Enrollment
430
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Whittier, CA
Howard J. Mckibben Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Howard J. Mckibben Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063756006357
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Howard J. Mckibben Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #26 of 29
- elementary schools in Whittier · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.3:1
- large classes for California
- 69.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Howard J. Mckibben Elementary has class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Howard J. Mckibben Elementary ranks #26 of 29 elementary schools in Whittier, CA.
School address
District: South Whittier Elementary · California
NCES ID 063756006357 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Howard J. Mckibben Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Howard J. Mckibben Elementary
Howard J. Mckibben Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Whittier, California, enrolling 430 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 430 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,998 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,654, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 12/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Whittier's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ocean View Elementary (668 students): Howard J. Mckibben Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (25.3:1 vs 26.7:1).
South Whittier Elementary also operates Richard L. Graves Middle (484 students) and Los Altos Elementary (457 students) alongside Howard J. Mckibben Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Howard J. Mckibben Elementary compares
Howard J. Mckibben Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.3:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.7% | ▲ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 430 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
430
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in California - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
34.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$18,916
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 93.5%
White 3.5%
Asian 1.9%
African American 0.5%
Two or More 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 93.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.4, Howard J. Mckibben Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Whittier Elementary, which includes Howard J. Mckibben Elementary.
$18,916
Per student
+15%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.3%
State 59.9%
Federal 14.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Howard J. Mckibben Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard L. Graves Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Los Altos Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Loma Vista Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Carmela Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lake Marie Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Howard J. Mckibben Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 484
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 457
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 317
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 186
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Whittier
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Ocean View Elementary
Standard public school
668 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Leffingwell Elementary
Standard public school
551 students 24:1 students per teacher
Wallen L. Andrews Elementary
Standard public school
542 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Jordan Elementary
Standard public school
516 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Daniel Phelan Elementary
Standard public school
507 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Longfellow Elementary
Standard public school
499 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~430 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Howard J. Mckibben Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Howard J. Mckibben Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- South Whittier Elementary's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Howard J. Mckibben Elementary
How many students attend Howard J. Mckibben Elementary?
Howard J. Mckibben Elementary has 430 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Whittier, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Howard J. Mckibben Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Howard J. Mckibben Elementary is 25.3:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Howard J. Mckibben Elementary?
69.7% of students at Howard J. Mckibben Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Howard J. Mckibben Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Howard J. Mckibben Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 93.5% of enrollment, in Whittier, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Howard J. Mckibben Elementary?
Howard J. Mckibben Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Howard J. Mckibben Elementary rank among elementary schools in Whittier?
By Resource Investment Index, Howard J. Mckibben Elementary ranks #26 of 29 elementary schools in Whittier, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Whittier on the city page.
Is Howard J. Mckibben Elementary a good school?
Howard J. Mckibben Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in South Whittier Elementary?
Besides Howard J. Mckibben Elementary, South Whittier Elementary also operates Richard L. Graves Middle (484 students), Los Altos Elementary (457 students), and Loma Vista Elementary (379 students). See the South Whittier Elementary district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.