Is Merit College Preparatory Academy a good school?

Merit College Preparatory Academy ranks in the bottom 23.2% of Utah high schools.

How many students attend Merit College Preparatory Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 468 students attended Merit College Preparatory Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Merit College Preparatory Academy?

Students at Merit College Preparatory Academy are 68% White, 27% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% Pacific Islander.

Merit College Preparatory Academy

Summary:

Merit College Preparatory Academy is a public charter high school located in Springville, Utah, serving grades 7-12 with a total enrollment of 468 students. The school has a diverse student population, with 67.95% White, 27.14% Hispanic, and smaller percentages of other racial/ethnic groups.

While Merit College Preparatory Academy has a relatively diverse student population, its academic performance has been inconsistent compared to nearby high-performing schools. The school's test scores are generally lower than the state averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates in RISE/English Language Arts, RISE/Mathematics, and Utah Aspire Plus/English Language Arts and Mathematics were all below the state averages. Additionally, the school has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 22.25% to 34.88% over the past few years, suggesting a higher proportion of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Interestingly, there are several high-performing high schools in the vicinity of Merit College Preparatory Academy, such as Utah County Academy of Science and Timpview High, which consistently outperform Merit College Preparatory Academy on various academic metrics, including test scores and statewide rankings. Additionally, the school's spending per student ($7,734 in 2018-2019) is lower than some of the nearby public high schools, such as Orem High ($9,355) and Provo High ($9,806).

Detail:

Public, Charter 7-12

1440 W Center Street
Springville, UT 84663

(801) 491-7600

District: Merit College Preparatory Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
106^th of 138 Utah High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,734

Student/teacher ratio: 17.1

Number of students: 468

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.9%

Hispanic:

27.1%

Two or more races:

1.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34.2%

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Compare Merit College Preparatory Academy to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Merit College Preparatory Academy ranks worse than 64.8% of middle schools in Utah. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.91. (See more...)

Compare Details Merit College Preparatory Academy ranks worse than 76.8% of high schools in Utah. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Merit College Preparatory Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merit College Preparatory Academy is $7,734.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Merit College Preparatory Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Merit College Preparatory Academy 136^th of 210 Utah public middle schools. (See Merit College Preparatory Academy in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Merit College Preparatory Academy 106^th of 138 Utah public high schools. (See Merit College Preparatory Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Merit College Preparatory Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Merit College Preparatory Academy 73^rd of 98 Utah school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Merit College Preparatory Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Merit College Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	UT State Percentile
2012	39.53	182^nd	238	23.5%
2013	45.20	170^th	243	30.0%
2019	30.90	163^rd	222	26.6%
2021	21.54	173^rd	213	18.8%
2022	21.22	167^th	209	20.1%
2023	33.78	154^th	216	28.7%
2024	39.91	136^th	210	35.2%

See the entire list of Utah High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school White students at Merit College Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	UT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	41.87	118^th	191	38.2%

See the entire list of Best Utah High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Utah State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Merit College Preparatory Academy

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Rank History for all high school students at Merit College Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	UT State Percentile
2009	50.70	69^th	148	53.4%
2010	44.95	86^th	153	43.8%
2011	56.28	48^th	164	70.7%
2012	38.04	114^th	166	31.3%
2013	51.52	74^th	167	55.7%
2014	47.48	59^th	120	50.8%
2015	66.20	26^th	131	80.2%
2016	76.16	15^th	129	88.4%
2017	21.77	102^nd	125	18.4%
2018	58.38	28^th	123	77.2%
2019	46.85	68^th	136	50.0%
2021	44.28	67^th	129	48.1%
2022	57.26	47^th	131	64.1%
2023	31.40	99^th	139	28.8%
2024	25.00	106^th	138	23.2%

See the entire list of Utah High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school White students at Merit College Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	UT State Percentile
2022	68.98	26^th	123	78.9%
2023	49.30	53^rd	122	56.6%
2024	36.67	79^th	123	35.8%

See the entire list of Best Utah High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Utah State Board 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: Utah State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, September 7, 2011

