Merced Scholars Charter, Merced CA

Original Research by School Decision on Merced Scholars Charter

Merced Scholars Charter is a small charter school spanning kindergarten through twelfth grade, located in Merced's industrial area. The school enrolls a modest-sized student body that is predominantly Hispanic and comes from low-income households, with a substantial majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. The peer composition is homogeneous by race and economic status.

Academic results are concerning. On California's standardized assessments in English language arts and math, the school's proficiency rates are substantially below district and county medians. In math, proficiency is very low across elementary grades, rising somewhat in middle school but remaining weak. English language arts shows a similar pattern, with elementary proficiency in single digits, though by eighth grade about half of students demonstrate proficiency. Science results are sparse because data for some grades are suppressed due to small enrollment, but eighth-grade science proficiency sits at a low level. Overall, when proficiency rates across tested subjects and grades are averaged, the school falls in the bottom quartile relative to other schools in Merced County.

The school's multi-year academic performance can only be assessed from the current year, as historical trend data is not available in the provided records.

Grade distribution is uneven. Elementary grades from kindergarten through second are represented, but third and fourth grades have very small cohorts. The school then has reasonable enrollment at the middle grades, with high school enrollment concentrated in grades nine through twelve, which aligns with the full K-12 span. This enrollment pattern may reflect the school's relatively recent founding or growth phase, or shifts in family participation across the grade bands.

A parent considering this school should ask the leadership directly about the reasons for these proficiency results, what academic interventions and supports are in place, and what progress trajectory the school is working toward. The data does not provide detail on teaching approaches, curriculum, the nature of the charter authorization, or school climate. Housing in Merced's 95341 zip code, where the school sits, is moderately priced relative to California state benchmarks, and rental costs are rising year over year. Merced itself is a mixed-use small city with a revitalizing downtown and significant growth tied to UC Merced expansion and the planned high-speed rail station.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

70-79%Cohort of 33 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 38%

School 8% · District 5% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Grade 49%

School 9% · District 11% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 65%

School 5% · District 3% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 77%

School 7% · District 4% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 7% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 39%

School 9% · District 6% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 49%

School 9% · District 11% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 626%

School 26% · District 15% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 726%

School 26% · District 16% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 19% · ▲ 29 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 828%

School 28% · District 11% · ▲ 17 pts above district

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

This schoolMerced County Office of Education, 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.