Enrollment
454
California · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whittier Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whittier Elementary
Whittier Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Costa Mesa, California, enrolling 454 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.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 81.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 454 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,996 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #178, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (96% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 8/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Newport-Mesa Unified spends $20,621 per pupil, 25% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Costa Mesa's elementary schools, it stands alongside Maude B. Davis Elementary (570 students): Whittier Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.9:1 vs 25.9:1).
Newport-Mesa Unified also operates Corona Del Mar High (2,106 students) and Newport Harbor High (2,084 students) alongside 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 Whittier Elementary compares
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 | 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 (what these measure)
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
$20,621
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
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.
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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newport-Mesa Unified, which includes Whittier Elementary.
$20,621
Per student
+25%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 74.9%
State 17.7%
Federal 7.4%
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 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
- 2,106
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- 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
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 (~454 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whittier Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Whittier Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Newport-Mesa Unified'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 Whittier Elementary
How many students attend Whittier Elementary?
Whittier Elementary has 454 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Costa Mesa, CA.
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, attendance rates. 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.
Is Whittier Elementary a good school?
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. 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 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.
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.