Merrill F. West High

Summary:

Merrill F. West High is a public high school located in Tracy, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,108 students. The school is part of the Tracy Joint Unified School District, which is ranked 989 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Merrill F. West High has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, ranging from a high of 513 out of 2,133 California high schools in 2018-2019 to a low of 1,239 out of 2,021 in 2016-2017. Its current ranking for the 2023-2024 school year is 917 out of 2,323 California high schools, with a 3-star rating. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with relatively strong performance for African American students but struggles with Asian and multi-racial student groups. Merrill F. West High's four-year graduation rates have fluctuated, ranging from a high of 91.3% in 2021-2022 to a low of 78.9% in 2020-2021, with the most recent rate at 87.7%. The school's dropout rates have also been variable, with a high of 16.1% in 2020-2021 and a low of 6.0% in 2019-2020, and the most recent rate at 7.7%. Chronic absenteeism has significantly increased, from 10.7% in 2018-2019 to 23.9% in the most recent 2022-2023 school year.

Compared to other high schools in the Tracy Joint Unified School District, Merrill F. West High generally performs on par with Tracy High but lags behind the higher-performing John C. Kimball High. However, Merrill F. West High outperforms the nearby continuation schools, Duncan-Russell Community Day and George and Evelyn Stein Continuation. When compared to schools in other districts, Merrill F. West High's performance is lower than the high-performing schools in the Manteca Unified School District, such as Sierra High and Lathrop High, as well as the exceptional Mountain House High in the Lammersville Joint Unified School District.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1775 West Lowell Ave.
       Tracy, CA  95376-2200


(209) 830-3370

District: Tracy Joint Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
917th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,199 Help


Feeder schools for Merrill F. West High:

Elementary:    Art Freiler
    Louis J. Villalovoz Elementary
    McKinley Elementary
    Melville S. Jacobson Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Earle E. Williams Middle
    Monte Vista Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  22.5 Help
Number of students:  2,108

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
55.6%
Asian:
20.0%
White:
13.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  53.5% Help


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 Compare Merrill F. West High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Merrill F. West High ranks better than 60.5% of high schools in California. It also ranks 3rd among 4 ranked high schools in the Tracy Joint Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 47.8. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Merrill F. West High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Merrill F. West High has the largest high school student body size in the Tracy Joint Unified School District. Student population at Merrill F. West High is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (55.6%), Asian (20%), White (13.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 53.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Merrill F. West High is 22.5. 2 high schools in the Tracy Joint Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Merrill F. West High employs 93.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merrill F. West High is $7,199. 3 high schools in the Tracy Joint Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Merrill F. West High:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrill F. West High 917th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Merrill F. West High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Tracy Joint Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Tracy Joint Unified 989th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Merrill F. West High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 30.41 920th 1653 44.3%
2005 38.41 848th 1901 55.4%
2006 39.38 848th 1968 56.9%
2007 36.14 981st 2063 52.4%
2008 40.58 900th 2117 57.5%
2009 46.77 829th 2238 63.0%
2010 43.45 932nd 2281 59.1%
2011 47.46 854th 2367 63.9%
2012 44.58 921st 2354 60.9%
2013 46.48 886th 2426 63.5%
2015 68.15 586th 1994 70.6%
2016 56.92 857th 2039 58.0%
2017 40.03 1239th 2021 38.7%
2018 61.44 771st 2017 61.8%
2019 71.19 513th 2133 75.9%
2021 55.05 530th 1290 58.9%
2022 59.73 721st 2123 66.0%
2023 59.10 672nd 2348 71.4%
2024 47.80 917th 2323 60.5%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.07 287th 366 21.6%
2019 67.95 131st 422 69.0%
2022 38.43 329th 515 36.1%
2023 58.61 266th 786 66.2%
2024 20.87 598th 804 25.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.50 236th 938 74.8%
2019 62.67 166th 941 82.4%
2021 45.87 205th 467 56.1%
2022 54.17 271st 1044 74.0%
2023 39.91 470th 1323 64.5%
2024 36.94 568th 1350 57.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 36.75 777th 1547 49.8%
2024 29.67 983rd 1534 35.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.11 833rd 1862 55.3%
2019 68.66 490th 1937 74.7%
2021 58.40 414th 1126 63.2%
2022 58.72 649th 1943 66.6%
2023 54.20 770th 2247 65.7%
2024 46.99 928th 2235 58.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 64.28 76th 290 73.8%
2023 45.05 201st 417 51.8%
2024 55.90 183rd 451 59.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.54 835th 1760 52.6%
2019 65.36 548th 1833 70.1%
2021 51.34 497th 1054 52.8%
2022 55.06 716th 1858 61.5%
2023 56.39 674th 2118 68.2%
2024 40.98 1058th 2098 49.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.50 758th 1052 27.9%
2019 35.58 636th 1117 43.1%
2021 33.11 364th 555 34.4%
2022 33.80 715th 1161 38.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.49 665th 1834 63.7%
2019 69.72 487th 1880 74.1%
2021 51.68 489th 1122 56.4%
2022 59.87 641st 1916 66.5%
2023 58.36 636th 2207 71.2%
2024 51.06 776th 2172 64.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.71 466th 581 19.8%
2019 37.61 408th 582 29.9%
2022 22.67 470th 581 19.1%
2023 34.14 503rd 731 31.2%
2024 22.84 556th 712 21.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.93 317th 582 45.5%
2019 57.90 204th 592 65.5%
2022 72.66 108th 522 79.3%
2023 68.73 173rd 720 76.0%
2024 38.58 416th 721 42.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.99 799th 1742 54.1%
2019 66.55 497th 1814 72.6%
2022 59.93 617th 1861 66.8%
2023 56.00 691st 2142 67.7%
2024 39.05 1144th 2125 46.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Merrill F. West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.67 549th 1173 53.2%
2019 64.92 415th 1222 66.0%
2022 49.39 600th 1204 50.2%
2023 37.99 792nd 1434 44.8%
2024 36.77 804th 1406 42.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Merrill F. West High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1.5)
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50%

