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Merced Union High: Merced Union High averages 40.5/100 — 4.3 points below the state average.

Near Average2024–25 data8 schools · avg 40.5/100

Merced Union High has 8 ranked schools across high levels with an average Scope Score of 40.5/100 — 4.3 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is El Capitan High at 48/100, where 11.9% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,809 per student (below the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 32.9%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
40.5
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
30.9
17.4 – 48.2
Avg Exceeded %
7.7%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
32.9%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
8
With Scope Scores

Merced Union High's high schools average 40.5/100 — 3.2 points below the state average.

District Analysis

Merced Union High has 8 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 40.5/100 — 4.3 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Score range of 30.9 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 32.9%, 15.0pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 1.1%, near the state average of 1.6%.

El Capitan High leads the district at 48 with 11.9% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

Student demographics

Hispanic
73.8%
White
11.8%
Asian
6.5%
Black
4.4%
Other
3.5%
Free/Reduced Lunch
82%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Merced Union High spends $13,809 per student in current expenditures — $1,006 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$13,809
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
10,977
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 9.8%
$12,581 → $13,809
Spending Efficiency
2.93
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 58%Support 40%Other 2%
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
$69,345–$131,810
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
576
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Merced Union High

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

High Schools (8)

Merced Union High has 8 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.5 — 3.2 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is El Capitan High with a Scope Score of 48 and 11.9% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1El Capitan High
Merced Union High Building Momentum
11.9%Developing
48/100
2Buhach Colony High
Merced Union High Building Momentum
12.7%Developing
47/100
3Merced High
Merced Union High Building Momentum
9.8%Developing
46/100
4Atwater High
Merced Union High Building Momentum
9.8%Developing
44/100
5Golden Valley High
Merced Union High Building Momentum
9.3%Developing
44/100
6Livingston High
Merced Union High Building Momentum
5.8%Developing
40/100
7Independence High (Alternative)
Merced Union High Building Momentum
1.3%Developing
37/100
8Yosemite High (Continuation)
Merced Union High Building Momentum
0.8%Needs Support
17/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 8 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 Union High

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 Union High a good school district?
Merced Union High has 8 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.5/100, which is 4.3 points below the state average. 7.7% 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 Union High?
The highest-scoring school in Merced Union High is El Capitan High with a Scope Score of 48/100 and 11.9% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Merced Union High spend per student?
Merced Union High spends $13,809 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 Union High?
Teacher salaries in Merced Union High range from $69,345–$131,810 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.