Whittier Elementary

Set in MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, Whittier Elementary is an average-sized elementary school, run under Minneapolis Public School District. It hosts 491 students across grades pre-K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 43% bigger than the state mean of about 344.

Within Minneapolis Public School District, which oversees 86 schools and 29,928 students, Whittier Elementary is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Whittier Elementary reports that 44% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder is composed of 30% Black, 12% White, 9% multiracial, 2% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 8% Hispanic, putting the school's mix meaningfully more Hispanic than the area baseline.

On the resource side, Whittier Elementary reports 43 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 11.4:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.7:1, putting Whittier Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. About 85% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Hennepin County (around 43%), the school's rate is north of typical.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Whittier Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 19.2%; this one delivers 11.0%.

Zooming out to the county, ACS estimates for Hennepin County put the typical household earns roughly $97,653 per year, 54% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Hennepin County runs 496 public schools (combined enrollment of about 177,509 students), of which Whittier Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is MERC, roughly 0.1 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Whittier Elementary at 4th of 6; the average score across the group is 19.6%.

The school occupies a city-core site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Whittier Elementary has declined 12%, going from 559 students in 2018 to 491 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment grew from 25% to 44% over that span. Class-load math has narrowed: from 12.9:1 in 2018 to 11.4:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.