Whittier Elementary School

Summary:

Whittier Elementary School is a public elementary school in Mesa, Arizona, serving 486 students in grades PK-6. The school is part of the Mesa Unified District, which is ranked 264 out of 540 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Whittier Elementary consistently underperforms compared to district and state averages on standardized tests, with proficiency rates significantly lower than the district and state in English Language Arts and Mathematics across all grade levels. For example, in 3rd grade ELA, Whittier had a 7% proficiency rate compared to 40% for the district and 41% for the state. The school also has a high percentage of Hispanic (52.47%) and Native American (12.55%) students, as well as a large population of students from low-income families, with 67.9% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Whittier Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Arizona elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Whittier Elementary's academic performance has been declining over the years, and the school struggles with specific student subgroups, such as Hispanic students and students with low socioeconomic status. In comparison, nearby schools like Adams Elementary and Whitman Elementary, which are also part of the Mesa Unified District, have higher academic proficiency rates and better statewide rankings. The high poverty rate and diverse student population at Whittier Elementary may contribute to the school's academic challenges, underscoring the need for targeted resources and support to address these factors and improve student outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 733 N Longmore
       Mesa, AZ  85201-4525


(480) 472-4900

District: Mesa Unified District

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,937 Help


Students who attend Whittier Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Carson Junior High School
High:    Westwood High School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.2 Help
Number of students:  470

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
56.2%
White:
21.1%
American Indian:
12.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  67.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Whittier Elementary School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Whittier Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (56.2%), White (21.1%), American Indian (12.6%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary School is 11.2, which is the lowest among 58 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Whittier Elementary School employs 41.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whittier Elementary School is $9,937, which is the 10th highest among 51 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Whittier Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Mesa Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mesa Unified District 187th of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Whittier Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 49.74 544th 1062 48.8%
2010 39.73 664th 1090 39.1%
2011 47.59 551st 1075 48.7%
2012 57.14 484th 1141 57.6%
2013 45.93 658th 1158 43.2%
2014 57.76 464th 1079 57.0%
2015 39.14 511th 955 46.5%
2016 47.03 513th 1079 52.5%
2017 57.37 430th 1106 61.1%
2018 34.06 697th 1109 37.2%
2019 27.91 711th 1039 31.6%
2021 21.71 955th 1226 22.1%
2022 9.46 957th 1000 4.3%
2023 15.00 1110th 1245 10.8%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 32.99 730th 1027 28.9%
2023 10.25 606th 617 1.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.29 545th 975 44.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.22 655th 1201 45.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.78 476th 820 42.0%
2023 17.35 1024th 1116 8.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.23 655th 1023 36.0%
2019 31.82 560th 862 35.0%
2021 22.38 966th 1219 20.8%
2023 13.16 1144th 1219 6.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.72 175th 306 42.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.28 656th 1032 36.4%
2019 48.29 411th 850 51.6%
2021 22.33 965th 1220 20.9%
2023 18.56 1024th 1216 15.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 21.16 549th 620 11.5%
2023 30.83 250th 316 20.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 60.66 192nd 895 78.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.13 455th 911 50.1%
2019 41.97 386th 709 45.6%
2021 21.80 1028th 1198 14.2%
2023 12.21 1138th 1170 2.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.98 56th 62 9.7%
2021 30.54 473rd 654 27.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Whittier Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.65 585th 720 18.8%
2019 32.98 431st 595 27.6%
2021 37.04 766th 1161 34.0%
2023 35.18 678th 1024 33.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Whittier Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, July 3, 2021

Open Quote The school has been great for my kids all teachers they had so far have been great. We love the community and the new curriculum that was implemented. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Whittier Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 664 2 7 67 59 n/a n/a -10 789
1989 660 7 6 75 73 n/a n/a -1 820
1990 660 12 7 80 89 n/a n/a -35 813
1991 623 12 8 99 118 n/a n/a -48 812
1992 588 15 9 84 119 n/a n/a 0 815
1993 603 14 4 84 130 n/a n/a 0 835
1994 537 18 3 92 138 n/a n/a 0 788
1995 488 31 10 121 146 n/a n/a 0 796
1996 488 31 10 121 146 n/a n/a 0 796
1997 457 29 10 131 143 n/a n/a 0 770
1998 444 26 6 146 149 n/a n/a 0 771
1999 436 28 8 161 150 n/a n/a 0 783
2000 353 37 16 177 152 n/a n/a 0 735
2001 331 31 18 204 135 n/a n/a 0 719
2002 268 40 20 262 98 n/a n/a 0 688
2003 268 40 20 262 98 n/a n/a 0 688
2004 251 38 16 259 88 n/a n/a 0 652
2005 235 28 19 268 98 n/a n/a 0 648
2006 209 20 11 271 107 n/a n/a 0 618
2007 163 21 11 285 82 n/a n/a 0 562
2008 153 21 10 317 61 n/a n/a 0 562
2009 159 11 8 277 84 n/a n/a 0 539
2010 151 12 7 287 88 n/a n/a 0 545
2011 133 13 8 258 91 0 2 0 505
2012 124 26 8 260 95 0 5 0 518
2013 126 18 13 275 93 0 9 0 534
2014 130 18 16 283 95 0 9 0 551
2015 139 24 16 272 70 0 10 0 531
2016 135 26 10 272 62 3 16 0 524
2017 116 20 7 259 61 2 20 0 485
2018 139 17 8 273 75 4 22 0 538
2019 136 22 5 286 74 8 29 0 560
2020 157 15 10 244 72 4 28 0 530
2021 101 17 9 238 58 1 29 0 453
2022 109 15 12 242 73 2 34 0 487
2023 104 15 14 255 61 1 36 0 486
2024 99 12 8 264 59 2 26 0 470

