Is Dona Merced Elementary a good school?

Dona Merced Elementary ranks 2050 th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Dona Merced Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 549 students attended Dona Merced Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Dona Merced Elementary?

Students at Dona Merced Elementary are 53% Hispanic, 19% White, 10% Asian, 9% African American, 9% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Dona Merced Elementary attend?

Students who attend Dona Merced Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Ruth Musser Middle High : Rancho Cucamonga High

Dona Merced Elementary

Summary:

Dona Merced Elementary is a public elementary school in Rancho Cucamonga, California, serving 557 students in grades K-5. It is part of the Central Elementary School District, which is ranked 631 out of 1,568 districts in the state.

Dona Merced Elementary has consistently ranked in the top half of California elementary schools, with strong academic performance, particularly in English Language Arts/Literacy, Mathematics, and Science. The school outperforms the district and state averages in these areas. It also has strong performance among specific student groups, such as African American, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic status students. However, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 4.6% in 2017-2018 to 20.8% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the district and state averages.

Compared to nearby schools, Dona Merced Elementary generally outperforms Bear Gulch Elementary and Central Elementary in academic metrics, but lags behind some of the higher-performing schools in the Etiwanda Elementary and Alta Loma Elementary districts, such as Terra Vista Elementary, Carleton P. Lightfoot Elementary, and Victoria Groves Elementary. Dona Merced Elementary also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting it serves a more economically disadvantaged student population compared to some nearby schools.

Detail:

Public K-5

10333 Palo Alto
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730-1744

(909) 980-1600

District: Central Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
2050^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,746

Students who attend Dona Merced Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Ruth Musser Middle
High:	Rancho Cucamonga High

Student/teacher ratio: 23.8

Number of students: 549

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

53.0%

White:

18.8%

Asian:

9.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 70.1%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Dona Merced Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Dona Merced Elementary ranks better than 65% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 3^rd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Central Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.3. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (53%), White (18.8%), Asian (9.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 70.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dona Merced Elementary is 23.8. 2 elementary schools in the Central Elementary School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Dona Merced Elementary employs 23 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dona Merced Elementary is $7,746. 2 elementary schools in the Central Elementary School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dona Merced Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Dona Merced Elementary 2050^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Dona Merced Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Central Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Elementary 631^st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Dona Merced Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Dona Merced Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	60.19	1701^st	4809	64.6%
2005	63.40	1597^th	4822	66.9%
2006	68.93	1393^rd	4818	71.1%
2007	64.86	1606^th	5113	68.6%
2008	80.80	937^th	5113	81.7%
2009	67.32	1570^th	5193	69.8%
2010	63.83	1794^th	5314	66.2%
2011	68.81	1533^rd	5377	71.5%
2012	72.68	1390^th	5390	74.2%
2013	68.16	1670^th	5530	69.8%
2015	74.59	1328^th	5611	76.3%
2016	64.34	1795^th	5614	68.0%
2017	70.59	1535^th	5692	73.0%
2018	68.73	1633^rd	5662	71.2%
2019	72.33	1498^th	5789	74.1%
2022	66.83	1752^nd	5883	70.2%
2023	63.11	1892^nd	5874	67.8%
2024	60.30	2050^th	5862	65.0%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dona Merced Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	51.06	886^th	2420	63.4%
2024	52.19	912^th	2634	65.4%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dona Merced Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	70.22	1172^nd	5084	76.9%
2019	77.19	842^nd	5173	83.7%
2022	77.05	867^th	5264	83.5%
2023	70.99	1171^st	5374	78.2%
2024	62.83	1633^rd	5511	70.4%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dona Merced Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	66.98	1665^th	5413	69.2%
2019	76.47	1238^th	5492	77.5%
2022	66.79	1652^nd	5635	70.7%
2023	61.53	1878^th	5617	66.6%
2024	55.67	2142^nd	5605	61.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Dona Merced Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	53.20	709^th	2128	66.7%
2019	49.44	996^th	2585	61.5%
2022	48.75	837^th	2227	62.4%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dona Merced Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	68.64	1538^th	5431	71.7%
2019	66.36	1668^th	5510	69.7%
2022	64.99	1723^rd	5663	69.6%
2023	62.68	1823^rd	5650	67.7%
2024	62.23	1874^th	5636	66.7%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Dona Merced Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	76.14	95^th	593	84.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Dona Merced Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	77.76	781^st	4830	83.8%
2019	79.37	735^th	4963	85.2%
2022	71.59	1075^th	5084	78.9%
2023	66.51	1339^th	5098	73.7%
2024	65.25	1403^rd	5102	72.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Dona Merced Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	50.06	1523^rd	2737	44.4%
2019	46.29	1671^st	2834	41.0%
2022	51.36	1419^th	2726	47.9%
2023	43.22	1628^th	2662	38.8%
2024	53.74	1303^rd	2647	50.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary 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.

Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, September 2, 2019

We love the teachers and the proctor staff. They genuinely care for the children and are committed to teaching. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Dona Merced Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	567	18	18	116	0	n/a	n/a	0	719
1989	592	26	24	105	0	n/a	n/a	0	747
1990	596	24	26	110	0	n/a	n/a	0	756
1991	541	34	35	148	3	n/a	n/a	0	761
1992	505	31	23	144	2	n/a	n/a	0	705
1993	502	38	21	143	1	n/a	n/a	0	705
1994	467	43	21	144	1	n/a	n/a	0	676
1995	427	59	13	162	0	n/a	n/a	0	661
1996	427	59	13	162	0	n/a	n/a	0	661
1997	441	63	12	201	0	n/a	n/a	0	717
1998	412	50	16	194	1	n/a	n/a	0	673
1999	387	62	20	210	2	n/a	n/a	0	681
2000	362	62	20	224	2	n/a	n/a	0	670
2001	333	64	10	232	2	n/a	n/a	17	658
2002	233	48	17	228	10	n/a	n/a	80	616
2003	233	48	17	228	10	n/a	n/a	80	616
2004	238	58	18	230	8	n/a	n/a	51	603
2005	210	61	22	220	8	n/a	n/a	30	551
2006	208	66	23	225	6	n/a	n/a	5	533
2007	199	60	36	243	4	n/a	n/a	9	551
2008	189	58	39	260	1	n/a	n/a	0	547
2009	159	59	16	209	0	2	124	0	569
2010	187	57	31	258	3	6	6	0	548
2011	182	54	42	264	1	5	7	0	555
2012	189	47	43	263	1	2	11	0	556
2013	205	41	34	283	1	0	14	0	578
2014	208	52	31	291	0	2	18	0	602
2015	197	51	34	298	0	2	20	0	602
2016	193	46	33	285	0	6	19	0	582
2017	194	44	33	290	0	2	20	0	583
2018	176	52	47	285	0	2	18	0	580
2019	180	38	37	294	0	2	31	0	582
2020	162	32	42	290	0	1	37	0	564
2021	140	35	43	273	0	2	38	0	531
2022	136	44	49	288	0	2	41	0	560
2023	126	35	50	296	0	1	49	0	557
2024	103	52	54	291	0	1	48	0	549

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 Dona Merced Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	719	26.0	27.6	n/a
1989	747	27.0	27.6	n/a
1990	756	29.0	26.0	n/a
1991	761	26.3	28.9	n/a
1992	705	26.7	26.4	9.5
1993	705	25.0	28.2	19.1
1994	676	26.0	26.0	22.2
1995	661	25.0	26.4	20.7
1996	661	25.0	26.4	20.7
1997	717	29.5	24.3	25.1
1998	673	29.5	22.8	27.2
1999	681	34.5	19.7	30.8
2000	670	32.5	20.6	27.5
2001	658	31.5	20.9	26.7
2002	616	29.0	21.2	28.9
2003	616	29.0	21.2	28.9
2004	603	26.0	23.2	33.7
2005	551	24.0	23.0	35.9
2006	533	23.0	23.2	34.8
2007	551	24.0	23.0	32.7
2008	547	26.0	21.0	33.3
2009	569	23.2	22.6	42
2010	548	22.2	24.6	46
2011	555	n/a	n/a	47.2
2012	556	19.0	29.2	n/a
2013	578	21.0	27.5	55
2014	602	23.0	26.1	54.3
2015	602	23.0	26.1	45.2
2016	582	22.0	26.4	51.9
2017	583	23.0	25.3	49.6
2018	580	23.0	25.2	59
2019	582	23.0	25.3	48.5
2020	564	n/a	n/a	51.4
2021	531	21.7	24.4	46.7
2022	560	22.3	25.1	64.5
2023	557	22.0	25.3	64.8
2024	549	23.0	23.8	70.1

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 Dona Merced Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	719	26.0	27.6	n/a
1989	747	27.0	27.6	n/a
1990	756	29.0	26.0	n/a
1991	761	26.3	28.9	n/a
1992	705	26.7	26.4	9.5
1993	705	25.0	28.2	19.1
1994	676	26.0	26.0	22.2
1995	661	25.0	26.4	20.7
1996	661	25.0	26.4	20.7
1997	717	29.5	24.3	25.1
1998	673	29.5	22.8	27.2
1999	681	34.5	19.7	30.8
2000	670	32.5	20.6	27.5
2001	658	31.5	20.9	26.7
2002	616	29.0	21.2	28.9
2003	616	29.0	21.2	28.9
2004	603	26.0	23.2	33.7
2005	551	24.0	23.0	35.9
2006	533	23.0	23.2	34.8
2007	551	24.0	23.0	32.7
2008	547	26.0	21.0	33.3
2009	569	23.2	22.6	42
2010	548	22.2	24.6	46
2011	555	n/a	n/a	47.2
2012	556	19.0	29.2	n/a
2013	578	21.0	27.5	55
2014	602	23.0	26.1	54.3
2015	602	23.0	26.1	45.2
2016	582	22.0	26.4	51.9
2017	583	23.0	25.3	49.6
2018	580	23.0	25.2	59
2019	582	23.0	25.3	48.5
2020	564	n/a	n/a	51.4
2021	531	21.7	24.4	46.7
2022	560	22.3	25.1	64.5
2023	557	22.0	25.3	64.8
2024	549	23.0	23.8	70.1

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.

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