Merced · Merced County
Schools in Merced
Merced’s 18 public elementary schools run from the 4th to the 64th percentile among the 5,721 California elementary schools we score (spring 2025 tests).
Merced’s 18 public elementary schools · 1 dot each
California’s public elementary schools · 1 dot = 1 in 100
Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100
Merced’s 18 public elementary schools · 1 dot each
California’s public elementary schools · 1 dot = 1 in 100
Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100
6Needs Support
10Developing
2Solid
0Strong
Highest in Merced
Statewide percentile- Allan Peterson ElementaryGrowth Engine64thSolid
- McSwain Elementary53rdSolid
- Luther Burbank Elementary44thDeveloping
Context
The average Merced elementary school had 20 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2024–25; the average California elementary school had 18 in 100.
Show the other 15 elementary schools
- Pioneer Elementary40thDeveloping
- Charles Wright ElementaryGrowth Engine39thDeveloping
- Plainsburg Union Elementary37thDeveloping
- Joe StefaniGrowth Engine35thDeveloping
- John Muir ElementaryGrowth Engine29thDeveloping
- Ada Givens Elementary27thDeveloping
- Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary27thDeveloping
- Farmdale Elementary26thDeveloping
- John C. Fremont Elementary26thDeveloping
- Leontine Gracey Elementary11thNeeds Support
- Don Stowell Elementary11thNeeds Support
- Rudolph Rivera Elementary10thNeeds Support
- Margaret Sheehy Elementary7thNeeds Support
- Alicia Reyes Elementary5thNeeds Support
- Merced Scholars CharterCharter school. Check how it admits students.4thNeeds Support
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Merced’s 4 public middle schools run from the 22nd to the 49th percentile among the 2,177 California middle schools we score (spring 2025 tests).
Merced’s 4 public middle schools · 1 dot each
California’s public middle schools · 1 dot = 1 in 100
Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100
Merced’s 4 public middle schools · 1 dot each
California’s public middle schools · 1 dot = 1 in 100
Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100
1Needs Support
3Developing
0Solid
0Strong
Highest in Merced
Statewide percentile- McSwain Elementary49thDeveloping
- Plainsburg Union Elementary39thDeveloping
- Weaver Middle28thDeveloping
Context
The average Merced middle school had 15 in 100 students chronically absent in 2024–25; the average California middle school had 18 in 100.
The other 1 middle school
- Merced Scholars CharterCharter school. Check how it admits students.22ndNeeds Support
Also in Merced, not ranked with these schools
- Merced County Special EducationSpecial education center: students enroll by referral or placement, so we don’t rank it
Merced’s 5 public high schools run from the 2nd to the 46th percentile among the 1,500 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).
Merced’s 5 public high schools · 1 dot each
California’s public high schools · 1 dot = 1 in 100
Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100
Merced’s 5 public high schools · 1 dot each
California’s public high schools · 1 dot = 1 in 100
Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100
1Needs Support
4Developing
0Solid
0Strong
Highest in Merced
Statewide percentile- El Capitan High46thDeveloping
- Golden Valley High31stDeveloping
- Merced High27thDeveloping
Context
The average Merced high school had 27 in 100 students chronically absent in 2024–25; the average California high school had 23 in 100.
The other 2 high schools
- Merced Scholars CharterCharter school. Check how it admits students.25thDeveloping
- Independence High (Alternative)2ndNeeds Support
Also in Merced, not ranked with these schools
- Yosemite High (Continuation)Continuation high school: compared only with other continuation schools
- Valley Merced CommunityCourt and community school: students enroll by referral or placement, so we don’t rank it
3 private schools in Merced aren’t shown: they don’t take the state tests, so we don’t score them.
See them
- Stone Ridge Christian ElementaryPrivate · Christian (no specific denomination) · grades Pre-K-12 · 520 students
- Stone Ridge Christian SchoolPrivate · Christian (no specific denomination) · grades Pre-K-12 · 448 students
- St. Paul SchoolPrivate · Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod · grades Pre-K-6 · 108 students
More places to look
School districts
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Before kindergarten
A district outline or ZIP code doesn’t decide which school a child attends. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district. See these schools on the map ›
Questions parents ask
Are the public schools in Merced good?
Merced’s 18 public elementary schools run from the 4th to the 64th percentile among the 5,721 California elementary schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 2 Solid, 10 Developing and 6 Needs Support. Merced’s 4 public middle schools run from the 22nd to the 49th percentile among the 2,177 California middle schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 3 Developing and 1 Needs Support. Merced’s 5 public high schools run from the 2nd to the 46th percentile among the 1,500 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 4 Developing and 1 Needs Support. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score; it isn’t a grade. How we score schools.
Which public schools in Merced rank highest?
Elementary: Allan Peterson Elementary, 64th percentile statewide (Solid). Middle: McSwain Elementary, 49th percentile statewide (Developing). High: El Capitan High, 46th percentile statewide (Developing). Each level is ranked separately, and a few percentiles apart is a tie. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
How does chronic absence in Merced compare with California?
The average Merced elementary school had 20 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2024–25; the average California elementary school had 18 in 100. The average Merced middle school had 15 in 100 students chronically absent in 2024–25; the average California middle school had 18 in 100. The average Merced high school had 27 in 100 students chronically absent in 2024–25; the average California high school had 23 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
Does living in Merced decide which school my child attends?
No. A city can hold schools from more than one district, and attendance boundaries decide which school serves an address. Confirm the school for your address with the district.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP) from spring 2025 and chronic-absence rates for 2024–25, both published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations, not official state ratings. Private schools don’t take the state tests, so we don’t score them. Methodology and limitations.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
Download these schools (CSV) · free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution · How we score schools