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Reviews:
by a student
Thursday, May 10, 2018

Open Quote This school is a joke. The school is always filthy and the bathrooms always have the smell of weed or piss. The school spirit is lacking and the sports teams aren't balanced in terms of funds and attention given to them. The sub par football team is the only thing this school invests in. A lot of the teachers don't even care about their students and neither does the school. The averages for tests are hilariously low and diversity in this school is almost non-existent. There aren't as many gang issues, but we started wearing these bright colored vests which are dumb because the crazy security guards harass you if you don't wear them. If you get hurt or have a medical event then they just call your parent to deal with it. I wasn't even convinced that they had a nurse's office until I got pull out of class to get my eyes checked. I would give this school zero stars but that isn't a function on this website. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, June 17, 2010

Open Quote Hello I am a concerned parent my child has gotten a 3.0 or higher all 3 of her years at west high but I recently found out that at graduation she and all the other hardworking students with good grades will not be recognized. It is not fair that the students only get a sash if they are in a particular club, they need to be recognized for their hard work in the classroom also. I also believe that each student should be able to tryout for saying a speech for graduation and the best student or students should be chosen not just the valectorian and asb president saying a speech. Also, the cleaniless at west high is next to horrible everytime I visit the restrooms are digusting and there are no toilet seat covers which should be given so the students won't catch any viruses or diseases. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Merrill F. West High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1998 970 120 152 417 28 n/a n/a 0 1687
1999 1042 138 192 457 19 n/a n/a 0 1848
2000 1064 145 251 482 23 n/a n/a 0 1965
2001 1141 177 325 573 19 n/a n/a 0 2235
2002 1247 233 449 714 31 n/a n/a 0 2674
2003 1247 233 449 714 31 n/a n/a 0 2674
2004 1221 258 512 772 35 n/a n/a 0 2798
2005 1188 304 642 1031 35 n/a n/a 0 3200
2006 1112 308 501 995 7 n/a n/a 191 3114
2007 1023 321 694 1065 11 n/a n/a 62 3176
2008 936 339 691 1080 13 n/a n/a 0 3059
2009 884 346 683 1118 26 39 97 0 3193
2010 801 293 590 1108 17 41 6 0 2856
2011 655 245 482 1067 15 40 13 0 2517
2012 513 184 399 1029 11 32 24 0 2192
2013 453 186 345 1081 16 31 39 0 2151
2014 394 170 330 1041 10 22 65 0 2032
2015 372 185 338 1106 12 25 64 0 2102
2016 364 166 349 1110 13 27 70 0 2099
2017 377 172 375 1073 9 26 73 0 2105
2018 362 157 369 1135 5 28 65 0 2121
2019 308 126 384 1131 6 27 61 0 2043
2020 333 132 402 1217 7 34 79 0 2204
2021 309 141 420 1271 8 35 74 1 2259
2022 280 129 432 1276 9 35 79 3 2243
2023 281 114 422 1173 9 31 73 5 2108

