School district or education agency · NCES 0624600

Merced City Elementary

Merced, CA

District overview See comparisons

Students11,013

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools19

operational schools · 2023–24

Students11,013

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$15,186

per student

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictCAUnited States

Academic standing2025

26th percentile42nd percentile45th percentile

This district is 16 percentile points lower than the state figure and 19 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23

33.0%27.7%27.8%

This district is 5.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 5.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023

$23,165$25,614$19,509

This district is $2,449 per student lower than the state figure and $3,656 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023

$15,186$18,479$15,859

This district is $3,293 per student lower than the state figure and $673 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023

$2,429$2,019$1,964

This district is $410 per student higher than the state figure and $465 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023

$132$135$336

This district is $3 per student lower than the state figure and $204 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023

$1,061$2,978$1,793

This district is $1,917 per student lower than the state figure and $732 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023

$8,606$9,951$8,742

This district is $1,345 per student lower than the state figure and $136 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023

$4,166$4,693$3,769

This district is $527 per student lower than the state figure and $397 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023

$6,249$18,517$11,715

This district is $12,268 per student lower than the state figure and $5,466 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023

$117$916$869

This district is $799 per student lower than the state figure and $752 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24

25:122:115:1

This district is 3.0 students per teacher higher than the state figure and 10.0 students per teacher higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24

648:1443:1376:1

This district is 205 students per counselor higher than the state figure and 272 students per counselor higher than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24

94.2108.2138.9

This district is 14.0 staff per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 44.7 staff per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24

14.916.918.5

This district is 2.0 aides per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 3.6 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24

1.11.30.9

This district is 0.2 psychologists per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 0.2 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools

17.9%19.3%12.0%

This district is 1.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.9 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools

8.1%12.5%14.0%

This district is 4.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools

0.7%2.1%3.9%

This district is 1.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools

100.0%95.9%95.8%

This district is 4.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 4.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24

+0.8%-0.6%+0.5%

This district is 1.4 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.3 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district records

74.4%57.8%50.6%

This district is 16.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 23.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollment

3.7%2.8%4.5%

This district is 0.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment

8.1%6.1%9.0%

This district is 2.0 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollment

12.3%4.5%6.7%

This district is 7.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 5.6 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate

28.2%13.9%14.4%

This district is 14.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 13.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Kindergarten–grade 57,364 students

66.9%

Grades 6–83,649 students

33.1%

See enrollment for every grade

Kindergarten1,435

Grade 11,190

Grade 21,173

Grade 31,163

Grade 41,199

Grade 51,204

Grade 61,219

Grade 71,255

Grade 81,175

Students by race and ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino7,603 (69.0%)

White1,265 (11.5%)

Asian1,026 (9.3%)

Two or more races528 (4.8%)

Black or African American526 (4.8%)

American Indian or Alaska Native35 (0.3%)

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander24 (0.2%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

1,037.7All district staff, full-time equivalent

443Teachers, full-time equivalent

17School counselors, full-time equivalent

12School psychologists, full-time equivalent

164.2Instructional aides, full-time equivalent

38School administrators, full-time equivalent

21Student support staff, full-time equivalent

See detailed staffing

Kindergarten teachers67.2 FTE

Elementary teachers375.8 FTE

Elementary school counselors17 FTE

Instructional coordinators9 FTE

District administrators3 FTE

District administrative support18.3 FTE

School administrative support49.9 FTE

Other support staff262.3 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

Teachers and staff

Teacher workforce

Loading the district’s workforce comparison…

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

17.9%Students learning English1,952 students · 19 of 19 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District17.9%

CA19.3%

U.S.12.0%

8.1%Students receiving IDEA special-education services884 students · 19 of 19 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District8.1%

CA12.5%

U.S.14.0%

0.7%Students with Section 504 plans57 students · 15 of 19 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District0.7%

CA2.1%

U.S.3.9%

1.4%English learners also receiving IDEA services153 students · 19 of 19 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District1.4%

CA3.2%

U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

100.0%Teachers reported as certified

557Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District100.0%

CA95.9%

United States95.8%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

12,507children ages 5 to 17

3,526estimated to live in families below the poverty line

28.2%about 1 in 4 school-age children

District28.2%

CA13.9%

United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

District geography · 2024–25

What area does this district cover?

NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.

Loading the official district boundary…

Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.

Comparable districts

Districts serving a similar student population

These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in CA receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

Merced Union HighAtwater, CA11,120 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Los Banos UnifiedLos Banos, CA11,057 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Lynwood UnifiedLynwood, CA11,214 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Victor Valley Union HighAdelanto, CA11,568 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Pittsburg UnifiedPittsburg, CA10,709 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →

Student outcomes

How are students doing?

Four views answer different questions. State test percentages show grade-level expectations; the national research trend shows change over time; graduation and dropout measures describe high-school outcomes.

Nationally comparable trend · 2019–2025

Are results improving over time?

26^thlatest estimated national standing

20192022202320242025

6 percentile points lower than 2019.

State proficiency standards differ and should not be used for cross-state rankings. Graduation ranges and privacy protections are preserved exactly. The academic trend uses Stanford Education Data Archive estimates and is not a state proficiency percentage.

Academic results · 2025

How do results differ among student groups?

Students not economically disadvantaged2,301 assessments

48 out of 100

White students1,604 assessments

41 out of 100

Asian students1,228 assessments

38 out of 100

Fem7,130 assessments

29 out of 100

Economically disadvantaged students12,038 assessments

24 out of 100

Hispanic students9,989 assessments

24 out of 100

Mal7,199 assessments

24 out of 100

Black students510 assessments

13 out of 100

A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

15Elementary schools

4Middle schools

17City setting

2Suburb setting

1Alternative schools

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

15.7%Federal

73.2%State

11.1%Local

Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$15,186Total current spending per student

$8,902Instruction per student

$5,376Support services per student

Revenue by source: percentages and dollars

$40MFederal revenue15.7% of total revenue

$186MState revenue73.2% of total revenue

$28.2MLocal revenue11.1% of total revenue

How operating money was used

$8,902Instructionper student

$5,376Student and instructional supportper student

$1,061Special educationper student

$1,187Building operations and maintenanceper student

$201Student transportationper student

$873Food servicesper student

$0Technologyper student

People costs

$94.4MSalaries$8,606 per student

$45.7MEmployee benefits$4,166 per student

Equipment, buildings and debt

$1.4MEquipmentFY 2023

$26.7MCapital outlay$2,429 per student

$25.2MConstructionincluded in capital outlay

$68.6MDebt outstanding at year end$6,249 per student

$6.3MNew debt issuedFY 2023

$1.3MDebt principal retiredFY 2023

$1.8MInterest paid on debtFY 2023

Selected federal program revenue

$5.7MTitle I$523 per student

$1.6MIDEA special education$146 per student

$9.3MChild nutrition$847 per student

What changed since FY 2022

Operating spending per student

FY 2022$13,984

FY 2023$15,186

Capital spending per student

FY 2022$1,428

FY 2023$2,429

Debt outstanding per student

FY 2022$5,815

FY 2023$6,249

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2122.1%

2,382 of 10,800 students

2021–2244.4%

4,849 of 10,922 students

2022–2333%

3,623 of 10,973 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

0Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE19 reporting schools

0Security staff FTE19 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Gifted programs19 reporting schools

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

414Out-of-school suspensions19 reporting schoolsSee schools →89In-school suspensions19 reporting schoolsSee schools →3Law-enforcement referrals19 reporting schoolsSee schools →3School-related arrests19 reporting schoolsSee schools →

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

100%Schools reporting Wi-Fi19 reporting schools

100%Schools reporting fiber19 reporting schools

0Student devices reported18 reporting schools

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Six questions parents ask

What the available data says

Each answer shows its reporting year and opens a deeper comparison. Missing and suppressed results are never shown as zero.

Are students making academic progress?5 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2025Explore and compare →Are students missing too much school?33% chronically absent2022–23 · 10,973 students measuredExplore and compare →Is the district improving?Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsExplore and compare →Where are student-group gaps largest?8 student groups2025 research estimatesExplore and compare →How much does the district spend?$15,186current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?648:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileExplore and compare →

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →