- Enrollment
- 2,106
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Costa Mesa, CA
Whittier Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Whittier Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062724004132
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whittier Elementary earns 38/100 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.
- #5 of 15
- elementary schools in Costa Mesa · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.9:1
- small classes for California
- 81.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Whittier Elementary has class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary ranks #5 of 15 elementary schools in Costa Mesa, CA.
School address
District: Newport-Mesa Unified · California
NCES ID 062724004132 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-19 students YoY
Whittier Elementary held near 457 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-19 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 24.4 → 27.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-19 students YoY 062724004132 · Costa Mesa, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
454 enr · 18.9:1 · 81.1% lunch · RII 38
Nearest enrollment peer: Corona Del Mar High (2,106 students)
Whittier Elementary held near 457 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-19 headcount). Teacher FTE added 24.4 → 27.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Whittier Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Corona Del Mar
Corona Del Mar High
2,106 students
- Newport Harbor
Newport Harbor High
2,084 students
- Costa Mesa Hig
Costa Mesa High
1,730 students
- Estancia High
Estancia High
976 students
- Horace Ensign
Horace Ensign Intermediate
875 students
- This school 454
Whittier Elementary
454 students
What this shows Whittier Elementary reports 454 students on the CCD universe file.
How Whittier Elementary compares
Whittier Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 | 81.1% | ▲ 46% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 454 | top 52% | - | - |
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.
454
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
81.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
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
32.2%
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
$22,948
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 96.0%
White 1.8%
Asian 0.9%
Two or More 0.9%
African American 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 96.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 7.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 7.8, Whittier Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Newport-Mesa Unified reports $22,948 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Whittier Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corona Del Mar High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Newport Harbor High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Costa Mesa High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Estancia High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Horace Ensign Intermediate | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whittier Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,084
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,730
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 976
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 875
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar elementary schools in Costa Mesa
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Maude B. Davis Elementary
Standard public school
570 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Heinz Kaiser Elementary
Standard public school
539 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Woodland Elementary
Standard public school
487 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
College Park Elementary
Standard public school
473 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Killybrooke Elementary
Standard public school
473 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
California Elementary
Standard public school
373 students 20.7:1 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 (~454 students)
Frequently asked questions about Whittier Elementary
How many students attend Whittier Elementary?
Whittier Elementary has 454 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Costa Mesa, CA. CCD year-over-year: 476 (2022-23) → 457 (2023-24), nearly flat (-19).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Whittier 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 Whittier Elementary?
81.1% of students at Whittier Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whittier Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Whittier Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 96.0% of enrollment, in Costa Mesa, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whittier Elementary?
Whittier Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Whittier Elementary rank among elementary schools in Costa Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary ranks #5 of 15 elementary schools in Costa Mesa, 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 Costa Mesa on the city page.
What other schools are in Newport-Mesa Unified?
Besides Whittier Elementary, Newport-Mesa Unified also operates Corona Del Mar High (2,106 students), Newport Harbor High (2,084 students), and Costa Mesa High (1,730 students). See the Newport-Mesa Unified district page for the complete list.