Valley Merced Community

Summary:

Valley Merced Community is an alternative public school serving grades K-12 in Merced, California, with an enrollment of 232 students. The school is part of the Merced County Office of Education district, which is ranked 1459 out of 1568 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Valley Merced Community faces significant challenges, with low academic performance, high rates of absenteeism and dropout, and a student population facing economic disadvantages. The school's four-year graduation rates have ranged from 45.8% to 62.5% over the past 5 years, much lower than the state average of around 85%. Dropout rates have been high, ranging from 24.2% to 41.0%, and chronic absenteeism has been very high, ranging from 51.0% to 80.7%. The school's test scores on Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST Science exams are extremely low compared to the county and state averages, with only 6.25% of 11th graders proficient or better in ELA and 0% proficient or better in math at any grade level.

Interestingly, the nearby Merced Scholars Charter school, located just 0.03 miles away, has significantly better performance metrics, with a 100% four-year graduation rate, 0% dropout rate, and much higher test scores across all subjects and grade levels. This stark contrast highlights the potential impact of school choice and alternative educational models within the same geographic area. The challenges faced by Valley Merced Community, as an alternative school, suggest that these students may require more specialized support and resources to succeed.


Detail:

Public, Alternative K-12

 1850 Wardrobe Ave.
       Merced, CA  95341-6407


(209) 381-4500

District: Merced County Office of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
2225th of 2,323 California Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,230 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  24.8 Help
Number of students:  232

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
78.0%
White:
12.5%
African American:
4.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  94% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Valley Merced Community is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.42. (See more...)
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Compare Details Valley Merced Community ranks worse than 95.8% of high schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.34. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Valley Merced Community freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (78%), White (12.5%), African American (4.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 94% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Merced County Office of Education School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Valley Merced Community is 24.8, which is the highest among 5 alternative schools in the Merced County Office of Education School District! (See more...)
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Compare Valley Merced Community employs 9.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Valley Merced Community is $14,230. 3 alternative schools in the Merced County Office of Education School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Valley Merced Community:

SchoolDigger ranks Valley Merced Community 2225th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Valley Merced Community in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Merced County Office of Education:

SchoolDigger ranks Merced County Office of Education 1459th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Valley Merced Community

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Rank History for all middle school students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 9.25 1690th 1769 4.5%
2005 7.61 1707th 1777 3.9%
2006 5.29 1781st 1804 1.3%
2007 4.87 1972nd 1999 1.4%
2008 4.38 1966th 2005 1.9%
2009 5.45 2002nd 2063 3.0%
2010 7.31 2087th 2179 4.2%
2011 3.94 2194th 2236 1.9%
2012 3.57 2222nd 2259 1.6%
2013 4.84 2330th 2379 2.1%
2015 5.88 2421st 2477 2.3%
2016 2.91 2486th 2497 0.4%
2017 3.10 2506th 2508 0.1%
2018 3.46 2471st 2480 0.4%
2019 5.44 2664th 2715 1.9%
2022 4.94 2738th 2740 0.1%
2023 5.42 2788th 2802 0.5%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 28.52 1308th 1529 14.5%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 3.84 2220th 2230 0.4%
2019 5.79 2330th 2369 1.6%
2022 5.22 2454th 2458 0.2%
2023 5.50 2539th 2549 0.4%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 4.87 2263rd 2273 0.4%
2022 6.40 2516th 2527 0.4%
2023 6.00 2541st 2558 0.7%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 5.47 2182nd 2213 1.4%
2022 5.02 2356th 2359 0.1%
2023 5.38 2379th 2391 0.5%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

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

Rank History for Valley Merced Community

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Rank History for all high school students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 20.02 1273rd 1653 23.0%
2005 20.37 1386th 1901 27.1%
2006 17.09 1559th 1968 20.8%
2007 16.60 1653rd 2063 19.9%
2008 16.27 1701st 2117 19.7%
2009 21.02 1776th 2238 20.6%
2010 16.64 1755th 2281 23.1%
2011 14.73 1865th 2367 21.2%
2012 13.60 1867th 2354 20.7%
2013 17.81 1747th 2426 28.0%
2015 9.68 1867th 1994 6.4%
2016 10.14 1861st 2039 8.7%
2017 8.89 1956th 2021 3.2%
2018 11.25 1746th 2017 13.4%
2019 15.76 1742nd 2133 18.3%
2021 9.19 1204th 1290 6.7%
2022 15.38 1779th 2123 16.2%
2023 7.50 2237th 2348 4.7%
2024 7.34 2225th 2323 4.2%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school English Language Learner students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.53 715th 938 23.8%
2023 20.09 1258th 1323 4.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for high school Special Education students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 16.35 1509th 1547 2.5%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.49 1709th 1862 8.2%
2019 12.11 1756th 1937 9.3%
2021 10.39 1020th 1126 9.4%
2022 15.64 1655th 1943 14.8%
2023 7.60 2135th 2247 5.0%
2024 7.10 2160th 2235 3.4%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.74 1539th 1760 12.6%
2019 14.34 1545th 1833 15.7%
2021 10.73 957th 1054 9.2%
2022 9.05 1787th 1858 3.8%
2023 7.99 2020th 2118 4.6%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.37 1670th 1834 8.9%
2019 14.38 1585th 1880 15.7%
2021 6.72 1100th 1122 2.0%
2022 19.18 1524th 1916 20.5%
2023 6.81 2133rd 2207 3.4%
2024 4.91 2153rd 2172 0.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.84 1516th 1742 13.0%
2019 15.50 1501st 1814 17.3%
2022 15.42 1583rd 1861 14.9%
2023 6.96 2051st 2142 4.2%
2024 6.22 2078th 2125 2.2%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Valley Merced Community

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.26 1076th 1173 8.3%
2022 9.49 1097th 1204 8.9%
2023 1.62 1428th 1434 0.4%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative 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.

