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C+

Ceres Unified School District

Public school districtGrades K–12

Serves Ceres, and parts of Modesto.

Ceres’ School Grade C+ better than 43% of California school districts

Students
13,665
Schools
23
Spent per student
$19,511
CA $21,206
Students per teacher
23:1
Free or reduced lunch
85%
Debt
$101.1M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Ceres Unified School District

  • Its letter, C+: results better than 41% of California districts
  • Math proficiency 16 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 13 pts below the state
  • Spends 8% less per student than the CA average
  • 23 students per teacher
  • Debt of $101.1M, about $7,396 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C+: better than 41% of the 1,872 California school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well below the state, 2021–22
C
GraduationFour-year graduation above the state, class of 2023
B−
The town it serves, and its School Grade

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Ceres. Grade by grade →

K–610 schoolsThis district
7–83 middle schoolsThis district
9–12Ceres HighThis district

Test scores vs. CA

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency17%
State average 33.1% · 7,332 students tested
Reading / language arts34%
State average 46.7% · 7,345 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)91%
State average 86.2% · 1,114 in the class

97% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$19,511 per student · 8% below CA
Spending
Classroom instruction 59%Support & administration 38%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 15%State 76%Federal 10%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
14,226’20
14,137’21
13,867’22
13,844’23
13,665’24

Down 3.9% since 2020–21.

Students
Hispanic 81%White 10%Asian 6%Black 1%Two or more races <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%

Schools in the district

23 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with California’s other public schools.

Lucas Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Ceres
668 students27:1
Caswell Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Ceres
653 students26:1
Virginia Parks Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Modesto
643 students25:1
Sinclear Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Ceres
581 students23:1
Samuel Vaughn Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Ceres
570 students24:1
M. Robert Adkison Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Modesto
531 students25:1
Walter White Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Ceres
526 students22:1
Carroll Fowler Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Ceres
522 students25:1
La Rosa Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Ceres
516 students24:1
Patricia Kay Beaver Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Ceres
503 students23:1
Don Pedro Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Ceres
439 students24:1
Whitmore Charter School of Art & Technology
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Ceres
435 students20:1
Joel J. Hidahl Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Ceres
393 students25:1
Westport Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Modesto
364 students24:1
Endeavor Alternative
Other · Grades K–12 · Ceres
98 students20:1
Ceres Special Education
Other · Grades K–12 · Ceres
37 students18:1
Cesar Chavez Junior High
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Ceres
685 students22:1
Mae Hensley Junior High
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Ceres
636 students23:1
Blaker-Kinser Junior High
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Ceres
603 students21:1
Central Valley High
High · Grades 9–12 · Ceres
B−
2,317 students23:1
Ceres High
High · Grades 9–12 · Ceres
B−
1,660 students23:1
Argus High (Continuation)
High · Grades 9–12 · Ceres
D−
189 students19:1
Whitmore Charter High
High · Grades 9–12 · Ceres
B
96 students20:1

Left off: 1 school reporting no students for 2024–25.

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within California.