Original Research by School Decision on Grace M. Davis High
Grace M. Davis High is a comprehensive high school in Modesto serving roughly students in grades nine through twelve. The school's student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share of students from low-income households qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Just under half the enrollment is Asian, Black, white, or multiracial.
The most recent state testing results show proficiency in English language arts at below the state passing threshold, while mathematics and science proficiency are considerably lower. The school serves a population with real academic challenges across all tested subjects. A parent may want to look into the school's support services, curriculum approach, and academic intervention programs to understand how the school is working to improve these outcomes.
Grace M. Davis is part of Modesto City High School District, which covers Modesto, a mid-sized Central Valley city anchored by food and beverage processing, agriculture, and healthcare. Major employers include E. & J. Gallo Winery, Save Mart Supermarkets, and Sutter Central Valley Hospitals. The city's economy is largely tied to these industrial and agricultural sectors, with distribution and financial services also present. Downtown Modesto is walkable and sits within a short distance of parks, government offices, and arts venues, though the broader city is car-dependent. The housing market shows median home values in line with the Central Valley, though historically a fraction of households could afford mortgages at those prices, and new construction has slowed sharply since the 1990s.
The district has been investing through a general obligation bond approved by voters. Bond-funded renovation and modernization projects are underway across the high schools, including solar panels, upgraded cafeterias, science classrooms, and restrooms, with a significant restructuring of Modesto High School expected to span roughly two years. These improvements touch the physical learning environment and will likely involve temporary disruptions during construction at some campuses.
The district also launched a required ethnic studies course for all freshmen beginning fall 2025, with a pilot class offered in early 2025 and local Modesto history woven into the curriculum. This replaces the world religions course that had been a graduation requirement for over twenty years and now functions as an elective instead. Both changes reshape the graduation pathway and core curricular experience for students entering the school system.
State testing data for the district's graduation rate was not available, so a parent may want to request that directly from the school or district. Similarly, data on the school's chronic absenteeism rate and detailed staff-to-student ratios were not provided. Program offerings, course breadth, and student support services beyond the academic data were also not available in the sources reviewed, and parents may benefit from visiting the school's website or scheduling a conversation with counselors to understand what academic and extracurricular pathways are available.
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