This school's focus is on the individual student. The following is a list of the points that they reach for:
Each student is acknowledged as being valued. Each teacher tries to know the name with the face of each student in the school, and not just within the classroom. They take time to talk with (not just "to") the students, even in the hallways. Other students that I have spoken with say "the teachers care..."
They do a lot of service activities which help the students have instant success. This builds their sense of teamwork and self.
Extra research in areas of interest is promoted.
The quality of instruction is high.
This year they added a 7th and 8th grade accelerated high school track, and the quality of that program is very high in comparison with others that I am aware of. This 7/8th program caters to the needs of home schooled children. The expectations are high, but are very attainable. I see that the students who attend this school are going to be well prepared for college. Indeed, Merit has a higher than average number of students accepted to their 1st choice college.
It is good to note that all of the student's info relating to assignments, due dates, and attendance; as well as current lunch money available totals, are all online via a password protected site. The parents are kept "in the know" via emails to their personal emails. I have had teachers alert me of what difficulties my children are experiencing, before they got discouraged. Because of this extra effort my students have been able to succeed each term, and are motivated to continue to do well on their own. This builds a valuable life skill.
The staff is very helpful. There is a very positive feel to the building and those who are the staff and teachers. My three children who attend Merit College Preparatory Academy no longer dread going to school, they actually look forward to school.
I also have a student with an IEP who attends Merit. Their program director and staff are the best I have worked with. They are proactive in their approach to my student's special needs. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Merit College Preparatory Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2009	146	1	5	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	167
2010	177	2	5	19	0	n/a	n/a	52	255
2011	344	0	3	44	0	0	4	0	395
2012	510	3	3	61	4	3	11	0	595
2013	497	2	19	68	2	0	16	0	604
2014	204	1	24	46	2	2	3	0	282
2015	256	0	28	48	2	1	9	0	344
2016	232	1	24	46	2	1	7	0	313
2017	261	0	22	56	2	0	8	0	349
2018	287	0	20	78	2	1	12	0	400
2019	327	1	20	84	1	1	11	0	445
2020	321	3	18	113	1	1	14	0	471
2021	280	3	10	118	1	4	14	0	430
2022	327	2	8	119	1	3	12	0	472
2023	318	3	4	127	2	5	9	0	468

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 Merit College Preparatory Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	167	1.8	11.7	35.9
2010	255	13.1	19.4	70.4
2011	395	16.4	23.9	37.5
2012	595	18.5	32.1	37.6
2013	604	16.6	36.2	55.8
2014	282	16.3	17.2	43.6
2015	344	n/a	n/a	41.9
2016	313	n/a	n/a	40.6
2017	349	16.3	21.3	44.7
2018	400	n/a	n/a	46.5
2019	445	27.4	16.1	42.5
2020	471	34.1	13.7	44.2
2021	430	n/a	n/a	34.9
2022	472	32.8	14.3	22.2
2023	468	27.2	17.1	34.2

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 Merit College Preparatory Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	167	1.8	11.7	35.9
2010	255	13.1	19.4	70.4
2011	395	16.4	23.9	37.5
2012	595	18.5	32.1	37.6
2013	604	16.6	36.2	55.8
2014	282	16.3	17.2	43.6
2015	344	n/a	n/a	41.9
2016	313	n/a	n/a	40.6
2017	349	16.3	21.3	44.7
2018	400	n/a	n/a	46.5
2019	445	27.4	16.1	42.5
2020	471	34.1	13.7	44.2
2021	430	n/a	n/a	34.9
2022	472	32.8	14.3	22.2
2023	468	27.2	17.1	34.2

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 Merit College Preparatory Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$551 (7.1%)	$7,183 (92.9%)	$7,734

Data source: Utah Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Merit College Preparatory Academy

