Mendota Unified has two ranked public elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Mendota Elementary is at the 72nd percentile, McCabe Elementary the 9th, Mendota Junior High the 40th and Mendota High the 49th, each among the California schools we score at its level (spring 2026 tests; high schools, spring 2025).
Mendota Community Day: community day school: students are placed here by probation, district or voluntary referral, including after an expulsion, so we don’t rank it.
Mendota Community DayCommunity day school: students are placed here by probation, district or voluntary referral, including after an expulsion, so we don’t rank it
The district
Where does Mendota Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Mendota Unified spent $19,298 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 64 cents of every Mendota Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction64%
Instruction support11%
Student services8%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance11%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$72.2 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 41 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 76% of its $94.6 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 161 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 50% of the money. The plan itself puts 58% of it toward staff.
Certificated Staff $22.4 million
Facility Improvements $7.9 million
Clean and Well Maintained Facilities $5.6 million
38 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
4 of the plan’s 41 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name catch-up help or English learners
Catch-up help $4.0 million
English learners $1.2 million
An action naming two of these appears under both.
Largest of these
Learning Interventions and Supports$3.2 million
English Learner & LTEL Program Interventions and Supports$750,000
Professional Development (English Learner & LTEL PD)$353,978
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $27.4 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $28.0 million and estimates it spent $20.7 million, $7.3 million (26%) less than planned (our arithmetic).
$20.7 million spent (estimated)$28.0 million planned
Ask: Why did estimated spending on these services come in $7.3 million under the 2025–26 plan, and where does that money go in 2026–27?
What changed
The total is $525,612 (1%) lower than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Facility Improvements, which went from $8.4 million to $7.9 million.
Largest cuts
Facility Improvements−$576,651
Clean and Well Maintained Facilities−$398,135
Largest increases
Administration+$408,263
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1
37%
38%
up 1 pt
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1
25%
29%
up 4 pts
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2
12 in 100
11 in 100
1 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 2
5.7%
5.6%
down 0.1 pts
Goals 4 and 5 track named schools and Goal 3 tracks other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Certificated Staff · $22,443,285
Facility Improvements · $7,859,931
Clean and Well Maintained Facilities · $5,550,914
The full plan5 goals, 30 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($72.2 million).
Where does the money go?
48% to Goal 3. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
small actions drawn together
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Increase student achievement for all students including English Learners, long-term English learners…$18.0 million25% of action budgets
“Increase student achievement for all students including English Learners, long-term English learners, homeless students, foster youth, low-income students, and students with disabilities” p. 19 ↗
12 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $18.1 million (−$66,902)
Largest funded actions
Technology In & Out of the Classroom$4.3 millionaction 1.6 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Maintain IDEA Compliance$4.0 millionaction 1.3 · p. 118 ↗
Learning Interventions and Supports$3.2 millionaction 1.5 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.5 million is state funding counted toward those services
Class Size Reduction$1.5 millionaction 1.10 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Paraprofessionals$1.1 millionaction 1.7 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
7 more funded actions in this goal
Standards Aligned Curriculum · action 1.1 · p. 118 ↗$0.9 million
Guidance Instructional Specialist · action 1.8 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.9 million
English Learner & LTEL Program Interventions and Supports · action 1.12 · p. 119 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.8 million
Academic Counselors · action 1.4 · p. 118 ↗$0.6 million
Progress Monitoring Via Technology · action 1.2 · p. 118 ↗$0.4 million
Curricular Oversight · action 1.11 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Newcomer Orientation · action 1.9 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Learning Interventions and Supports−$0.1 million$3.3 million → $3.2 million · p. 118 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Technology In & Out of the Classroom · $4.3 million → $4.3 million · p. 118 ↗unchanged
Maintain IDEA Compliance · $4.0 million → $4.0 million · p. 118 ↗unchanged
Class Size Reduction · $1.5 million → $1.5 million · p. 118 ↗unchanged
Paraprofessionals · $1.1 million → $1.1 million · p. 118 ↗unchanged
Attendance · $242,676 → $242,676 · p. 119 ↗unchanged
Engagement Opportunities · $148,500 → $148,500 · p. 120 ↗unchanged
Information Technology · $124,740 → $124,740 · p. 119 ↗unchanged
Communication & Outreach · $42,022 → $42,022 · p. 119 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 12 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 44 ↗.
