Merced City Elementary

Merced, California — 19 schools

10,973
Total Enrollment
19
Schools
$15,875
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Merced City Elementary operates 19 public schools serving 10,973 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 15 elementary, 4 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 11,108 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Merced County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,875 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 11.4% local, 74.4% state, and 14.2% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $75,566 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 51/100, ranked #725 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 623.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 46.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 69.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% White, 8.2% Asian across the district's schools.

Merced City Elementary school enrollment varies 42× across entities

Merced City Elementary school enrollment ranges from 22 students (lowest) to 917 students (highest), a spread of 895 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Merced City Elementary has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 73.8% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Merced City Elementary student-counselor ratio is 624:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Merced City Elementary chronic absenteeism rate is 46.1% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

14.2%
Federal
74.4%
State
11.4%
Local

Funding Equity

51
Equity Score
725 / 1547
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Merced County county, where this district is located.

$1,116
Studio/mo
$1,213
1 BR/mo
$1,503
2 BR/mo
$2,067
3 BR/mo
$2,503
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$75,566
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 19 schools in Merced City Elementary.

White 10.8%
Hispanic or Latino 69.7%
African American 5.3%
Asian 8.2%
Multiracial 5.4%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

623.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
46.1%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Merced City Elementary

School Enrollment
Rudolph Rivera Elementary
917
Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary
722
Luther Burbank Elementary
716
Allan Peterson Elementary
690
Joe Stefani
641
Herbert Hoover Middle
629
Herbert H. Cruickshank Middle
624
John Muir Elementary
613
Rudolph Rivera Middle
608
Tenaya Middle
607
Franklin Elementary
602
John C. Fremont Elementary
580
Ada Givens Elementary
579
Alicia Reyes Elementary
540
Charles Wright Elementary
527
Leontine Gracey Elementary
509
Don Stowell Elementary
501
Margaret Sheehy Elementary
481
Merced City School District Community Day
22

Nearby Districts in California

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Los Angeles Unified
427,795 students · 785 schools · $25,877/pupil
Compare vs Merced City Elementary →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $26,901/pupil
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Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,737/pupil
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Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $19,558/pupil
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Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $16,975/pupil
Compare vs Merced City Elementary →

Compare Merced City Elementary

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Merced City Elementary?

Merced City Elementary has 19 schools, including 15 elementary, 4 middle. Total enrollment is 10,973 students.

How much does Merced City Elementary spend per student?

Merced City Elementary spends $15,875 per student. The district has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #725 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in Merced City Elementary?

The average teacher salary in Merced City Elementary is $75,566 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Merced City Elementary?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Merced County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Merced City Elementary?

Merced City Elementary students are 69.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% White, 8.2% Asian, 5.3% African American, averaged across 19 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Merced City Elementary?

Merced City Elementary has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #725 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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