Elementary Schools in Merced, California: 18 schools. Average score 11.8 points below the state. Here is what that number does — and doesn't — tell you.
Merced, California has 18 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 27.1/100 — 11.8 points below the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is Allan Peterson Elementary at 42/100, where 20.9% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Merced schools average 11.0% exceeded standard (state: 21.4%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. Chronic absenteeism averages 20.3% (above the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
Start with your child’s school level
The overview describes elementary schools. The lists below separate elementary, middle and high schools, so each school’s standing stays within its own comparison group. Open a profile to see the underlying results, student support and questions to ask on a visit.
Every school in Merced
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (18)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allan Peterson Elementary Merced City Elementary | 20.9% | 65th percentile · SolidScope Score 42/100 |
| 2 | McSwain Elementary McSwain Union Elementary | 19.3% | 53rd percentile · SolidScope Score 37/100 |
| 3 | Luther Burbank Elementary Merced City Elementary | 17.1% | 45th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 34/100 |
| 4 | Pioneer Elementary Weaver Union | 13.8% | 41st percentile · DevelopingScope Score 32/100 |
| 5 | Charles Wright Elementary Merced City Elementary | 12.2% | 39th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 32/100 |
| 6 | Plainsburg Union Elementary Plainsburg Union Elementary | 11.0% | 37th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 31/100 |
| 7 | Joe Stefani Merced City Elementary | 11.3% | 35th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 30/100 |
| 8 | John Muir Elementary Merced City Elementary | 6.2% | 30th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 28/100 |
| 9 | Ada Givens Elementary Merced City Elementary | 10.4% | 27th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 27/100 |
| 10 | Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary Merced City Elementary | 16.9% | 27th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 27/100 |
| 11 | Farmdale Elementary Weaver Union | 16.9% | 27th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 27/100 |
| 12 | John C. Fremont Elementary Merced City Elementary | 13.1% | 26th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 27/100 |
| 13 | Leontine Gracey Elementary Merced City Elementary | 4.3% | 12th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 21/100 |
| 14 | Don Stowell Elementary Merced City Elementary | 6.0% | 11th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 20/100 |
| 15 | Rudolph Rivera Elementary Merced City Elementary | 8.0% | 10th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 20/100 |
| 16 | Margaret Sheehy Elementary Merced City Elementary | 7.8% | 8th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 19/100 |
| 17 | Alicia Reyes Elementary Merced City Elementary | 3.6% | 6th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 17/100 |
| 18 | Merced Scholars Charter Merced County Office of Education | 0.0% | 4th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 15/100 |
Middle Schools (2)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weaver Middle Weaver Union | 10.6% | 28th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 27/100 |
| Merced County Special Education Merced County Office of Education special education center | 0.0% | Not ranked |
High Schools (6)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Capitan High Merced Union High | 11.9% | 48th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 52/100 |
| 2 | Merced High Merced Union High | 9.8% | 42nd percentile · DevelopingScope Score 50/100 |
| 3 | Golden Valley High Merced Union High | 9.3% | 30th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 47/100 |
| 4 | Independence High (Alternative) Merced Union High | 1.3% | 13th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 40/100 |
| 5 | Yosemite High (Continuation) Merced Union High continuation high school | 0.8% | 22nd percentile · Needs SupportWithin its own school classScope Score 18/100 |
| Valley Merced Community Merced County Office of Education court and community school | 0.0% | Not ranked |
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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.
Elementary school archetypes in Merced
Hidden gems: 4 schools in Merced are classified as On the Rise (4) — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Private Schools in Merced
Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.
Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology