Hilmar Middle, Hilmar CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Hilmar Middle

Hilmar Middle serves grades six through eight in a small, car-dependent agricultural community in northern Merced County. The school enrolls roughly the same number of students across its three grades, with enrollment spread fairly evenly. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is split between White and Hispanic students, with very small numbers of other racial and ethnic groups represented.

On California's state assessments for 2024-25, Hilmar Middle's proficiency results are low. In English language arts, performance ranges from just over a quarter of sixth graders meeting proficiency to about half of eighth graders; the school-wide proficiency rate is in the mid-to-upper thirties. Math proficiency is notably lower. Sixth-grade math proficiency is quite low, seventh-grade improves somewhat to the mid-twenties, and eighth-grade is similar; the school-wide rate is around one in five students. Science testing, offered only in eighth grade, shows proficiency at around one in three students. The only social studies result available is from 2013, when about forty-five percent of eighth graders met proficiency on that assessment.

Against other districts in Merced County, Hilmar Middle's overall proficiency index sits below the median. State graduation and chronic-absenteeism data do not apply to a middle school. The school's academic performance reflects a student population facing economic barriers and, based on the results pattern, appears to need strengthened instructional support in foundational math skills.

Hilmar is an unincorporated community centered on agriculture and food processing, with the Hilmar Cheese Company being the dominant employer. The broader area is described as car-dependent, anchored by the main commercial thoroughfare of Lander Avenue, which has fast-food restaurants, a local diner, and Portuguese bakeries and shops. A county library branch sits near the community pool, and parks dot the area, including one along the Merced River. Housing values in the area are moderate relative to state benchmarks.

The Hilmar Unified School District recently opened a new elementary school for kindergarten through second grade on a campus between the high school and one of the existing elementary buildings, directly responding to longstanding overcrowding in the district's early elementary grades. That school was funded through a general obligation bond. A second bond measure, focused on facility modernization and repairs to existing buildings, was defeated by voters in November 2024, leaving deferred maintenance and facility upgrades unfunded. These district circumstances matter for families considering Hilmar Middle: they indicate both investment in growth accommodation and a cap on available resources for broader facility improvement.

Data on English learners, students with individualized education programs, discipline, and attendance were not available, so a parent seeking information on those aspects or on course offerings and specialized programs should contact the school directly.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 614%

School 14% · District 14%

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

Grade 727%

School 27% · District 27%

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 23%

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 626%

School 26% · District 26%

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 739%

School 39% · District 39%

▼ 7 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 48%

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Science

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 27%

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 845%

School 45% · District 45%

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

This schoolHilmar Unified, 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 6Lower-income16%Higher-income45%30 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income34%Higher-income49%16 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income37%Higher-income71%34 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income7%Higher-income28%21 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income19%Higher-income44%26 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income14%Higher-income42%28 pp gap