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 163^rd of 222 Middle schools	Ranks 154^th of 216 Middle schools	2.1%
Ranks 68^th of 136 High schools	Ranks 99^th of 139 High schools	21.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	43.6	34.8	8.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	43.6	34.8	8.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Utah)	44.1	41.4	2.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	43.6	39.6	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	43.6	39.6	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Utah)	45.2	44.9	0.3%
7th Grade Science (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	32.1	49	16.9%
7th Grade Science (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	32.1	49	16.9%
7th Grade Science (Utah)	44.5	45.5	1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	34.4	27.8	6.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	34.4	27.8	6.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Utah)	43.3	41.8	1.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	30.3	28	2.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	30.3	28	2.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Utah)	42.7	38.2	4.5%
8th Grade Science (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	30.8	35.8	5%
8th Grade Science (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	30.8	35.8	5%
8th Grade Science (Utah)	49.2	48.5	0.7%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	45.1	31.5	13.6%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	45.1	31.5	13.6%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Utah)	48.2	44	4.2%
9th Grade Mathematics (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	38	16.4	21.6%
9th Grade Mathematics (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	38	16.4	21.6%
9th Grade Mathematics (Utah)	43.6	32.8	10.8%
9th Grade Science (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	39.1	25.7	13.4%
9th Grade Science (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	39.1	25.7	13.4%
9th Grade Science (Utah)	36.2	38.1	1.9%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	50.9	46.1	4.8%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	50.9	46.1	4.8%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Utah)	49.5	45.3	4.2%
10th Grade Mathematics (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	35.1	28.1	7%
10th Grade Mathematics (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	35.1	28.1	7%
10th Grade Mathematics (Utah)	36.3	27.7	8.6%
10th Grade Science (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	31.4	29.9	1.5%
10th Grade Science (Merit College Preparatory Academy)	31.4	29.9	1.5%
10th Grade Science (Utah)	33	32.2	0.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	445	468	5.2%
African American	1	3	200%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	20	4	80%
Hispanic	84	127	51.2%
Pacific Islander	1	5	400%
White	327	318	2.8%
Two or More Races	11	9	18.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	42.5%	34.2%	8.3%

