in McFarland?

McFarland High School Early College scores 50/100 (64th 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 1,027 students. Use the schools in McFarland page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does McFarland High School Early College serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At McFarland High School Early College in McFarland, 65.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. McFarland High School Early College outperforms its district average for low-income students by 30.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (26.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (66.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 48.0 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 244 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

All schools in McFarland →

Private alternatives nearby

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

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%
98.6%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 63th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
20.0%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 54th pctile
College readiness · 20%
13.7%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 37th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
47.1%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 58th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
10.8%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 66th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.0%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 57th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
26.7%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 67th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1126834%32%22%12%66%+19
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 112696%22%31%41%28%+5
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/112682%20%74%4%

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

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged24465.2%+30+27
Hispanic/Latino26566.4%+30+28
English Learners3818.4%+7+8
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
McFarland High School Early College ←—5020.0%47.1%—2.0%
San Joaquin High (Continuation)0.5 mi115.9%11.8%—7.2%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
98.6%
AP Exam Prepared
13.7%
A-G Completion
51.8%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
54.1%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194240#12288.8%24.7%14.9%6.0%—
20224246#112810.2%32.6%29.8%4.0%—
20234452#104014.6%38.5%26.6%5.7%—
20244554#98514.8%36.8%14.3%3.3%—
20255064#77420.0%47.1%10.8%2.0%—
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female14.8%13.1%-1.7pp
Male13.3%6.2%-7.1pp
Hispanic/Latino13.6%9.7%-3.9pp
Students with Disabilities29.5%12.3%-17.2pp
English Learners17.7%10.2%-7.5pp
Homeless15.2%18.6%+3.4pp
Military-Connected4.8%7.9%+3.1pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged14.5%10.2%-4.3pp
All Students14.1%9.6%-4.5pp
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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