Skip to main content

Public elementary school · Garden Grove Unified · Garden Grove, California

Merton E. Hill Elementary

Merton E. Hill Elementary rates 8.3, among the strongest elementary schools in Garden Grove Unified, where the rated median is 7.0.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
8.3this school

8.3 on a one-to-ten scale; the Garden Grove Unified median is 7.0.

#796 of 9,557 schools in California · Garden Grove Unified: 44 elementary schools rated, median 7.0

The brief

A Garden Grove Unified elementary school where students score 39 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 796 of 9,557 schools in California and 6 of 64 in Garden Grove Unified.

Merton E. Hill Elementary is listed in Garden Grove Unified, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math64%24 points above the California average of 40%2025 CAASPP
Reading68%21 points above the California average of 47%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 51 points since 2021, reaching 66% in 2025.2025 CAASPP; 46 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
7.8
50% of the rating
Academics
9.5
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
7.7
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 59% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 57% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · 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 92844; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Merton E. Hill Elementary and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$73,590
Median home value
$706,900
Median rent
$1,989/mo
College educated
22%
Homeownership
41%
Poverty rate
15.8%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92844; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
80
Very Walkable
Transit Score
41
Some Transit
Bike Score
62
Bikeable
City reported crime
1,324/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Garden Grove. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Garden Grove), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
86.7%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Merton E. Hill Elementarythis school
    8.3
  2. 7.8Compare →
  3. 7.7Compare →
  4. 7.5Compare →
  5. 7.2Compare →
  6. 7.1Compare →
  7. 6.2Compare →
  8. 5.7Compare →
  9. 5.1Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Merton E. Hill Elementary.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

The public record

What's said publicly about Merton E. Hill Elementary

Sources:School's website

Synthesized from public, attributable sources. Updated May 2026.Reviewed for accuracy.

Merton E. Hill Elementary, located in Garden Grove, CA, is recognized as a 2025 California Distinguished School 1. The school previously received the 2018 California Honor Roll School designation for high achievement in student success and college readiness 1. Serving approximately 270 students, Hill Elementary provides a 1:1 computer ratio for students in second through sixth grade, while kindergarten and first grade students use iPads for daily instruction 1. The school offers various academic and extracurricular programs, including free tutoring, after-school robotics classes focused on computer coding, and visual and performing arts programs featuring Disney Musicals in School 1. Boys & Girls Club provides after-school activities in art and athletics 1. The school utilizes a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system, awarding tickets for responsible behavior that can be redeemed for rewards 1. Students receive recognition through trimester and monthly awards, including categories for Excellence in Math, Reading, and Writing, as well as Citizenship and Participation 1. Additional recognitions include Accelerated Reader awards, Character Trait of the Month winners, and the Kid President Award 1.
Sources (1)
  1. hill.ggusd.us
Generated by AI from public sources. Every claim is grounded in a cited source.Report inaccuracy

Questions families ask

What grades does Merton E. Hill Elementary serve?

Merton E. Hill Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Merton E. Hill Elementary?

Merton E. Hill Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 270 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Merton E. Hill Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Merton E. Hill Elementary is 22.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Merton E. Hill Elementary rank in CA?

Merton E. Hill Elementary ranks #796 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is Merton E. Hill Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Merton E. Hill Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.3 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 Merton E. Hill Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Merton E. Hill Elementary has 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Merton E. Hill Elementary a charter school?

No, Merton E. Hill Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Merton E. Hill Elementary a Title I school?

No, Merton E. Hill Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Merton E. Hill Elementary?

86.7% of students at Merton E. Hill Elementary 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 facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 6th
Enrollment
270
Student-teacher ratio
22.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
12
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Orange County
Rank in district
#6 of 64
Schools in district
66
District spending per student
$20,026
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
17.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 92844)
22,719
Area average commute
29.4 min
Area median age
40.9

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.