School district · Merced County

Merced City Elementary schools

Merced City Elementary runs schools through 8th grade. Its 13 public elementary schools run from the bottom 1% to the 53rd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). High school is run by another district; confirm the school for your address with the district.

Elementary · 13 schools

from bottom 1% to 53rd · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Allan Peterson Elementary: 53rd percentile, Solid
  • Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary: 51st percentile, Solid
  • Luther Burbank Elementary: 31st percentile, Developing
  • Charles Wright Elementary: 30th percentile, Developing
  • Margaret Sheehy Elementary: 19th percentile, Needs Support
  • John Muir Elementary: 15th percentile, Needs Support
  • Ada Givens Elementary: 14th percentile, Needs Support
  • Joe Stefani: 13th percentile, Needs Support
  • Leontine Gracey Elementary: 9th percentile, Needs Support
  • Rudolph Rivera Elementary: 8th percentile, Needs Support
  • Don Stowell Elementary: 6th percentile, Needs Support
  • Alicia Reyes Elementary: 5th percentile, Needs Support
  • John C. Fremont Elementary: bottom 1%, Needs Support
9Needs Support
2Developing
2Solid
0Strong

Middle · 4 schools

from 3rd to 35th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Herbert H. Cruickshank Middle: 35th percentile, Developing
  • Herbert Hoover Middle: 25th percentile, Developing
  • Rudolph Rivera Middle: 12th percentile, Needs Support
  • Tenaya Middle: 3rd percentile, Needs Support
2Needs Support
2Developing
0Solid
0Strong

One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level.

  • 1 school not ranked statewide

Schools around the Merced City Elementary district

18 listed public schools with mapped locations.

Open full map →

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Percentile among California schools at the same level

  • Strong75th+
  • Solid50–74th
  • Developing25–49th
  • Needs Supportbelow 25th
  • Not scored

The school lists on this page are also available without the map.

Elementary schools

Which elementary schools in the Merced City Elementary district score highest?

Allan Peterson Elementary is highest, at the 53rd percentile.

That’s higher than 53 in 100 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in the Merced City Elementary district

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Show the other 10 elementary schools
Context

The average elementary school in the Merced City Elementary district had 23 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.

1 elementary school not ranked statewide

Middle schools

Which middle schools in the Merced City Elementary district score highest?

Herbert H. Cruickshank Middle is highest, at the 35th percentile.

That’s higher than 35 in 100 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in the Merced City Elementary district

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Show the other 1 middle school
Context

The average middle school in the Merced City Elementary district had 25 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.

The district

Where does Merced City Elementary’s money go, and what does it plan?

The Merced City Elementary district spent $18,875 per student in the 2024–25 school year.

That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 62 cents of every Merced City Elementary 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

  • Instruction62%
  • Instruction support13%
  • Student services10%
  • Administration6%
  • Buildings & maintenance8%
  • Other1%

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

$189.2 million

planned in its 2026–27 plan for 22 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 80% of its $235.2 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, 168 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.

Where the money goes

Three actions take 72% of the money; their titles are below. The plan itself puts 82% of it toward staff.

Reading, math and catch-up help

3 of the plan’s 22 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.

Actions whose titles name math, catch-up help or English learners
  • Math $3.7 million
  • Catch-up help $23.9 million
  • English learners $0.2 million

Largest of these

  • Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): Tier 2 and 3 - Strategic and Intensive Interventions and Supports$23.9 million
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM)$3.7 million
  • English Learners$229,419
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 $41.7 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $42.2 million and estimates it spent $40.2 million, $2.0 million (5%) less than planned (our arithmetic).

What changed

The total is $7.3 million (4%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Expanded Learning Opportunities, which went from $25.3 million to $32.9 million.

Largest cuts

  • Technology−⁠$1.7 million
  • Safe Schools and Healthy Students−⁠$1.1 million
  • Professional Development−⁠$688,342

Largest increases

  • Expanded Learning Opportunities+⁠$7.6 million
  • Special Education+⁠$1.4 million
  • Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): Tier 2 and 3 - Strategic and Intensive Interventions and Supports+⁠$1.1 million
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
Measure2024–252025–26Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 135%34%down 1 pt
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1 and 422%21%down 1 pt
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoals 2 and 423 in 10024 in 1001 more in 100
Suspended at least onceGoals 2 and 45.9%6.7%up 0.8 pts

Goal 5 tracks 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
  • Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): Tier 1 - High Quality First Instruction · $79,632,302
  • Expanded Learning Opportunities · $32,915,425
  • Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): Tier 2 and 3 - Strategic and Intensive Interventions and Supports · $23,922,612
The full plan5 goals, 35 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 ($189.2 million).

Where does the money go?

89% to Goal 1. 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.

