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Middle Schools in Atwater Elementary

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At a glance

DistrictAtwater Elementary811^th of 1,530 California districtsFull district overview →

Schools

927

Students

Top rankedBellevue Senior Elementary1713^th of 2,740 California middle schools

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Summary:

Atwater Elementary has two middle schools, [Mitchell Intermediate](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/schools/0342000260/school.aspx) and [Bellevue Senior Elementary](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/schools/0342013051/school.aspx), and both serve grades 7–8. In 2025–2026, their results were generally below state proficiency rates, with the schools’ simple average closest to the state in ELA: 44% versus 49%. The average gaps were larger in mathematics and science, at 16 points in each subject. The most important shared concern is mathematics: both schools were substantially below the state, and the area’s largest average gap was in this subject.

Neither school leads across every subject. Bellevue was ahead in ELA, with 44% proficiency compared with Mitchell’s 43%, and in science, with 21% compared with 19%; Mitchell led in mathematics, with 23% compared with Bellevue’s 21%. Even the subject leaders remained below state results: Bellevue was 5 points below the state in ELA and 15 points below in science, while Mitchell was 15 points below in mathematics. The schools’ SchoolDigger rankings were similar, both at the 38th percentile statewide in 2025–2026.

Recent changes were mixed: the two-school ELA average rose by about 1 point from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, while mathematics and science averages slipped slightly; because state results rose, the average gaps widened in both subjects. At the school level, Bellevue’s ELA score rose by 4 points, while Mitchell’s fell by 3; Mitchell’s science result rose by 2 points, while Bellevue’s fell by 2. SchoolDigger’s percentile history shows Mitchell declining from 51 in 2023–2024 to 38 in 2025–2026, and Bellevue moving from 45 to 38. Bellevue is smaller, with 178 students and a 15.2 student–teacher ratio, compared with Mitchell’s 744 students and 23.8 ratio; it leads in ELA and science, but not mathematics. For 2024–2025, the reported measure was free/reduced lunch eligible: 94% at Bellevue and 76% at Mitchell. These are contextual differences, not an explanation for the schools’ results. The averages give each school equal weight despite their different enrollments.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CAST Science (2026)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)			Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mitchell Intermediate	Public	7-8	1753 Fifth St.	Atwater	95301	Merced County	Atwater Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 357-6124	744	31	23.8	75.9%	97 (13.0%)	15 (2.0%)	577 (77.6%)	37 (5.0%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	12 (1.6%)	33	1714^th of 2740 public middle schools	37.4%		38.9	1520^th of 2761 public middle schools	44.9%	194	19.4	19.4	45.1	41.8	43.5	23.5	22.7	23.1	$18,588	$2,004	$16,584
Atwater Senior Academy	Public	6-8	1800 Juniper Ave.	Atwater	95301	Merced County	Atwater Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 357-6515	5	1	4.9	—	0 (0.0%)	2 (40.0%)	3 (60.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					23.1			0.0	$68,335	$10,577	$57,758
Bellevue Senior Elementary	Public	7-8	1020 East Bellevue Rd.	Atwater	95301	Merced County	Atwater Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 357-6140	178	12	15.2	93.8%	8 (4.5%)	5 (2.8%)	161 (90.4%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.7%)	33	1713^th of 2740 public middle schools	37.5%		33.1	1712^th of 2761 public middle schools	38.0%	1	21.2	21.2	39.8	48.8	44.4	20.5	21.2	20.8	$16,182	$1,677	$14,505

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Merced Union High	0.83 mi	9	1066^th
Merced County Office of Education	0.93 mi	8	1506^th
Winton	1.84 mi	4	621^st
McSwain Union Elementary	4.64 mi	1	607^th
Merced City Elementary	4.71 mi	19	1288^th

See the top CA California districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.