Enrollment
346
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Whittier, CA
West Whittier Elementary
Federal NCES profile for West Whittier Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064245006949
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Whittier Elementary earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #25 of 29
- elementary schools in Whittier · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.4:1
- students per teacher
- 51.8%
- free-lunch eligible
West Whittier Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Whittier Elementary ranks #25 of 29 elementary schools in Whittier, CA.
School address
District: Whittier City Elementary · California
NCES ID 064245006949 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Whittier Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Whittier Elementary
West Whittier Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Whittier, California, enrolling 346 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 51.8% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 346 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,132 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #962, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 21/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.9% 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): West Whittier Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.4:1 vs 26.7:1).
Whittier City Elementary also operates Katherine Edwards Middle (894 students) and Walter F. Dexter Middle (610 students) alongside West Whittier 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 West Whittier Elementary compares
West Whittier 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 | 20.4:1 | ▼ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.8% | ▼ 7% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 346 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
346
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 38% in California - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
43.9%
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
$15,897
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 88.7%
Two or More 6.9%
White 2.3%
Asian 1.7%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.8, West Whittier Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Whittier City Elementary, which includes West Whittier Elementary.
$15,897
Per student
-4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.5%
State 65.2%
Federal 11.3%
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 West Whittier Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katherine Edwards Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walter F. Dexter Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wallen L. Andrews Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Daniel Phelan Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Longfellow Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Whittier Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 894
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 610
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 542
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 507
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 499
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
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 (~346 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Whittier Elementary's federal record.
- Compare West Whittier Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- 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 West Whittier Elementary
How many students attend West Whittier Elementary?
West Whittier Elementary has 346 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Whittier, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Whittier Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at West Whittier Elementary is 20.4:1, which is 5% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 30% 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 West Whittier Elementary?
51.8% of students at West Whittier Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Whittier Elementary?
The largest demographic group at West Whittier Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 88.7% of enrollment, in Whittier, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Whittier Elementary?
West Whittier Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (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 West Whittier Elementary rank among elementary schools in Whittier?
By Resource Investment Index, West Whittier Elementary ranks #25 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 West Whittier Elementary a good school?
West Whittier Elementary earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Whittier City Elementary?
Besides West Whittier Elementary, Whittier City Elementary also operates Katherine Edwards Middle (894 students), Walter F. Dexter Middle (610 students), and Wallen L. Andrews Elementary (542 students). See the 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.