G1
G2

Change since the 2025–26 plan, same title

  • fell 25% or more
  • fell 10–25%
  • fell 2–10%
  • within 2%
  • grew 2–10%
  • grew 10–25%
  • grew 25% or more
  • new or renamed title
  • not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals

Every goal, in the plan’s order

Goal 1Increase the percentage of students who meet Key Performance Indicators by providing an equitable guaranteed…$168.1 million89% of action budgets

“Increase the percentage of students who meet Key Performance Indicators by providing an equitable guaranteed viable curriculum (GVC), reflective of student diversity, comprehensive assessments aligned to students' needs, and high-quality instruction to prepare students to successfully enter the next grade level, high school and/​or identifying college and career aspirations” p. 34 ↗

10 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $160.4 million (+⁠$7.7 million)

Largest funded actions

  1. Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): Tier 1 - High Quality First Instruction$79.6 millionaction 1.1 · p. 125 ↗
  2. Expanded Learning Opportunities$32.9 millionaction 1.7 · p. 125 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.5 million is state funding counted toward those services
  3. Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): Tier 2 and 3 - Strategic and Intensive Interventions and Supports$23.9 millionaction 1.2 · p. 125 ↗
  4. Special Education$18.7 millionaction 1.11 · p. 126 ↗
  5. Technology$5.7 millionaction 1.8 · p. 125 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

5 more funded actions in this goal

  • Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) · action 1.4 · p. 125 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.1 million is state funding counted toward those services$3.7 million
  • Professional Development · action 1.9 · p. 125 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.4 million is state funding counted toward those services$2.6 million
  • Teacher Resources · action 1.6 · p. 125 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $337,083 is state funding counted toward those services$0.5 million
  • English Learners · action 1.10 · p. 126 ↗$0.2 million
  • District-Wide Achievement Via Individual Determination (AVID) · action 1.5 · p. 125 ↗$0.2 million

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Expanded Learning Opportunities+⁠$7.6 million$25.3 million → $32.9 million · p. 125 ↗
  2. Technology−⁠$1.7 million$7.4 million → $5.7 million · p. 125 ↗
  3. Special Education+⁠$1.4 million$17.3 million → $18.7 million · p. 126 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): Tier 1 - High Quality First Instruction · $79.3 million → $79.6 million · p. 125 ↗+⁠$0.4 million
  • Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): Tier 2 and 3 - Strategic and Intensive Interventions and Supports · $22.8 million → $23.9 million · p. 125 ↗+⁠$1.1 million
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) · $3.6 million → $3.7 million · p. 125 ↗+⁠$0.1 million
  • Professional Development · $3.3 million → $2.6 million · p. 125 ↗−⁠$0.7 million
  • Teacher Resources · $579,017 → $467,533 · p. 125 ↗−⁠$111,484
  • English Learners · $251,252 → $229,419 · p. 126 ↗−⁠$21,833
  • District-Wide Achievement Via Individual Determination (AVID) · $511,500 → $216,792 · p. 125 ↗−⁠$294,708

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. 34 ↗.

Goal 2Provide a welcoming, safe, culturally responsive environment, where students are personally affirmed…$17.5 million9% of action budgets

“Provide a welcoming, safe, culturally responsive environment, where students are personally affirmed, explicitly taught social and emotional skills, and receive additional support to increase their engagement in learning” p. 63 ↗

4 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $18.8 million (−⁠$1.2 million)

Largest funded actions

  1. Student Wellness$10.6 millionaction 2.3 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $8.9 million is state funding counted toward those services
  2. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) - Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)$3.7 millionaction 2.1 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $3.4 million is state funding counted toward those services
  3. Safe Schools and Healthy Students$2.9 millionaction 2.2 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $916,264 is state funding counted toward those services
  4. Middle School Sports$0.3 millionaction 2.4 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Safe Schools and Healthy Students−⁠$1.1 million$4.0 million → $2.9 million · p. 126 ↗
  2. Student Wellness−⁠$0.1 million$10.7 million → $10.6 million · p. 126 ↗
  3. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) - Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)−⁠$0.1 million$3.8 million → $3.7 million · p. 126 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Middle School Sports · $293,709 → $310,283 · p. 126 ↗+⁠$16,574

How the plan measures it · 9 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 63 ↗.

Goal 3Empower families and educational partners to become full partners in the education of students to ensure all…$1.8 million1% of action budgets

“Empower families and educational partners to become full partners in the education of students to ensure all students excel academically, build character, and are productive members of our community” p. 78 ↗

3 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.4 million (+⁠$369,593)

Largest funded actions

  1. Community Outreach$1.1 millionaction 3.1 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $574,771 is state funding counted toward those services
  2. Communication$0.5 millionaction 3.2 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Family Engagement$0.2 millionaction 3.3 · p. 126 ↗

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Community Outreach+⁠$0.3 million$0.8 million → $1.1 million · p. 126 ↗
  2. Family Engagement+⁠$21,019$174,801 → $195,820 · p. 126 ↗
  3. Communication+⁠$12,582$438,014 → $450,596 · p. 126 ↗

How the plan measures it · 6 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 78 ↗.