Goal 3Develop and grow a professional learning culture to assist our student in becoming leaders, scholars, and champions$34.5 million48% of action budgets
7 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $34.4 million (+$34,832) · p. 62 ↗
Largest funded actions
Certificated Staff$22.4 millionaction 3.2 · p. 120 ↗
Clean and Well Maintained Facilities$5.6 millionaction 3.4 · p. 120 ↗
Instructional Support$0.7 millionaction 3.6 · p. 120 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
2 more funded actions in this goal
Professional Development (English Learner & LTEL PD) · action 3.5 · p. 120 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.4 million
Rural Residency Program · action 3.7 · p. 120 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Administration+$0.4 million$3.4 million → $3.8 million · p. 120 ↗
Clean and Well Maintained Facilities−$0.4 million$5.9 million → $5.6 million · p. 120 ↗
Certificated Staff+$24,704$22.4 million → $22.4 million · p. 120 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Support Staff · $1.6 million → $1.6 million · p. 120 ↗unchanged
Instructional Support · $704,916 → $704,916 · p. 120 ↗unchanged
Professional Development (English Learner & LTEL PD) · $353,978 → $353,978 · p. 120 ↗unchanged
Rural Residency Program · $10,000 → $10,000 · p. 120 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 2 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 62 ↗.
Goal 4 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalWashington Elementary will increase student engagement opportunities during the school day to decrease the…$520,4351% of action budgets
“Washington Elementary will increase student engagement opportunities during the school day to decrease the amount of students who "drop" for winter break by 5% each year for the next 3 years and decrease the chronic absenteeism rate by 0.3% annually for all students including the low- income students, homeless students and English Learners” p. 69 ↗
Supplemental Materials and Supplies and Outside Learning Environment+$67,227$42,622 → $109,849 · p. 120 ↗
Parent Training+$25,000$50,000 → $75,000 · p. 120 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
STEM Labs · $335,586 → $335,586 · p. 120 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 2 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 69 ↗.
Goal 5 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalMendota Continuation School and Mendota Community Day School will decrease their respective suspension rate…$103,394under 1% of action budgets
“Mendota Continuation School and Mendota Community Day School will decrease their respective suspension rate by 2% for the next three (3) years. In addition for Mendota Continuation, the following three groups will be focused groups and the goal will be to also decrease their respective rate by 2% for the next three years. The three groups are Hispanics, Socially Economically Disadvantaged students, and the English Learners” p. 74 ↗
6 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Counseling & Mentoring$35,535action 5.4 · p. 121 ↗
Counseling & Mentoring$23,577action 5.1 · p. 121 ↗
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 3,977 students
1Hispanic or Latino99%
2White<1%
3Asian<1%
4Not reported<1%
5Two or more races<1%
6Black or African American<1%
7Filipino0%
8American Indian or Alaska Native0%
9Pacific Islander0%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
98%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 3,477 of 3,554 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
Mendota Unified isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 53% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (889 of 1,673 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.
Which public schools in Mendota Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Mendota Elementary, 72nd percentile (Solid). Middle: Mendota Junior High, 40th percentile (Developing). High: Mendota High, 49th percentile (Developing). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Mendota Unified district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (4)
Are the public schools in Mendota Unified good?
Mendota Unified’s 2 public elementary schools run from the 9th to the 72nd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Solid and 1 Needs Support. Mendota Unified has one public middle school we score, Mendota Junior High, at the 40th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Developing. Mendota Unified has one public high school we score, Mendota High, at the 49th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 Developing. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How much does Mendota Unified spend per student?
Mendota Unified spent $19,298 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 64 cents of every Mendota Unified dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in Mendota Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $72.2 million into 41 funded actions in 5 goals, 76% of its $94.6 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $34.5 million, 48% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Mendota Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.