- Enrollment
- 942
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Merced, CA
Valley Merced Community
Federal NCES profile for Valley Merced Community, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 069102008217
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Valley Merced Community earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of California schools.
- #2 of 4
- schools in Merced · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11:1
- small classes for California
- 87.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Valley Merced Community has class sizes smaller than 95% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Merced Community ranks #2 of 4 schools in Merced, CA.
School address
District: Merced County Office of Education · California
NCES ID 069102008217 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-151 students YoY
Valley Merced Community shrank from 232 students in 2022-23 to 81 in 2023-24 (-65.1%).
Teacher FTE lost 9.3 → 5.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-151 students YoY 069102008217 · Merced, CA Other · SMALL · TRAD
99 enr · 11:1 · 87.9% lunch · RII 43
Nearest enrollment peer: Merced County Special Education (942 students)
Valley Merced Community shrank from 232 students in 2022-23 to 81 in 2023-24 (-65.1%). Teacher FTE lost 9.3 → 5.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Valley Merced Community in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Merced County
Merced County Special Education
942 students
- Merced Scholar 334
Merced Scholars Charter
334 students
- Valley Los Ban 160
Valley Los Banos Community
160 students
- Come Back Char 128
Come Back Charter
128 students
- Valley Atwater 122
Valley Atwater Community
122 students
- This school 99
Valley Merced Community
99 students
What this shows Valley Merced Community reports 99 students on the CCD universe file.
How Valley Merced Community compares
Valley Merced Community is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11:1 | ▼ 49% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.9% | ▲ 58% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 99 | top 90% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11:1
Leaner classes than 83% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
99
Bigger than 10% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
87.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11:1
students per teacher
- 49% below state mean
Top 5% in California - lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$65,270
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 77.6%
White 10.2%
African American 10.2%
Two or More 2.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 77.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.7, Valley Merced Community is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Merced County Office of Education reports $65,270 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Valley Merced Community Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merced County Special Education | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Merced Scholars Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley Los Banos Community | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Come Back Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley Atwater Community | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Valley Merced Community's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 160
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 128
- Students per teacher
- 42.7:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
- Enrollment
- 122
- Students per teacher
- 40.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Merced
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~99 students)
Frequently asked questions about Valley Merced Community
How many students attend Valley Merced Community?
Valley Merced Community has 99 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Merced, CA. CCD year-over-year: 232 (2022-23) → 81 (2023-24), down 151.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley Merced Community?
The student-teacher ratio at Valley Merced Community is 11:1, which is 49% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 30% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Valley Merced Community?
87.9% of students at Valley Merced Community are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Valley Merced Community?
The largest demographic group at Valley Merced Community is Hispanic or Latino at 77.6% of enrollment, in Merced, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Valley Merced Community?
Valley Merced Community has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Valley Merced Community rank among schools in Merced?
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Merced Community ranks #2 of 4 schools in Merced, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Merced on the city page.
What other schools are in Merced County Office of Education?
Besides Valley Merced Community, Merced County Office of Education also operates Merced County Special Education (942 students), Merced Scholars Charter (334 students), and Valley Los Banos Community (160 students). See the Merced County Office of Education district page for the complete list.