Merced River Union School District

Merced River Union School District, doing business as Washington Elementary School, operates as a federal grant recipient focused on K–12 education programming in rural California, receiving formula grants and sub-grants from the Department of Education and Department of Agriculture through the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and state pass-through mechanisms.

Washington Elementary School is a public school district entity headquartered in Winton, California, serving as a prime recipient on Small, Rural School Achievement Program formula grants from the Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. The district also receives sub-grants routed through the California Department of Education covering English language acquisition, Title I high-poverty school improvement, school lunch nutrition assistance, and general academic achievement initiatives. Recent activity shows five sub-grant awards in 2026 alone, with prior-year sub-grants dating to 2024. The district's federal footprint is concentrated in education and nutrition support: over the past five years (2022–2026), it has received one prime formula grant award annually under the Small, Rural School Achievement Program, with ultimate completion dates tied to the federal fiscal year (July through September). Sub-grant work flows through the California Department of Education as the state pass-through grantor for federal Title I, English Language Learner, and National School Lunch Program funding.

The top three funding agencies account for 97% of awards. The Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education leads the portfolio with 23 awards (primarily Small, Rural School Achievement Program formula grants as prime recipient), followed by the Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service with five sub-awards for school lunch support, and the Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition with two awards. Total obligated federal dollars across all 31 awards since 2007 reach $904 thousand, reflecting the modest scale typical of rural school districts receiving formula allocations rather than competitive grants. The district holds a prime role in 65% of its awards and a sub-recipient role in 35%, primarily through state-administered pass-through programs. One award reaches completion within the next twenty-four months, limiting near-term recompete exposure.