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Below Average

#7976 of 9,539 schools in CA

Joe Stefani

Elementary School · Merced City Elementary · Merced, CA

A Merced City Elementary elementary school where students score 5 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2768 Ranchero Ln., Merced, CA 95348

  • Math 24% vs CA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 33% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 26.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.3Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.97 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.2Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency23.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency33% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-22.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-9.8 pts
Overall Proficiency28% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)23% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+4.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile46th
Resources & Environment2.5Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio26.4:1
District spending per student$15,186
Chronic Absenteeism30.8%

Students at Joe Stefani score 28% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 23%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency24%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
38%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency33%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 25 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 28% recently.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
61%
ELA
46%
2010
Math
57%
ELA
43%
2011
Math
56%
ELA
44%
2012
Math
60%
ELA
46%
2014
Math
22%
ELA
35%
2015
Math
22%
ELA
40%
2016
Math
22%
ELA
36%
2017
Math
23%
ELA
38%
2018
Math
26%
ELA
40%
2019
Math
26%
ELA
40%
2022
Math
17%
ELA
29%
2024
Math
24%
ELA
33%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 32% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

90.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Joe Stefani sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 14Car-Dependent
  • Bike 29Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,653/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Merced), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$63,618

Median home value

$352,700

Median rent

$1,498/mo

College educated

19.3%

Homeownership

47.3%

Poverty rate

19.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95348; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Stone Ridge Christian Elementary SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–50.2 mi190Compare →
Franklin ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.7K–30.3 mi568Compare →
Leontine Gracey ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.4K–62.6 mi509Compare →
Mcswain ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.4K–82.6 mi939Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Merced City Elementary

Schools in district
19
Rank in district
#13 of 19
District spending per student
$15,186NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
28.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Joe Stefani is listed in Merced City Elementary; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Joe Stefani

Joe Stefani is a public elementary school in Merced, CA, part of Merced City Elementary, serving approximately 608 students in grades 3rd-6th with a 26.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 out of 10 and ranks #7,976 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 32% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Joe Stefani

What grades does Joe Stefani serve?

Joe Stefani serves students in grades 3rd through 6th.

How many students attend Joe Stefani?

Joe Stefani has an enrollment of approximately 608 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Joe Stefani?

The student-teacher ratio at Joe Stefani is 26.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Joe Stefani rank in CA?

Joe Stefani ranks #7,976 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Joe Stefani's MySchoolScout rating?

Joe Stefani has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Joe Stefani?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Joe Stefani has 32% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Joe Stefani a charter school?

No, Joe Stefani is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Joe Stefani a Title I school?

No, Joe Stefani is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Joe Stefani?

90.5% of students at Joe Stefani qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
3rd – 6th
Enrollment
608
Student-Teacher Ratio
26.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Merced County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
30.8%
Area population (ZIP 95348)
36,663
Area average commute
26.1 min
Area median age
31
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 95348; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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