Peggy Heller Elementary, Atwater CA

Original Research by School Decision on Peggy Heller Elementary

Peggy Heller Elementary is a combined K-8 school in Atwater, a growing mid-sized city in the San Joaquin Valley. The school serves a substantial share of students from families with limited income, and the student population is predominantly Latino, with a meaningful share of white students and smaller numbers of Asian and other students. The enrollment sits at roughly seven hundred students spread across kindergarten through eighth grade.

On state testing in English language arts, proficiency varies across grades. Third graders showed lower proficiency, while fourth graders were closer to the midpoint. Fifth and sixth graders also showed modest performance. Seventh and eighth graders performed notably better, with eighth-grade proficiency climbing to around three out of five students meeting standards. Math proficiency is generally lower than English language arts across the school. Younger students in third and fourth grade showed modest results, while fifth grade dropped further. By sixth grade there was slight improvement, and seventh and eighth graders performed better than their younger peers, though eighth grade was the strongest year. Science testing, available for grades five and eight only, showed proficiency around one in five to one in four students meeting standards. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it in the top quartile among Merced County school districts on the basis of its combined tested performance, though in absolute terms proficiency rates remain modest across subjects.

The school is part of Atwater Elementary District, which opened Juniper Elementary in 2023, its first new school in several years, expanding capacity for the community. That growth reflects a broader pattern in Atwater itself, which has been among the fastest-growing cities in Merced County. The city emphasizes small-town character despite suburban development; it has a historic downtown anchored by civic buildings and a regional library branch, though most daily life is car-dependent across residential subdivisions and strip corridors. The housing market in the zip code is modestly priced relative to other California areas, and rents are more affordable than the regional average, though families should verify current prices given market shifts. Major employers include food processing, dairy, health care, and light manufacturing alongside government and schools.

A parent considering Peggy Heller should expect to see proficiency that is stronger among older students, particularly in eighth grade, and notably stronger in ELA than math. The school's standing among county peers on overall proficiency is solid, though actual achievement rates show that most students are not yet meeting state standards. The school serves a high-poverty, predominantly Latino enrollment. The wider context is one of growth, both in the school district and the city, which may bring both new facilities and capacity pressures. Enrollment data for English learners and students with IEPs was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about support services and how those programs are staffed.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 335%

School 35% · District 45% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 439%

School 39% · District 37% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 30% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 632%

School 32% · District 33% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 738%

School 38% · District 26% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 846%

School 46% · District 27% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 331%

School 31% · District 37% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 445%

School 45% · District 44% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 43% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 45% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 763%

School 63% · District 49% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 859%

School 59% · District 46% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Science

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 26% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 824%

School 24% · District 19% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

This schoolAtwater Elementary, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income21%Higher-income50%29 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income36%Higher-income67%30 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income32%Higher-income48%16 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income35%Higher-income55%21 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income58%Higher-income71%14 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income55%Higher-income66%11 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income28%Higher-income50%22 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income27%Higher-income67%39 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income16%Higher-income44%29 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income22%Higher-income52%29 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income31%Higher-income51%21 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income38%Higher-income59%21 pp gap