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Merrill F. West High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 1687 68.0 24.8 12
1999 1848 75.2 24.6 14.4
2000 1965 83.6 23.5 13.4
2001 2235 89.6 24.9 13.6
2002 2674 115.6 23.1 12.4
2003 2674 115.6 23.1 12.4
2004 2798 115.8 24.2 15.1
2005 3200 122.2 26.2 14.8
2006 3114 129.6 24.0 17.6
2007 3176 135.6 23.4 18.4
2008 3059 153.4 19.9 22.4
2009 3193 139.0 20.8 24.6
2010 2856 120.4 23.7 34.5
2011 2517 n/a n/a 42.9
2012 2192 95.9 22.8 n/a
2013 2151 94.8 22.6 49.3
2014 2032 94.2 21.5 48.4
2015 2102 95.0 22.1 47.3
2016 2099 89.0 23.5 49.3
2017 2105 86.3 24.3 53.3
2018 2121 85.7 24.7 55.8
2019 2043 83.5 24.4 57
2020 2204 n/a n/a 55.9
2021 2259 90.5 24.9 55.6
2022 2243 93.4 24.0 50.1
2023 2108 93.5 22.5 53.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Merrill F. West High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 1687 68.0 24.8 12
1999 1848 75.2 24.6 14.4
2000 1965 83.6 23.5 13.4
2001 2235 89.6 24.9 13.6
2002 2674 115.6 23.1 12.4
2003 2674 115.6 23.1 12.4
2004 2798 115.8 24.2 15.1
2005 3200 122.2 26.2 14.8
2006 3114 129.6 24.0 17.6
2007 3176 135.6 23.4 18.4
2008 3059 153.4 19.9 22.4
2009 3193 139.0 20.8 24.6
2010 2856 120.4 23.7 34.5
2011 2517 n/a n/a 42.9
2012 2192 95.9 22.8 n/a
2013 2151 94.8 22.6 49.3
2014 2032 94.2 21.5 48.4
2015 2102 95.0 22.1 47.3
2016 2099 89.0 23.5 49.3
2017 2105 86.3 24.3 53.3
2018 2121 85.7 24.7 55.8
2019 2043 83.5 24.4 57
2020 2204 n/a n/a 55.9
2021 2259 90.5 24.9 55.6
2022 2243 93.4 24.0 50.1
2023 2108 93.5 22.5 53.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Merrill F. West High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,199

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Merrill F. West High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 513th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 672nd of 2348 High schools
 4.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Merrill F. West High)6561.3
 3.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Tracy Joint Unified)61.955.3
 6.6%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Merrill F. West High)31.720
 11.7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Tracy Joint Unified)31.122.5
 8.6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Merrill F. West High)28.431.2
 2.8%
   12th Grade Science (Tracy Joint Unified)28.430.1
 1.7%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students20432108
 3.2%
African American126114
 9.5%
American Indian69
 50%
Asian384422
 9.9%
Hispanic11311173
 3.7%
Pacific Islander2731
 14.8%
White308281
 8.8%
Two or More Races6173
 19.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients57%53.5%
 3.6%


Schools Near Merrill F. West High









Frequently Asked Questions about Merrill F. West High

Merrill F. West High ranks 917th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,108 students attended Merrill F. West High.

Merrill F. West High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Art Freiler
Elementary : Louis J. Villalovoz Elementary
Elementary : McKinley Elementary
Elementary : Melville S. Jacobson Elementary
Elementary : North Elementary
Middle : Earle E. Williams Middle
Middle : Monte Vista Middle

Students at Merrill F. West High are 56% Hispanic, 20% Asian, 13% White, 5% African American, 3% Two or more races, 1% Pacific Islander.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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