Schools Near Merit College Preparatory Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Utah Aspire Plus English Language Arts (2024)		Utah Aspire Plus Mathematics (2024)		Utah Aspire Plus Science (2024)		RISE English Language Arts (2024)		RISE Mathematics (2024)		RISE Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Utah Aspire Plus English Language Arts 9th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus English Language Arts 10th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Mathematics 9th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Mathematics 10th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Science 9th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Science 10th Grade	RISE English Language Arts 7th Grade	RISE English Language Arts 8th Grade	RISE Mathematics 7th Grade	RISE Mathematics 8th Grade	RISE Science 7th Grade	RISE Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Merit College Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	7-12	1440 W Center Street	Springville	84663	Utah County	Merit College Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(801) 491-7600	468	27	17.1	34.2%	318 (67.9%)	3 (0.6%)	127 (27.1%)	4 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	5 (1.1%)	9 (1.9%)	25	106^th of 138 public high schools	23.2%		31.4	99^th of 139 public high schools	28.8%	7	28.9	39.0	17.7	17.6	25.4	36.1	37.3	38.3	34.5	31.0	40.0	54.0	$7,734	$551	$7,183
Springville High	Public	6-12	1205 E 900 S	Springville	84663	Utah County	Nebo District	No	No	No	No	(801) 489-2870	1,612	72	22.4	21.7%	1,197 (74.3%)	11 (0.7%)	303 (18.8%)	12 (0.7%)	9 (0.6%)	21 (1.3%)	59 (3.7%)	57	53^rd of 138 public high schools	61.6%		59.2	45^th of 139 public high schools	67.6%	8		46.7		37.0		32.2							$7,954	$375	$7,579
Spanish Fork High	Public	9-12	99 N 300 W	Spanish Fork	84660	Utah County	Nebo District	No	No	No	No	(801) 798-4060	1,519	62	24.6	17.6%	1,235 (81.3%)	7 (0.5%)	199 (13.1%)	4 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	20 (1.3%)	51 (3.4%)	34.1	92^nd of 138 public high schools	33.3%		24.5	111^th of 139 public high schools	20.1%	19		40.1		23.8		27.2							$8,293	$382	$7,910
Maple Mountain High	Public	7-12	51 N Spanish Fork Pkwy	Spanish Fork	84660	Utah County	Nebo District	No	No	No	No	(801) 794-6740	1,740	66	26.3	9.5%	1,478 (84.9%)	4 (0.2%)	163 (9.4%)	14 (0.8%)	4 (0.2%)	5 (0.3%)	70 (4.0%)	47.6	74^th of 138 public high schools	46.4%		79.1	17^th of 139 public high schools	87.8%	57		43.4		25.4		36.3							$8,236	$502	$7,734
Independence High	Public	5-12	636 N Independence Ave	Provo	84601	Utah County	Provo District	No	No	No	No	(801) 374-4920	268	23	11.8	53.7%	98 (36.6%)	8 (3.0%)	141 (52.6%)	2 (0.7%)	6 (2.2%)	6 (2.2%)	7 (2.6%)								(n/a)													$15,106	$779	$14,327
Provo Adult Education	Public	9-12	636 N Independence Ave	Provo	84601	Utah County	Provo District	No	No	No	No	(801) 374-4840	0	1	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Provo High	Public	7-12	1199 North Lakeshore Dr	Provo	84601	Utah County	Provo District	No	No	No	No	(801) 373-6550	1,988	80	24.8	37.0%	1,037 (52.2%)	10 (0.5%)	763 (38.4%)	33 (1.7%)	19 (1.0%)	64 (3.2%)	62 (3.1%)	22.4	113^th of 138 public high schools	18.1%		21.2	113^th of 139 public high schools	18.7%		34.4	36.2	23.9	17.6	28.1	22.4							$9,806	$484	$9,322
Timpview High	Public	9-12	3570 N 650 E	Provo	84604	Utah County	Provo District	No	No	No	No	(801) 221-9720	2,341	99	23.6	27.2%	1,490 (63.6%)	24 (1.0%)	553 (23.6%)	62 (2.6%)	8 (0.3%)	107 (4.6%)	96 (4.1%)	67.6	33^rd of 138 public high schools	76.1%		65.8	32^nd of 139 public high schools	77.0%	1	54.2	59.5	40.4	38.3	39.8	34.4							$9,035	$473	$8,562
Salem Hills High	Public	9-12	150 N Skyhawk Blvd	Salem	84653	Utah County	Nebo District	No	No	No	No	(801) 423-3200	1,561	64	24.3	16.2%	1,339 (85.8%)	8 (0.5%)	152 (9.7%)	9 (0.6%)	6 (0.4%)	4 (0.3%)	43 (2.8%)	62.1	41^st of 138 public high schools	70.3%		53.6	59^th of 139 public high schools	57.6%	18		45.3		39.4		36.9							$8,456	$522	$7,934
Orem High	Public	10-12	175 S 400 E	Orem	84097	Utah County	Alpine District	No	No	No	No	(801) 610-8165	1,287	52	24.6	24.8%	870 (67.6%)	13 (1.0%)	282 (21.9%)	15 (1.2%)	6 (0.5%)	44 (3.4%)	57 (4.4%)	64.4	37^th of 138 public high schools	73.2%		55.1	55^th of 139 public high schools	60.4%	18		50.6		33.7		38.6							$9,355	$375	$8,979

Merit College Preparatory Academy

Merit College Preparatory Academy:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Merit College Preparatory Academy:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Merit College Preparatory Academy

Rank History for all middle school students at Merit College Preparatory Academy

Rank History for middle school White students at Merit College Preparatory Academy

Rank History for Merit College Preparatory Academy

Rank History for all high school students at Merit College Preparatory Academy

Rank History for high school White students at Merit College Preparatory Academy

Review counts

Enrollment information for Merit College Preparatory Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Merit College Preparatory Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Merit College Preparatory Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Merit College Preparatory Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Merit College Preparatory Academy

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Merit College Preparatory Academy