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Merced City Elementary: Merced City Elementary schools score 11.1 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 3.4 points.

Below Average2024–25 data13 schools · avg 33.7/100

Merced City Elementary has 13 ranked schools across elementary levels with an average Scope Score of 33.7/100 — 11.1 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Allan Peterson Elementary at 49/100, where 20.9% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,083 per student (below the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 22.2%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
33.7
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
24.6
24.4 – 49.0
Avg Exceeded %
10.6%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
22.2%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
13
With Scope Scores

Merced City Elementary's elementary schools average 33.7/100 — 11.1 points below the state average with a −3.4pp declining trajectory.

District Analysis

Merced City Elementary has 13 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 33.7/100 — 11.1 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

District-wide elementary growth averages -3.4pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 24.6 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 22.2%, 4.3pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 4.5%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Allan Peterson Elementary leads the district at 49 with 20.9% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Merced City Elementary

5 On the Rise8 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 5 schools in Merced City Elementary are classified as On the Rise (5) — 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

Student demographics

Hispanic
69.9%
White
10.8%
Asian
7.8%
Black
5.3%
Other
6.3%
Free/Reduced Lunch
82%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Merced City Elementary spends $13,083 per student in current expenditures — $1,732 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$13,083
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
10,800
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 15.9%
$11,284 → $13,083
Spending Efficiency
2.58
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 61%Support 33%Other 6%
NCES F-33 Finance · District-level data — not school-specific

Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020

Teacher compensation

Salary Range
$68,682–$137,063
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
536
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Merced City Elementary

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (13)

Merced City Elementary has 13 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 33.7 — 11.1 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -3.4pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Allan Peterson Elementary with a Scope Score of 49 and 20.9% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Allan Peterson Elementary
Merced City Elementary On the Rise
20.9%Developing
49/100
2Luther Burbank Elementary
Merced City Elementary On the Rise
17.1%Developing
40/100
3Charles Wright Elementary
Merced City Elementary Building Momentum
12.2%Developing
40/100
4John Muir Elementary
Merced City Elementary On the Rise
6.2%Developing
37/100
5Joe Stefani
Merced City Elementary On the Rise
11.3%Developing
37/100
6Ada Givens Elementary
Merced City Elementary Building Momentum
10.4%Developing
34/100
7Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary
Merced City Elementary Building Momentum
16.9%Developing
34/100
8John C. Fremont Elementary
Merced City Elementary Building Momentum
13.1%Developing
33/100
9Leontine Gracey Elementary
Merced City Elementary On the Rise
4.3%Needs Support
28/100
10Don Stowell Elementary
Merced City Elementary Building Momentum
6.0%Needs Support
28/100
11Rudolph Rivera Elementary
Merced City Elementary Building Momentum
8.0%Needs Support
28/100
12Margaret Sheehy Elementary
Merced City Elementary Building Momentum
7.8%Needs Support
25/100
13Alicia Reyes Elementary
Merced City Elementary Building Momentum
3.6%Needs Support
24/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 13 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools

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.

What Scope Scores can't tell you about Merced City Elementary

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 resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Is Merced City Elementary a good school district?
Merced City Elementary has 13 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 33.7/100, which is 11.1 points below the state average. 10.6% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across seven dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in Merced City Elementary?
The highest-scoring school in Merced City Elementary is Allan Peterson Elementary with a Scope Score of 49/100 and 20.9% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Merced City Elementary spend per student?
Merced City Elementary spends $13,083 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,815. Spending data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data Fiscal Survey (F-33). Higher spending does not automatically mean better outcomes — the Scope Score measures what happens in the classroom regardless of budget.
What is the teacher salary range in Merced City Elementary?
Teacher salaries in Merced City Elementary range from $68,682–$137,063 based on the district's salary schedule (CDE Form J-90). The California statewide median teacher salary is approximately $98,000.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Full methodology and weights.