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Whittier Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 789 36.0 21.9 n/a
1989 820 37.4 21.9 n/a
1990 813 36.9 22.0 n/a
1991 812 36.4 22.3 n/a
1992 815 35.9 22.7 n/a
1993 835 35.9 23.3 n/a
1994 788 37.9 20.8 n/a
1995 796 41.3 19.3 n/a
1996 796 41.3 19.3 n/a
1997 770 40.8 18.9 n/a
1998 771 41.4 18.6 n/a
1999 783 41.8 18.7 n/a
2000 735 41.7 17.6 n/a
2001 719 40.6 17.7 n/a
2002 688 35.4 19.4 66.4
2003 688 35.4 19.4 66.4
2004 652 34.6 18.8 82.7
2005 648 37.0 17.5 94.4
2006 618 34.2 18.1 87.9
2007 562 35.6 15.8 73.5
2008 562 30.9 18.2 76
2009 539 31.0 17.4 68.5
2010 545 30.8 17.6 77.4
2011 505 27.7 18.2 79.8
2012 518 28.7 18.0 77.4
2013 534 26.9 19.8 76
2014 551 29.8 18.4 77.3
2015 531 29.0 18.3 69.1
2016 524 30.0 17.4 80.3
2017 485 28.5 16.9 82.5
2018 538 26.8 20.0 75.8
2019 560 30.1 18.5 77
2020 530 30.4 17.4 73.8
2021 453 31.0 14.6 n/a
2022 487 30.8 15.8 26.7
2023 486 39.5 12.3 67.9
2024 470 41.6 11.2 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Whittier Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 789 36.0 21.9 n/a
1989 820 37.4 21.9 n/a
1990 813 36.9 22.0 n/a
1991 812 36.4 22.3 n/a
1992 815 35.9 22.7 n/a
1993 835 35.9 23.3 n/a
1994 788 37.9 20.8 n/a
1995 796 41.3 19.3 n/a
1996 796 41.3 19.3 n/a
1997 770 40.8 18.9 n/a
1998 771 41.4 18.6 n/a
1999 783 41.8 18.7 n/a
2000 735 41.7 17.6 n/a
2001 719 40.6 17.7 n/a
2002 688 35.4 19.4 66.4
2003 688 35.4 19.4 66.4
2004 652 34.6 18.8 82.7
2005 648 37.0 17.5 94.4
2006 618 34.2 18.1 87.9
2007 562 35.6 15.8 73.5
2008 562 30.9 18.2 76
2009 539 31.0 17.4 68.5
2010 545 30.8 17.6 77.4
2011 505 27.7 18.2 79.8
2012 518 28.7 18.0 77.4
2013 534 26.9 19.8 76
2014 551 29.8 18.4 77.3
2015 531 29.0 18.3 69.1
2016 524 30.0 17.4 80.3
2017 485 28.5 16.9 82.5
2018 538 26.8 20.0 75.8
2019 560 30.1 18.5 77
2020 530 30.4 17.4 73.8
2021 453 31.0 14.6 n/a
2022 487 30.8 15.8 26.7
2023 486 39.5 12.3 67.9
2024 470 41.6 11.2 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Whittier Elementary School

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $188 (1.8%) $22 (0.2%) $398 (3.9%) $7,293 (71.7%) $2,672 (26.3%) $9,964 (97.9%) $10,175
2020 $794 (11.2%) $677 (9.5%) $2,265 (31.8%) $6,102 (85.8%) n/a $5,645 (79.3%) $7,116
2021 $1,221 (12.3%) $171 (1.7%) $2,612 (26.3%) $8,025 (80.7%) $532 (5.3%) $8,557 (86.0%) $9,949
2022 $1,080 (10.9%) $81 (0.8%) $2,240 (22.5%) $8,275 (83.3%) $501 (5.0%) $8,776 (88.3%) $9,937

Data source: Arizona Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Whittier Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 711th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 1110th of 1245 Elementary schools
 20.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students560486
 13.2%
African American2215
 31.8%
American Indian7461
 17.6%
Asian514
 180%
Hispanic286255
 10.8%
Pacific Islander81
 87.5%
White136104
 23.5%
Two or More Races2936
 24.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77%67.9%
 9.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Whittier Elementary School

In the 2023-24 school year, 470 students attended Whittier Elementary School.

Students at Whittier Elementary School are 56% Hispanic, 21% White, 13% American Indian, 6% Two or more races, 3% African American, 2% Asian.

Students who attend Whittier Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Carson Junior High School
High : Westwood High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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