- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Buena Park, CA
James a. Whitaker Elementary
Federal NCES profile for James a. Whitaker Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060636000560
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James a. Whitaker Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #7 of 10
- elementary schools in Buena Park · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.7:1
- students per teacher
- 77.5%
- free-lunch eligible
James a. Whitaker Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James a. Whitaker Elementary ranks #7 of 10 elementary schools in Buena Park, CA.
School address
District: Buena Park Elementary · California
NCES ID 060636000560 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-60 students YoY
James a. Whitaker Elementary shrank from 639 students in 2022-23 to 579 in 2023-24 (-9.4%).
Teacher FTE added 27.0 → 29.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-60 students YoY 060636000560 · Buena Park, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
559 enr · 20.7:1 · 77.5% lunch · RII 22
Nearest enrollment peer: Charles G. Emery Elementary (646 students)
James a. Whitaker Elementary shrank from 639 students in 2022-23 to 579 in 2023-24 (-9.4%). Teacher FTE added 27.0 → 29.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
James a. Whitaker Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Charles G. Eme
Charles G. Emery Elementary
646 students
- Gordon H. Beat
Gordon H. Beatty Middle
641 students
- Buena Park Mid
Buena Park Middle
633 students
- This school
James a. Whitaker Elementary
559 students
- Carl E. Gilber
Carl E. Gilbert Elementary
490 students
- Mabel L. Pendl
Mabel L. Pendleton Elementary
365 students
What this shows James a. Whitaker Elementary reports 559 students on the CCD universe file.
How James a. Whitaker Elementary compares
James a. Whitaker Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.7:1 | ▼ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.5% | ▲ 40% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 559 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.7:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
559
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
77.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
20.7:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 41% in California - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
39.0%
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
$19,036
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 559 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 81.0%
Asian 7.5%
White 4.7%
African American 3.0%
Two or More 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 81.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.4, James a. Whitaker Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Buena Park Elementary reports $19,036 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How James a. Whitaker Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles G. Emery Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gordon H. Beatty Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Buena Park Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Carl E. Gilbert Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mabel L. Pendleton Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James a. Whitaker Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 641
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 633
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 490
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 365
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Buena Park
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Charles G. Emery Elementary
Standard public school
646 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Buena Terra Elementary
Standard public school
627 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Carl E. Gilbert Elementary
Standard public school
490 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Glen H. Dysinger Sr. Elementary
Standard public school
468 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
San Marino Elementary
Standard public school
465 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Holder Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~559 students)
Frequently asked questions about James a. Whitaker Elementary
How many students attend James a. Whitaker Elementary?
James a. Whitaker Elementary has 559 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Buena Park, CA. CCD year-over-year: 639 (2022-23) → 579 (2023-24), down 60.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James a. Whitaker Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at James a. Whitaker Elementary is 20.7:1, which is 4% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 32% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James a. Whitaker Elementary?
77.5% of students at James a. Whitaker Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James a. Whitaker Elementary?
The largest demographic group at James a. Whitaker Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 81.0% of enrollment, in Buena Park, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James a. Whitaker Elementary?
James a. Whitaker Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does James a. Whitaker Elementary rank among elementary schools in Buena Park?
By Resource Investment Index, James a. Whitaker Elementary ranks #7 of 10 elementary schools in Buena Park, 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 Buena Park on the city page.
What other schools are in Buena Park Elementary?
Besides James a. Whitaker Elementary, Buena Park Elementary also operates Charles G. Emery Elementary (646 students), Gordon H. Beatty Middle (641 students), and Buena Park Middle (633 students). See the Buena Park Elementary district page for the complete list.