Average
#5176 of 9,539 schools in CA
Valley Atwater Community
High School · Merced County Office of Education · Merced, CA
A Merced County Office of Education high school where students score 16 points below what's typical for similar communities.
632 West 13th St., Merced, CA 95341
- Math 4% vs CA 32% (2024)
- Reading 9% vs CA 49% (2024)
- 54.5% 4-year graduation
Academics
Full Profile · 4/4 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
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Students at Valley Atwater Community score 5% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 21%).
2024 CAASPP proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency has held near 7% across the 16-year record (2009–2024).
Show all 11 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 6% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 9% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)
* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.
Based on 28 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).
Equity & diversity
Shown separately, not included in the overall scoreFree/reduced lunch
94.2%
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 rateThe neighborhood
Where Valley Atwater Community 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 31Car-Dependent
- Bike 34Somewhat Bikeable
- City Safety: High3,653/100K
Powered by
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
$55,516
Median home value
$295,300
Median rent
$1,172/mo
College educated
7.8%
Homeownership
39.3%
Poverty rate
27.3%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95341; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atwater HighEnrollment path unverified | 5.5 | 9–12 | 1.7 mi | 2,051 | Compare → |
| Buhach Colony HighEnrollment path unverified | 5.8 | 9–12 | 2.4 mi | 1,658 | Compare → |
| Grace Mennonite SchoolPrivate · tuition | 4.3private | K–10 | 4.0 mi | 114 | Compare → |
| Floyd A. SchelbyEnrollment path unverified | 4.0 | K–12 | 4.9 mi | 84 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
Merced County Office of Education
- Schools in district
- 8
- Rank in district
- #1 of 7
- District spending per student
- $65,270NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- The source release did not match this district identifier.
Valley Atwater Community is listed in Merced County Office of Education; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Valley Atwater Community
Valley Atwater Community is a public high school in Merced, CA, part of Merced County Office of Education, serving approximately 120 students in grades 6th-12th with a 20:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.2 out of 10 and ranks #5,176 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 6% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 9% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Valley Atwater Community
What grades does Valley Atwater Community serve?
Valley Atwater Community serves students in grades 6th through 12th.
How many students attend Valley Atwater Community?
Valley Atwater Community has an enrollment of approximately 120 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley Atwater Community?
The student-teacher ratio at Valley Atwater Community is 20:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Valley Atwater Community rank in CA?
Valley Atwater Community ranks #5,176 of 9,539 schools in CA.
What is Valley Atwater Community's MySchoolScout rating?
Valley Atwater Community has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.2 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 Valley Atwater Community?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Valley Atwater Community has 6% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 9% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Is Valley Atwater Community a charter school?
No, Valley Atwater Community is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Valley Atwater Community a Title I school?
No, Valley Atwater Community is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Valley Atwater Community?
94.2% of students at Valley Atwater Community 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
- 6th – 12th
- Enrollment
- 120
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 20:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 6
- Type
- alternative
- Setting
- Midsize Suburb
- County
- Merced County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 15.0%
- Phone
- (209) 381-4550
- 4-Year Graduation
- 54.5%
- Area population (ZIP 95341)
- 34,956
- Area average commute
- 29.7 min
- Area median age
- 27.4
Official sources & links
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 95341; this does not measure the attendance area.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24
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