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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 95344

At a glance

Schools

5,730

Students

Top rankedEl Capitan High1085^th of 2,162 California high schools

Summary:

Zip code 95344 in Merced, California, contains one public high school, Golden Valley High, serving grades 9-12 within the Merced Union High district.

Golden Valley High stands out for its exceptional 95.3% graduation rate, which is higher than both the district and state averages, and a low dropout rate. This is a significant strength, especially considering the school serves a community with high economic need, where 85% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. However, the school faces notable academic challenges, with proficiency in English, math, and science below state averages, and a concerning chronic absenteeism rate of 30%, which is well above the state average.

Despite these academic hurdles, the school shows relative strengths in mathematics compared to its district and maintains a remarkably stable statewide ranking in the 38th to 40th percentile over recent years. The analysis suggests the school is effective at supporting students to graduation but grapples with factors affecting daily attendance and academic mastery. For parents, this indicates a school that successfully perseveres with students through to graduation within a challenging context, though academic results and consistent attendance are key areas for improvement.

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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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)		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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Golden Valley High	Public	9-12	2121 East Childs Ave.	Merced	95344	Merced County	Merced Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 325-1800	1,917	90	21.3	85.1%	178 (9.3%)	96 (5.0%)	1,393 (72.7%)	182 (9.5%)	12 (0.6%)	4 (0.2%)	51 (2.7%)	36.4	1347^th of 2162 public high schools	37.7%		38.2	1288^th of 2159 public high schools	40.3%	59	20.1	6.3	19.6	40.8	40.8	17.1	17.1	$25,089	$23,500	$1,589
Merced High	Public	9-12	205 West Olive Ave.	Merced	95344	Merced County	Merced Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 325-1000	1,943	86	22.5	79.4%	262 (13.5%)	107 (5.5%)	1,326 (68.2%)	142 (7.3%)	12 (0.6%)	7 (0.4%)	84 (4.3%)	36	1358^th of 2162 public high schools	37.2%		36	1339^th of 2159 public high schools	38.0%	19	21.1		21.6	41.6	41.6	14.5	14.5	$24,070	$22,352	$1,718
Sequoia High	Public	9-12	1900 G St.	Merced	95344	Merced County	Merced Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 325-1700	77	9	8.9	90.9%	10 (13.0%)	3 (3.9%)	63 (81.8%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
El Capitan High	Public	9-12	100 West Farmland	Merced	95344	Merced County	Merced Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 384-5500	1,793	85	21.1	76.2%	243 (13.6%)	89 (5.0%)	1,173 (65.4%)	226 (12.6%)	3 (0.2%)	7 (0.4%)	47 (2.6%)	47.5	1085^th of 2162 public high schools	49.8%		47.3	1073^rd of 2159 public high schools	50.3%	12	28.5	20.0	28.2	53.6	53.6	14.3	14.3	$25,450	$23,858	$1,592

Cities Near Zip Code 95344

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Winton	0.38 mi	5	395^th
Atwater	0.88 mi	14	540^th
Livingston	4 mi	7	689^th
Cressey	4.17 mi	1
Merced	5.33 mi	38	707^th

See the top CA California cities

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.