Enrollment
443
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mesa, AZ
Whittier Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Whittier Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040497000421
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whittier Elementary School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Arizona schools.
- #5 of 70
- schools in Mesa · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.4:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 56.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Whittier Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 88% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary School ranks #5 of 70 schools in Mesa, AZ.
School address
District: Mesa Unified District (4235) · Arizona
NCES ID 040497000421 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whittier Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whittier Elementary School
Whittier Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Mesa, Arizona, enrolling 443 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.4:1, Whittier Elementary School is leaner than roughly 88% of Arizona schools and 33% under the state's 17:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 443 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 316 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #16, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and White (19%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 148 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 62.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Mesa's public schools, it stands alongside Eastmark High School (1,889 students): Whittier Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.4:1 vs 23.6:1).
Mesa Unified District (4235) also operates Mountain View High School (3,421 students) and Red Mountain High School (3,379 students) alongside Whittier Elementary School.
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 School compares
Whittier Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.4:1 | ▼ 33% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.0% | ▲ 16% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 443 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
443
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 33% below state mean
Top 12% in Arizona - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
62.8%
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
$11,160
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 148 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.5 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 57.3%
White 18.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 11.5%
Two or More 6.1%
African American 3.4%
Asian 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.9, Whittier Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mesa Unified District (4235), which includes Whittier Elementary School.
$11,160
Per student
-15%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.4%
State 44.5%
Federal 18.1%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Red Mountain High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesa High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westwood High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dobson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whittier Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,421
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 3,379
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 3,233
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 3,135
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,284
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Mesa
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eastmark High School
Standard public school
1,889 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Sequoia Choice School Arizona Distance Learning School
Standard public school
1,711 students
Silver Valley Elementary
Standard public school
1,384 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Astravo Online Academy
Standard public school
849 students
Eagleridge Enrichment Program
Standard public school
694 students 63.1:1 students per teacher
American Leadership Academy Virtual
Standard public school
660 students
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~443 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whittier Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Whittier Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Mesa Unified District (4235)'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 School
How many students attend Whittier Elementary School?
Whittier Elementary School has 443 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mesa, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary School is 11.4:1, which is 33% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 27% lower 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 School?
56.0% of students at Whittier Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whittier Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Whittier Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 57.3% of enrollment, in Mesa, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whittier Elementary School?
Whittier Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Whittier Elementary School rank among schools in Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary School ranks #5 of 70 schools in Mesa, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mesa on the city page.
Is Whittier Elementary School a good school?
Whittier Elementary School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Arizona 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 Mesa Unified District (4235)?
Besides Whittier Elementary School, Mesa Unified District (4235) also operates Mountain View High School (3,421 students), Red Mountain High School (3,379 students), and Mesa High School (3,233 students). See the Mesa Unified District (4235) 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.