Allan Peterson Elementary, Merced CA

Original Research by School Decision on Allan Peterson Elementary

Allan Peterson Elementary is a kindergarten-through-sixth-grade school in Merced serving a student body that is mostly Hispanic and Asian, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits in a small city anchored by UC Merced and a downtown core undergoing revitalization ahead of a planned high-speed rail station.

Academically, the school's recent performance shows mixed results. In English language arts, proficiency across all tested grades sits in the middle range, with fifth grade notably stronger than third, fourth, and sixth grades. Math proficiency is consistently lower, particularly in fourth and sixth grades where proficiency rates are under a third. Science testing, available only for fifth grade, shows proficiency below that grade's ELA result. In the comparison of schools across Merced County districts, Allan Peterson ranks in the top quartile on overall proficiency, a positioning that reflects strength relative to its immediate peer set.

The school's enrollment of roughly mid-sized proportions includes a kindergarten class notably larger than the single-digit upper grades, which reflects the school's role in serving the early elementary years. A substantial majority of the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating concentrated economic need. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse, with Hispanic students forming the largest group, followed by white students, then Asian students.

The parent district, Merced City Elementary, has approved a substantial facilities bond with collections extending over multiple decades, adding to property tax obligations. More directly affecting families, the district is implementing boundary redrawing that takes effect in the 2025-2026 school year, meaning some students will shift to different schools. Additionally, starting in 2026-2027, sixth graders will move from elementary campuses to middle schools, a grade-configuration shift affecting how the last year at Allan Peterson fits into the broader pathway.

Merced itself offers a mix of amenities and accessibility. The downtown, centered on Main Street with local shops and restaurants, is walkable; the city supports biking and trails; and regional transit includes the Amtrak San Joaquins station downtown. The area's economy rests on UC Merced, community colleges, healthcare, government, and agriculture. Housing is moderately priced relative to state benchmarks and appreciably more affordable than California's median, though rents have been rising.

Data on chronic absenteeism and four-year graduation rate were not available for this school, as the school does not serve the grades for which those measures are reported statewide. No information was available about the school's English learner or special education enrollment. Parents may want to ask the school directly about enrollment in those populations and about how the district's boundary changes and grade reconfiguration will affect continuity and support for their children.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 344%

School 44% · District 32% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 430%

School 30% · District 24% · ▲ 6 pts above district

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

Grade 539%

School 39% · District 19% · ▲ 20 pts above district

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

Grade 627%

School 27% · District 18% · ▲ 9 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 347%

School 47% · District 30% · ▲ 17 pts above district

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

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 32% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 559%

School 59% · District 37% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 646%

School 46% · District 36% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 22% · ▲ 16 pts above district

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

This schoolMerced City 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-income42%Higher-income64%22 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income23%Higher-income41%19 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income55%Higher-income67%12 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income44%Higher-income54%11 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income35%Higher-income72%37 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income21%Higher-income48%27 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income30%Higher-income60%30 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income25%Higher-income33%9 pp gap