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#4837 of 9,539 schools in CA

Peggy Heller Elementary

Elementary School · Atwater Elementary · Atwater, CA

An Atwater Elementary elementary school where students score 5 points above what's typical for similar communities.

201 Lake View Dr., Atwater, CA 95301

  • Math 36% vs CA 37% (2024)
  • Reading 48% vs CA 46% (2024)
  • 22.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.3Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.65 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.5Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency36% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency48.5% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-9.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+5.7 pts
Overall Proficiency42% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)37% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+5.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile63th
Resources & Environment6.9Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.8:1
District spending per student$15,368
Chronic Absenteeism12.3%

Students at Peggy Heller Elementary score 42% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 37%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency36%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
37%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency48%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
46%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 9 points since 2018, to 42% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
67%
ELA
64%
2010
Math
68%
ELA
58%
2011
Math
70%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
63%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
29%
ELA
48%
2015
Math
35%
ELA
53%
2016
Math
41%
ELA
61%
2017
Math
43%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
44%
ELA
58%
2019
Math
44%
ELA
58%
2022
Math
43%
ELA
56%
2024
Math
36%
ELA
48%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 47% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 55% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 38 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

65.9%

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 Peggy Heller Elementary 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 15Car-Dependent
  • Bike 38Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,969/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Atwater), 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

$66,669

Median home value

$367,800

Median rent

$1,215/mo

College educated

16%

Homeownership

56.7%

Poverty rate

17.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95301; 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
Bellevue ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.4K–60.9 mi621Compare →
Elmer Wood ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.8K–60.9 mi507Compare →
Thomas Olaeta ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.3K–61.1 mi387Compare →
Winfield ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.3K–51.4 mi454Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Atwater Elementary

Schools in district
11
Rank in district
#6 of 9
District spending per student
$15,368NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
23.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Peggy Heller Elementary is listed in Atwater Elementary; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Peggy Heller Elementary

Peggy Heller Elementary is a public elementary school in Atwater, CA, part of Atwater Elementary, serving approximately 707 students in grades Kindergarten-8th with a 22.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10 and ranks #4,837 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 47% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Peggy Heller Elementary

What grades does Peggy Heller Elementary serve?

Peggy Heller Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 8th.

How many students attend Peggy Heller Elementary?

Peggy Heller Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 707 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Peggy Heller Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Peggy Heller Elementary is 22.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Peggy Heller Elementary rank in CA?

Peggy Heller Elementary ranks #4,837 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Peggy Heller Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Peggy Heller Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 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 Peggy Heller Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Peggy Heller Elementary has 47% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Peggy Heller Elementary a charter school?

No, Peggy Heller Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Peggy Heller Elementary a Title I school?

No, Peggy Heller Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Peggy Heller Elementary?

65.9% of students at Peggy Heller 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 factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 8th
Enrollment
707
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
31
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Merced County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
12.3%
Area population (ZIP 95301)
42,374
Area average commute
27.5 min
Area median age
34.5
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 95301; 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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