Valley Merced Community Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Valley Merced Community

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2000 158 46 62 397 6 n/a n/a 2 671
2001 203 57 55 420 5 n/a n/a 6 746
2002 225 53 58 418 7 n/a n/a 12 773
2003 225 53 58 418 7 n/a n/a 12 773
2004 203 38 28 381 5 n/a n/a 39 694
2005 210 44 26 417 13 n/a n/a 16 726
2006 187 42 28 488 5 n/a n/a 51 801
2007 167 50 30 451 4 n/a n/a 53 755
2008 182 56 36 544 10 n/a n/a 0 828
2009 183 66 25 557 4 4 75 0 914
2010 169 59 20 557 9 2 25 0 841
2011 117 48 17 468 4 0 14 0 668
2012 89 37 8 395 2 0 8 0 539
2013 60 27 5 309 1 1 13 0 416
2014 51 21 2 266 1 1 6 0 348
2015 44 12 2 256 0 1 9 0 324
2016 31 9 3 185 0 1 9 0 238
2017 33 14 0 186 0 0 2 0 235
2018 28 18 3 202 0 0 5 0 256
2019 36 11 1 141 0 1 6 0 196
2020 28 10 2 136 2 2 6 0 186
2021 17 11 1 149 1 1 3 0 183
2022 27 7 1 136 2 1 4 0 178
2023 29 11 2 181 0 1 8 0 232

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 Valley Merced Community

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 671 4.5 149.1 0
2001 746 15.3 48.8 0
2002 773 13.9 55.6 10.5
2003 773 13.9 55.6 10.5
2004 694 33.5 20.7 60.2
2005 726 28.1 25.8 41.1
2006 801 32.2 24.9 58.4
2007 755 39.0 19.4 55.6
2008 828 52.3 15.8 55.1
2009 914 35.4 21.3 67.3
2010 841 36.8 22.8 78.5
2011 668 n/a n/a 53.6
2012 539 22.7 23.6 n/a
2013 416 18.2 22.8 83.9
2014 348 16.8 20.6 71
2015 324 12.0 27.0 81.5
2016 238 12.0 19.8 85.3
2017 235 10.2 22.9 84.3
2018 256 10.8 23.5 82.4
2019 196 7.0 27.8 77
2020 186 n/a n/a 86
2021 183 8.0 22.8 88.5
2022 178 8.3 21.4 90.4
2023 232 9.3 24.8 94

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 Valley Merced Community

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 671 4.5 149.1 0
2001 746 15.3 48.8 0
2002 773 13.9 55.6 10.5
2003 773 13.9 55.6 10.5
2004 694 33.5 20.7 60.2
2005 726 28.1 25.8 41.1
2006 801 32.2 24.9 58.4
2007 755 39.0 19.4 55.6
2008 828 52.3 15.8 55.1
2009 914 35.4 21.3 67.3
2010 841 36.8 22.8 78.5
2011 668 n/a n/a 53.6
2012 539 22.7 23.6 n/a
2013 416 18.2 22.8 83.9
2014 348 16.8 20.6 71
2015 324 12.0 27.0 81.5
2016 238 12.0 19.8 85.3
2017 235 10.2 22.9 84.3
2018 256 10.8 23.5 82.4
2019 196 7.0 27.8 77
2020 186 n/a n/a 86
2021 183 8.0 22.8 88.5
2022 178 8.3 21.4 90.4
2023 232 9.3 24.8 94

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 Valley Merced Community

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $14,230

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Valley Merced Community

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 2664th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2788th of 2802 Middle schools
 1.4%
Ranks 1742nd of 2133 High schoolsRanks 2237th of 2348 High schools
 13.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Merced Community)102.6
 7.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Merced County Office of Education)2312.7
 10.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Valley Merced Community)00
   8th Grade Mathematics (Merced County Office of Education)8.33.8
 4.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Valley Merced Community)00
   8th Grade Science (Merced County Office of Education)8.15.1
 2.9%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Merced Community)3.76.2
 2.5%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Merced County Office of Education)15.79.1
 6.6%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Valley Merced Community)00
   11th Grade Mathematics (Merced County Office of Education)0.70.5
 0.1%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Valley Merced Community)9.53.1
 6.4%
   12th Grade Science (Merced County Office of Education)8.69.9
 1.3%
   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 Students196232
 18.4%
African American1111
American Indian00
Asian12
 100%
Hispanic141181
 28.4%
Pacific Islander11
White3629
 19.4%
Two or More Races68
 33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77%94%
 16.9%


Schools Near Valley Merced Community









Frequently Asked Questions about Valley Merced Community

In the 2022-23 school year, 232 students attended Valley Merced Community.

Valley Merced Community ranks in the bottom 4.2% of California alternative schools.

Students at Valley Merced Community are 78% Hispanic, 13% White, 5% African American, 3% Two or more races.


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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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