1
What's the vibe like in the hallways at Whittier Elementary right now?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
526
Elementary
DISTRICT 562 · STATE 465
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·LONG BEACH UNIFIED·NCES 062250002767
Whittier Elementary
1761 Walnut Ave., Long Beach, CA 90813 · (562) 599-6263 · Los Angeles County
GRADES KG–05ELEMENTARY11-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL526 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
22.4:1
24 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 25.0:1 · STATE 22.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
87%
459 students
DISTRICT 62% · STATE 65%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 94 | 18% |
| Grade 1 | 82 | 16% |
| Grade 2 | 80 | 15% |
| Grade 3 | 85 | 16% |
| Grade 4 | 74 | 14% |
| Grade 5 | 111 | 21% |
This year's kindergarten class (94) is 15% smaller than its 5th grade class (111).
Student demographics
48%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 61% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
32.2%
CA avg 49.1% . +14.2pp since 2014
Math
24.1%
CA avg 37.7% . +4.1pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 32 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 24 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are up about 14 points since 2014, while math scores are up about 4 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 12.3% | 19.9% | 19.9% | 47.9% |
| Math | 8.1% | 16.1% | 24.9% | 51.0% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 32.2% | 24.1% |
| 2023-24 | 24.9% | 20.6% |
| 2022-23 | 22.6% | 19.3% |
| 2021-22 | 17.5% | 15.1% |
| 2020-21 | N/A | 13.8% |
| 2018-19 | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2017-18 | 22.2% | 24.6% |
| 2016-17 | 30.7% | 28.4% |
| 2015-16 | 24.0% | 20.0% |
| 2014-15 | 18.0% | 20.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
25.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
28.4%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-2.9pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 25% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 28% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among California's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Whittier Elementary
Whittier Elementary's state test result (25.5% proficient) is higher than 0 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whittier Elementary this school | 526 | 87.3% | 25.5% |
| Jefferson Elementary San Leandro | 551 | 84.9% | 27.0% |
| Olivia Nieto Herrera Elementary Long Beach | 615 | 87.2% | 32.4% |
| John R. Williams Stockton | 555 | 84.9% | 25.8% |
| Montalvin Manor Elementary San Pablo | 474 | 82.9% | 30.5% |
| McKinley Elementary Long Beach | 475 | 85.1% | 38.1% |
Matched among California elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Whittier Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Los Angeles County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 25.5% | #4,025 of 5,151 | #985 of 1,126 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 24.1% | #3,864 of 5,172 ▲ 247 | #981 of 1,129 ▲ 20 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 32.2% | #3,759 of 5,172 ▲ 548 | #922 of 1,129 ▲ 85 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +11.8pp | #403 of 5,116 | #154 of 1,116 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 526 | #2,136 of 5,915 | #428 of 1,300 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 22.4:1 | #2,501 of 5,352 | #659 of 1,213 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 48.1% | #2,910 of 5,354 | #483 of 1,214 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 87.3% | #1,434 of 5,625 | #545 of 1,276 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -47.7% | #46 of 3,837 | #26 of 947 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
526
-236 (-31%) vs 2020
-50% since 1990-91, when it was 1,046
Student : Teacher
22.4:1
was 24.6:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 526 | 23.5 | 22.4:1 | 87% (459) |
| 2023-24 | 554 | 22 | 25.2:1 | 84% (465) |
| 2022-23 | 579 | 23 | 25.2:1 | 73% (424) |
| 2020-21 | 762 | 31 | 24.6:1 | 83% (634) |
| 2017-18 | 1,006 | 33.5 | 30.0:1 | 84% (848) |
| 2015-16 | 1,028 | 39 | 26.4:1 | 86% (879) |
| 2010-11 | 850 | N/A | N/A | 94% (803) |
| 2000-01 | 1,190 | 63 | 18.9:1 | 96% (1,142) |
| 1990-91 | 1,046 | 42 | 24.9:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Whittier Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 48% (1,006 to 526); teachers down 30% (33.5 to 23.5).