Goal 4 · Focus GoalBy June 2026, the district will improve outcomes for Black/​African American students, Long term English…$1.8 million1% of action budgets

“By June 2026, the district will improve outcomes for Black/​African American students, Long term English Learners, Students with Disabilities, students in foster care, and students experiencing homelessness—the groups identified on the California School Dashboard as performing below standard in the past and current year. Specifically, the district will increase English Language Arts and Math proficiency rates for these students by 10 percentage points, reduce chronic absenteeism by 5 percentage points, and decrease suspension rates by 3 percentage points. Progress will be measured annually using CAASPP results, the Chronic Absenteeism indicator, and the Suspension Rate indicator on the California School Dashboard. MCSD prefers to indicate and include all underperforming student groups beyond those student groups included within the "Unduplicated Student" definition who supplemental and concentration funds are directed towards. MCSD provides supplemental services and supports for Black/​African American students, Long-Term English Learners, Students with Disabilities, students in foster care, and students experiencing homelessness. These MCSD student groups have been identified in past and present years by the state of California as achieving below standard in one or more of the following indicators: academic achievement (English Language Arts and Math), attendance, and/​or suspension rates” p. 86 ↗

4 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.4 million (+⁠$415,351)

Largest funded actions

  1. Student Mentorship$1.5 millionaction 4.4 · p. 127 ↗
  2. Student Success Coordinator$0.2 millionaction 4.2 · p. 127 ↗
  3. Advisory Committeesunder $0.1 millionaction 4.6 · p. 127 ↗
  4. Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention of Diverse Staffunder $0.1 millionaction 4.1 · p. 126 ↗

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Student Mentorship+⁠$0.4 million$1.1 million → $1.5 million · p. 127 ↗
  2. Advisory Committees+⁠$10,050$10,196 → $20,246 · p. 127 ↗
  3. Student Success Coordinator+⁠$1,916$226,586 → $228,502 · p. 127 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention of Diverse Staff · $12,682 → $12,694 · p. 126 ↗+⁠$12

How the plan measures it · 6 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 86 ↗.

Goal 5 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalBy the end of the 2026-27 school year, Community Day School (CDS) will increase the support for students…$51,697under 1% of action budgets

“By the end of the 2026-27 school year, Community Day School (CDS) will increase the support for students qualifying for the Equity Multiplier at CDS to decrease Chronic Absenteeism by 10% and decrease Suspension Rates by 2.5% per year, or by 8% over three years” p. 102 ↗

1 funded action · 2025–26 plan: $50,535 (+⁠$1,162)

Largest funded actions

  1. Social-Emotional Supports$51,697action 5.1 · p. 128 ↗

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Social-Emotional Supports+⁠$1,162$50,535 → $51,697 · p. 128 ↗

How the plan measures it · 2 measures · 2 quoted

  • CDS Suspension Rate p. 102 ↗
    Baseline
    2023-24: 11.1% Suspension Rate
    Target for year 3
    5% Suspension Rate
  • CDS Chronic Absenteeism Range p. 103 ↗
    Baseline
    2023-24: 47% Chronic Absenteeism Rate
    Target for year 3
    25% Chronic Absenteeism Rate

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, 11,108 students
1. Hispanic or Latino: 70%2. White: 11%3. Asian: 9%4. Black or African American: 5%5. Two or more races: 3%6. Not reported: 2%7. Filipino: <1%8. American Indian or Alaska Native: <1%9. Pacific Islander: <1%Student mix2024–25
  1. Hispanic or Latino70%
  2. White11%
  3. Asian9%
  4. Black or African American5%
  5. Two or more races3%
  6. Not reported2%
  7. Filipino<1%
  8. American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
  9. Pacific Islander<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.

Free or reduced-price meals

80%

Across California, 63% of students qualify.

2024–25 · 8,918 of 11,108 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?

The state is giving Merced City Elementary extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.

How English learners moved up on the state’s English test

From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 47% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (660 of 1,418 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.

7 schools getting state support, 2025–26

2 in extra targeted support · 5 in targeted support

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.

Sources: District help (CDE) ↗ · English learner progress (CDE) ↗ · School support (CDE) ↗. State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard.

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Cities in the district

More places (4)

Districts nearby

Common questions

Which public schools in the Merced City Elementary district rank highest?

Elementary: Allan Peterson Elementary, 53rd percentile (Solid). Middle: Herbert H. Cruickshank Middle, 35th 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 Merced City Elementary 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 (5)

Are the public schools in the Merced City Elementary district good?

Merced City Elementary’s 13 public elementary schools run from the bottom 1% to the 53rd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 2 Solid, 2 Developing and 9 Needs Support. Merced City Elementary’s 4 public middle schools run from the 3rd to the 35th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 2 Developing and 2 Needs Support. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.

How does chronic absence in the Merced City Elementary district compare with California?

The average elementary school in the Merced City Elementary district had 23 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in the Merced City Elementary district had 25 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.

How much does the Merced City Elementary district spend per student?

The Merced City Elementary district spent $18,875 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 62 cents of every Merced City Elementary 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 the Merced City Elementary district’s 2026–27 spending plan?

The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $189.2 million into 22 funded actions in 5 goals, 80% of its $235.2 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $168.1 million, 89% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.

Where do these results come from?

California’s state tests (CAASPP) from spring 2026 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 the Merced City Elementary district, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26

Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.