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B−

Merced Union High School District

Public school districtGrades 9–12Regional · 3 towns

Serves Merced, Atwater and Livingston.

Merced’s School Grade C better than 30% of California school districts

Students
11,061
Schools
9
Spent per student
$18,331
CA $21,206
Students per teacher
21:1
Free or reduced lunch
81%
Debt
$159.1M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Merced Union High School District

  • Its letter, B−: results better than 48% of California districts
  • Math proficiency 20 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 6 pts below the state
  • Graduation rate 10 pts above the state
  • Spends 14% less per student than the CA average
  • 21 students per teacher
  • Debt of $159.1M, about $14,380 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B−: better than 48% 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 well above the state, class of 2023
A−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
CMerced 99,724B−Atwater 32,133C+Livingston 14,690

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Merced. Grade by grade →

K–612 schoolsMerced City Elementary School District
7–84 middle schoolsMerced City Elementary School District
9–123 high schoolsThis district

Test scores vs. CA

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency13%
State average 33.1% · 2,620 students tested
Reading / language arts41%
State average 46.7% · 2,613 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)96%
State average 86.2% · 2,730 in the class

95% 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
$18,331 per student · 14% below CA
Spending
Classroom instruction 55%Support & administration 40%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 19%State 69%Federal 12%

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

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

Enrollment over time
10,977’20
11,177’21
11,226’22
11,120’23
11,061’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
Hispanic 73%White 12%Asian 8%Black 4%Two or more races 2%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

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

Atwater High
High · Grades 9–12 · Atwater
B−
2,029 students21:1
Merced High
High · Grades 9–12 · Merced
B−
1,943 students23:1
Golden Valley High
High · Grades 9–12 · Merced
B−
1,917 students21:1
El Capitan High
High · Grades 9–12 · Merced
B−
1,793 students21:1
Buhach Colony High
High · Grades 9–12 · Atwater
B−
1,704 students23:1
Livingston High
High · Grades 9–12 · Livingston
B−
1,169 students21:1
Yosemite High (Continuation)
High · Grades 9–12 · Merced
D−
342 students16:1
Independence High (Alternative)
High · Grades 9–12 · Merced
C−
87 students8:1
Sequoia High
High · Grades 9–12 · Merced
77 students9:1

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.