Enrollment
472
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Whittier, CA
Orchard Dale Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Orchard Dale Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061185001321
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Orchard Dale Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #7 of 29
- elementary schools in Whittier · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.9:1
- small classes for California
- 49.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Orchard Dale Elementary has class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Dale Elementary ranks #7 of 29 elementary schools in Whittier, CA.
School address
District: East Whittier City Elementary · California
NCES ID 061185001321 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Orchard Dale Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Orchard Dale Elementary
Orchard Dale Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Whittier, California, enrolling 472 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 49.8% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 472 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,472 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #475.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 20/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.8% 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): Orchard Dale Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.9:1 vs 26.7:1).
East Whittier City Elementary also operates Granada Middle (989 students) and East Whittier Middle (985 students) alongside Orchard Dale 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 Orchard Dale Elementary compares
Orchard Dale 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 | 18.9:1 | ▼ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.8% | ▼ 10% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 472 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
472
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 26% in California - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.8%
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
$15,029
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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 89.2%
White 4.4%
Asian 4.0%
African American 1.3%
Two or More 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 89.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.1, Orchard Dale Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East Whittier City Elementary, which includes Orchard Dale Elementary.
$15,029
Per student
-9%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.6%
State 65.5%
Federal 11.9%
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 Orchard Dale Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granada Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Whittier Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ocean View Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hillview Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Leffingwell Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Orchard Dale Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 985
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 643
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 551
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
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 (~472 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Orchard Dale Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Orchard Dale Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- East Whittier City 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 Orchard Dale Elementary
How many students attend Orchard Dale Elementary?
Orchard Dale Elementary has 472 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Whittier, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Orchard Dale Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Orchard Dale Elementary is 18.9:1, which is 12% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 20% 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 Orchard Dale Elementary?
49.8% of students at Orchard Dale Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orchard Dale Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Orchard Dale Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 89.2% of enrollment, in Whittier, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Orchard Dale Elementary?
Orchard Dale Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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 Orchard Dale Elementary rank among elementary schools in Whittier?
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Dale Elementary ranks #7 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 Orchard Dale Elementary a good school?
Orchard Dale Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% 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 East Whittier City Elementary?
Besides Orchard Dale Elementary, East Whittier City Elementary also operates Granada Middle (989 students), East Whittier Middle (985 students), and Ocean View Elementary (668 students). See the East Whittier City 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.