MERIT Academy

Public 9-12

1600 N. Cuyamaca St.
El Cajon, CA 92020-1109

(619) 956-0600

District: Grossmont Union High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.9

Number of students: 79

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.4%

Hispanic:

40.5%

African American:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.5%

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Compare MERIT Academy to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details MERIT Academy is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2019 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.62. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of MERIT Academy freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (49.4%), Hispanic (40.5%), African American (3.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 78.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at MERIT Academy is 12.9, which is the 5^th best among 12 high schools in the Grossmont Union High School District. (See more...)

Compare MERIT Academy employs 6.1 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger Rankings:

MERIT Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Grossmont Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Grossmont Union High 586^th of 1560 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for MERIT Academy

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Rank History for all students at MERIT Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2016	14.56	1630^th	2039	20.1%
2019	16.62	1710^th	2133	19.8%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Disabled students at MERIT Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	45.82	468^th	1117	58.1%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for MERIT Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2014	29	2	2	12	1	0	1	0	47
2015	36	5	1	15	2	1	5	0	65
2016	40	2	0	17	1	2	3	0	65
2017	51	4	0	13	0	1	4	0	73
2018	43	3	0	15	0	1	5	0	67
2019	32	6	0	21	0	0	5	0	64
2020	34	8	0	23	0	0	8	0	73
2021	30	4	1	34	1	0	2	0	72
2022	30	2	1	32	1	0	1	0	67
2023	39	3	0	32	1	0	3	1	79

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at MERIT Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	47	5.2	9.0	66
2015	65	6.0	10.8	66.2
2016	65	6.0	10.8	73.8
2017	73	6.2	11.7	61.6
2018	67	6.0	11.1	55.2
2019	64	6.1	10.4	70.3
2020	73	n/a	n/a	72.6
2021	72	6.1	11.8	70.8
2022	67	6.1	10.8	80.6
2023	79	6.1	12.9	78.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio MERIT Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	47	5.2	9.0	66
2015	65	6.0	10.8	66.2
2016	65	6.0	10.8	73.8
2017	73	6.2	11.7	61.6
2018	67	6.0	11.1	55.2
2019	64	6.1	10.4	70.3
2020	73	n/a	n/a	72.6
2021	72	6.1	11.8	70.8
2022	67	6.1	10.8	80.6
2023	79	6.1	12.9	78.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on MERIT Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	64	79	23.4%
African American	6	3	50%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	21	32	52.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	32	39	21.9%
Two or More Races	5	3	40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	70.3%	78.5%	8.2%

Schools Near MERIT Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				CAST Science (2023)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2023)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2023)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	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 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Chaparral High	Public	9-12	1600 N. Cuyamaca St.	El Cajon	92020	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-4600	62	7	8.8	83.9%	19 (30.6%)	4 (6.5%)	35 (56.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (6.5%)	8.1	2190^th of 2346 public high schools	6.6%		9.4	2085^th of 2123 public high schools	1.8%	105		0.0		0.0			10.5	10.5			0.0	0.0	$32,683
MERIT Academy	Public	9-12	1600 N. Cuyamaca St.	El Cajon	92020	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-0600	79	6	12.9	78.5%	39 (49.4%)	3 (3.8%)	32 (40.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.8%)								(n/a)
IDEA Center	Public	9-12	1600 N. Cuyamaca St.	El Cajon	92020	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-4332	140	17	8.3	50.7%	75 (53.6%)	8 (5.7%)	44 (31.4%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (7.9%)	23.5	1602^nd of 2346 public high schools	31.7%		34.9	1309^th of 2123 public high schools	38.3%	293		9.8		9.3			34.2	34.2			9.5	9.5	$22,602
Grossmont Secondary	Public, Charter	7-12	111 Fletcher Pkwy.	El Cajon	92020	San Diego County	Grossmont Secondary District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 678-2020	257	8	34.1	69.3%	52 (20.2%)	19 (7.4%)	155 (60.3%)	5 (1.9%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	21 (8.2%)	49	890^th of 2346 public high schools	62.1%		50.4	924^th of 2123 public high schools	56.5%	34	13.3		21.1	20.9	18.2	37.5	73.5	54.1	18.2	12.5	17.7	16.4
Grossmont Middle College High	Public	11-12	8800 Grossmont College Dr.	El Cajon	92020	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 644-7524	49	2	23.4	46.9%	29 (59.2%)	1 (2.0%)	10 (20.4%)	3 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (12.2%)	88.3	205^th of 2346 public high schools	91.3%		99.4	8^th of 2123 public high schools	99.6%	197		57.1		57.1			82.1	82.1			40.7	40.7	$8,758
El Cajon Valley High	Public	9-12	1035 E. Madison Ave.	El Cajon	92021	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 579-5855	1,652	77	21.4	91.0%	601 (36.4%)	159 (9.6%)	730 (44.2%)	100 (6.1%)	5 (0.3%)	7 (0.4%)	50 (3.0%)	30.5	1399^th of 2346 public high schools	40.4%		27.1	1490^th of 2123 public high schools	29.8%	91		10.8	3.3	10.3			40.5	40.5			15.8	15.8	$13,545
Grossmont High	Public	9-12	1100 Murray Dr.	La Mesa	91944	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 668-6000	2,175	89	24.3	59.5%	764 (35.1%)	167 (7.7%)	924 (42.5%)	109 (5.0%)	4 (0.2%)	13 (0.6%)	191 (8.8%)	62	616^th of 2346 public high schools	73.7%		71.3	509^th of 2123 public high schools	76.0%	107		35.5	25.0	35.2			59.5	59.5			23.2	23.2	$10,796
Santana High	Public	9-12	9915 N. Magnolia Ave.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-0211	1,736	65	26.8	46.0%	1,015 (58.5%)	27 (1.6%)	498 (28.7%)	64 (3.7%)	13 (0.7%)	4 (0.2%)	112 (6.5%)	78.5	356^th of 2346 public high schools	84.8%		79	394^th of 2123 public high schools	81.4%	38		39.4	21.4	38.8			69.6	69.6			41.6	41.6	$10,820
West Hills High	Public	9-12	8756 Mast Blvd.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-0400	1,532	65	23.7	37.6%	821 (53.6%)	29 (1.9%)	456 (29.8%)	95 (6.2%)	18 (1.2%)	5 (0.3%)	108 (7.0%)	64.6	564^th of 2346 public high schools	76.0%		73.1	479^th of 2123 public high schools	77.4%	85		31.5	33.3	31.6			53.9	53.9			36.8	36.8	$10,325
Elite Academy	Public	9-12	230 Jamacha Blvd.	El Cajon	92019	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 588-3545	44	4	10.4	59.1%	16 (36.4%)	3 (6.8%)	18 (40.9%)	1 (2.3%)	2 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (9.1%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about MERIT Academy

How many students attend MERIT Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 79 students attended MERIT Academy.

What district is MERIT Academy in?

Grossmont Union High

What is the racial makeup of MERIT Academy?

Students at MERIT Academy are 49% White, 41% Hispanic, 4% African American, 4% Two or more races, 1% American Indian, 1% Not Specified.

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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.

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