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Email BoardDon Stowell Elementary
251 East 11th Street, Merced, CA 95340-6228
Summary
Don Stowell Elementary is badly underperforming.
Reading and math results average to the 10th percentile among comparable California schools.
Only 25.7% of students met California's reading standard, but it is trending up.
Math is weaker: 14.6% of students met California's math standard, but it is trending up slightly.
Proficiency stats
| Current Reading Proficiency | 25.7% |
| Current Math Proficiency | 14.6% |
| Reading State Rank | 4,016/4,657 (14th percentile) |
| Math State Rank | 4,362/4,657 (6th percentile) |
School information
| Student / Teacher Ratio | 20:1 |
| Student enrollment (2024–25) | 501 |
| Low-Income Students | 481 (96.0%) |
| English Learners | 207 (41.3%) |
School Website
Great Schools
Niche
Ed-Data
CAASPP| Admissions | Open enrollment |
|---|---|
| Charter school | No |
| Magnet school | No |
Test score trends
Reading rose 3.5 points from last year and rose 6.4 points over the full period. Math fell 1.7 points from last year and rose 2.2 points over the full period.
•Math +2.2 percentage points (2024–2026)Reading Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American students have the strongest results.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
The share meeting the reading standard ranges from 20.7% to 28.6% across the grades shown. Overall, the school’s reading results rank No. 4,016 of 4,657 among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
Results for both income groups are unavailable, so a current reading gap cannot be calculated.
•English Learners vs English Native
7.3% of English learners meet the reading standard, compared with 25.7% of English-only students. The gap widened as English-learner results fell and English-only results rose.
•Math Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino students have the strongest math results at about 14% proficiency. The other reported groups range from about 10% to 10%.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
The share meeting the math standard ranges from 5.5% to 24.6% across the grades shown. Overall, the school’s math results rank No. 4,362 of 4,657 among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
Results for both income groups are unavailable, so a current math gap cannot be calculated.
•English Learners vs English Native
5.7% of English learners meet the math standard, compared with 12.1% of English-only students. The gap widened as English-learner results fell and English-only results held steady.
•Progress as students move up
2023–2026
How we compare income gaps
“Typical” means the median gap across 1,479 schools for reading and 1,483 for math. The comparison uses 2026 California K–6 schools with at least 20 tested students in each income group and a reported low-income student population. Each school counts once. Its gap is non-low-income proficiency minus low-income proficiency, including negative gaps. California state test data
Understanding this school
How does Don Stowell Elementary compare within the district?
Don Stowell Elementary is No. 11 in both reading and math proficiency among the 12 K–6 schools in Merced City Elementary with 2026 results.
Explore the district’s schoolsHow does Don Stowell Elementary rank in California?
Don Stowell Elementary ranks No. 4,016 of 4,657 in reading and No. 4,362 of 4,657 in math for 2026. These proficiency rankings compare California schools in the same grade-level category.
How do low-income students at Don Stowell Elementary compare within the district?
Low-income students here rank No. 9 in reading and No. 10 in math among 12 K–6 district schools with reportable 2026 results for this group. 25.7% meet the reading standard and 15.0% meet the math standard.
See results by student groupHow does Don Stowell Elementary compare with other schools in Merced?
Don Stowell Elementary is No. 11 in both reading and math proficiency among the 12 K–6 schools in Merced with 2026 results.
Explore schools in MercedHow does Don Stowell Elementary compare with other schools in Merced County?
Don Stowell Elementary is No. 28 in both reading and math proficiency among the 31 K–6 schools in Merced County with 2026 results.
Explore schools in Merced CountyWhich schools should I compare?
Schools serving K–6 in the same district.
| School | Math | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Don Stowell ElementaryThis school | 14.6% | 25.7% |
| Ada Givens Elementary | 23.7% | 35.0% |
| Alicia Reyes Elementary | 13.8% | 23.4% |