About Whittier Elementary
Whittier Elementary is a public elementary school in Long Beach, California. The student body numbers 526 students, from kindergarten through 5.
Long Beach Unified enrolls 62,255 students, and its 82 schools include Whittier Elementary.
Hispanic students are the majority at Whittier Elementary, with 70% of enrollment. The school is also 15% Asian, 11% Black, and 3% multiracial. The Hispanic share of the county population is lower, at 48%. The school's diversity index is 48%, meaning two students picked at random have a 48% chance of belonging to different racial or ethnic groups.
Whittier Elementary counts 23.5 full-time-equivalent teachers, about 22.4 students for each one. That matches the 22.3:1 average for elementary schools in California fairly closely. About 87% of students at the school meet free or reduced-price lunch income limits. Among public schools in Los Angeles County, the average eligibility rate is 70%.
Whittier Elementary's actual average proficiency rate on state tests (25.5%) and its predicted rate (28.4%) put it outside the top and bottom 10% of California schools.
In Los Angeles County (population about 9,808,667), the median household income is $90,112, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 36% of adults, and the poverty rate is about 10%. There are 2,244 public schools in Los Angeles County, enrolling about 1,265,907 students in all.
The closest other public school is Jessie Nelson Academy, about 0.3 miles away. Whittier Elementary has at least 8 other public schools within five miles. Local comparison: Whittier Elementary ranks 7th of 8 nearby schools, at 25.5% versus a 39.3% average.
NCES describes the area around Whittier Elementary as City: Large, meaning inside a principal city with a population of 250,000 or more.
Enrollment has fallen by 236 students since 2020-21, to 526. The school's ratio fell from 24.6:1 to 22.4:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
Questions about school safety, transportation, and start times can be posted here. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
Los Angeles County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
9,808,667
Census ACS
Median income
$90,112
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
36%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
10%
Below federal line
Schools in county
2,244
1,265,907 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Long Beach Unified
- Polytechnic HighHigh · 3,890 students
- Millikan HighHigh · 3,408 students
- Wilson HighHigh · 3,349 students
- Lakewood HighHigh · 2,305 students
- Jordan HighHigh · 2,272 students
- Cabrillo HighHigh · 1,652 students
Other schools in Long Beach
- Polytechnic HighHigh · 3,890 students
- Millikan HighHigh · 3,408 students
- Wilson HighHigh · 3,349 students
- Jordan HighHigh · 2,272 students
- Cabrillo HighHigh · 1,652 students
- Hughes MiddleMiddle · 1,214 students
Other Whittier Elementary schools
34 other US public schools in 17 states are named Whittier Elementary. Whittier Elementary is the 4th largest of the 35.
- Whittier ElementaryHemet, CA · 816 students
- Whittier ElementaryCosta Mesa, CA · 454 students
- Whittier ElementaryFrederick, MD · 779 students
- WHITTIER ELEMENTARYKANSAS CITY, MO · 550 students
- Whittier ElemKansas City, KS · 502 students
Nearby schools
- Jessie Nelson Academy0.3 mi · 832
- Washington Middle0.3 mi · 849
- Alvarado Elementary0.4 mi · 390
- Clear Passage Educational Center0.6 mi · 59
- Lincoln Elementary0.6 mi · 742
- Polytechnic High0.7 mi · 3,890
Frequently asked questions
About Whittier ElementaryHow many students attend Whittier Elementary?
Whittier Elementary enrolls approximately 526 students in grades KG-05.
Is Whittier Elementary an elementary, middle, or high school?
Whittier Elementary is an elementary school covering grades KG-05.
How many students per teacher at Whittier Elementary?
Approximately 22.4:1 students per teacher at Whittier Elementary.
How diverse is Whittier Elementary?
Whittier Elementary reports a student body of 1% White, 70% Hispanic, 11% Black, 15% Asian, 3% Two or more.
What district is Whittier Elementary in?
Whittier Elementary is part of Long Beach Unified.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.