Enrollment
453
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Whittier Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Whittier Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040630000537
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 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 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Arizona schools.
- #99 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 72.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Whittier Elementary School has class sizes larger than 79% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary School ranks #99 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Phoenix Elementary District (4256) · Arizona
NCES ID 040630000537 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.8%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+51% 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 Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 453 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 453 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 292 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #161.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 29.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Phoenix's public schools, it stands alongside Pan-American Charter School (1,221 students): Whittier Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Phoenix Elementary District (4256) also operates Kenilworth Elementary School (488 students) and Augustus H. Shaw Montessori (476 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 | 20.6:1 | ▲ 21% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.8% | ▲ 51% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 79% in Arizona - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
46.8%
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
$15,390
per pupil, district-wide
- above Arizona avg of $13,145
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 + 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 87.0%
African American 5.3%
White 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.2%
Two or More 2.2%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 87.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.9, Whittier Elementary School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Phoenix Elementary District (4256), which includes Whittier Elementary School.
$15,390
Per student
+17%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.1%
State 20.5%
Federal 29.4%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenilworth Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Augustus H. Shaw Montessori | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Silvestre S Herrera School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Maie Bartlett Heard School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas a Edison School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower 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
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 430
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 426
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar other schools in Phoenix
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Pan-American Charter School
Standard public school
1,221 students
Great Hearts Academies - Anthem Prep
Standard public school
1,031 students
Westwind Elementary School
Standard public school
932 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Stetson Hills School
Standard public school
887 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Union Park School
Standard public school
873 students 19:1 students per teacher
Fireside Elementary School
Standard public school
693 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~453 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whittier Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Whittier Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Phoenix Elementary District (4256)'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 453 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary School is 20.6:1, which is 21% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Whittier Elementary School?
72.8% 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 87.0% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whittier Elementary School?
Whittier Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Whittier Elementary School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary School ranks #99 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Whittier Elementary School a good school?
Whittier Elementary School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% 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 Phoenix Elementary District (4256)?
Besides Whittier Elementary School, Phoenix Elementary District (4256) also operates Kenilworth Elementary School (488 students), Augustus H. Shaw Montessori (476 students), and Silvestre S Herrera School (449 students). See the Phoenix Elementary District (4256) 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.