Whittier Independent Study

Summary:

Whittier Independent Study is a small elementary school serving grades K-8 in the Whittier City Elementary District, with a student population facing socioeconomic challenges. The school significantly underperforms its peers in the district and the state of California, with low academic proficiency rates and a high chronic absenteeism rate.

Whittier Independent Study has a high student-teacher ratio of 25.9, which is significantly higher than the nearby South Ranchito Dual Language Academy, Mill School and Technology Academy, and other schools in the Whittier City Elementary district. This, combined with the school's high chronic absenteeism rate of 58.6% (nearly double the rates of nearby schools), likely contributes to its poor academic performance. In 2023-2024, only 27.38% of Whittier Independent Study students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 46.61% for the Whittier City Elementary district and 47.04% statewide. The performance gap is even wider in mathematics, with only 25.58% of Whittier Independent Study students reaching proficiency, compared to 35.34% for the district and 35.54% statewide.

Whittier Independent Study ranks 5403 out of 5874 California elementary schools, placing it in the bottom 8% of schools statewide. This is a stark contrast to the nearby Durfee Elementary, Valencia Academy of the Arts, and other El Rancho Unified district schools, which generally rank in the middle to upper-middle range of California elementary schools. Addressing the underlying issues, such as the high chronic absenteeism and student-teacher ratio, may be crucial in improving the educational outcomes for the students at Whittier Independent Study.

Detail:

Public K-8

11532 Floral Dr.
Whittier, CA 90601-2832

(562) 789-3038

District: Whittier City Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 21.3

Number of students: 74

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

82.4%

White:

8.1%

African American:

4.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 79.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Whittier Independent Study is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.96. (See more...)

Compare Details Whittier Independent Study ranks worse than 78.4% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.76. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Whittier Independent Study has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Whittier City Elementary School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (82.4%), White (8.1%), African American (4.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 79.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whittier Independent Study is 21.3, which is the 3^rd best among 9 elementary schools in the Whittier City Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Whittier Independent Study employs 3.4 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Whittier Independent Study:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittier Independent Study 2178^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Whittier Independent Study in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Hispanic students:

Whittier City Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittier City Elementary 655^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Whittier Independent Study

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	13.96	5403^rd	5874	8.0%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Whittier Independent Study

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Rank History for all middle school students at Whittier Independent Study

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	14.20	2550^th	2802	9.0%
2024	21.76	2178^th	2777	21.6%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Whittier Independent Study

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	10.50	2471^st	2549	3.1%
2024	28.15	1854^th	2575	28.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Whittier Independent Study

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	14.49	2307^th	2546	9.4%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Whittier Independent Study

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	23.44	1889^th	2391	21.0%
2024	32.86	1530^th	2383	35.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California 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.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Whittier Independent Study

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2013	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1
2014	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2
2015	1	0	0	4	0	0	0	5
2016	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
2017	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
2018	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2019	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
2023	5	2	1	81	0	0	1	90
2024	6	3	1	61	0	2	1	74

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 Independent Study

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	1	0.4	2.5	0
2014	2	0.2	8.0	0
2015	5	1.0	5.0	n/a
2016	1	1.0	1.0	n/a
2017	1	0.4	2.5	n/a
2018	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2019	1	0.1	10.0	n/a
2023	90	3.4	25.9	47.8
2024	74	3.4	21.3	79.7

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 Independent Study

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	1	0.4	2.5	0
2014	2	0.2	8.0	0
2015	5	1.0	5.0	n/a
2016	1	1.0	1.0	n/a
2017	1	0.4	2.5	n/a
2018	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2019	1	0.1	10.0	n/a
2023	90	3.4	25.9	47.8
2024	74	3.4	21.3	79.7

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.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Whittier Independent Study

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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1	90	8900%
African American	0	2
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	1	81	8000%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	0	5
Two or More Races	0	1

Schools Near Whittier Independent Study

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts (2024)				CAST Science (2024)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)						Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)						% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts End of Course	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Total
Whittier Independent Study	Public	K-8	11532 Floral Dr.	Whittier	90601	Los Angeles County	Whittier City Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3038	74	3	21.3	79.7%	6 (8.1%)	3 (4.1%)	61 (82.4%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.7%)	1 (1.4%)								(n/a)						15.6	16.7				19.2	22.6	27.4				22.2	15.6	25.6
Longfellow Elementary	Public	K-5	6005 South Magnolia Ave.	Whittier	90601	Los Angeles County	Whittier City Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3180	492	21	23.9	76.0%	17 (3.5%)	6 (1.2%)	449 (91.3%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.6%)	55.4	2265^th of 5862 public elementary schools	61.4%		60.5	2035^th of 5874 public elementary schools	65.4%	230					29.7		29.7	44.8	51.4	42.5			46.1	49.4	52.8	31.1			44.6							$5,040
Orange Grove Elementary	Public	K-5	10626 East Orange Grove Ave.	Whittier	90601	Los Angeles County	Whittier City Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3200	343	15	22.3	77.6%	7 (2.0%)	4 (1.2%)	316 (92.1%)	4 (1.2%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.9%)	42.8	3003^rd of 5862 public elementary schools	48.8%		50.8	2489^th of 5874 public elementary schools	57.6%	514					19.7		19.7	36.0	60.8	36.7			44.1	44.0	39.2	22.6			34.4	95.0	95.0	95.0				$4,953
West Whittier Elementary	Public	K-5	6411 South Norwalk Blvd.	Whittier	90606	Los Angeles County	Whittier City Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3240	362	17	20.8	80.1%	8 (2.2%)	2 (0.6%)	317 (87.6%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (8.3%)	47.2	2719^th of 5862 public elementary schools	53.6%		37.4	3325^th of 5874 public elementary schools	43.4%	606		7.7		7.7	25.9		25.9	48.0	32.3	49.1			42.5	51.0	26.6	40.7			38.5							$5,258
Christian Sorensen Science Academy	Public	K-5	11493 East Rosehedge Dr.	Whittier	90606	Los Angeles County	Whittier City Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3220	463	21	22.5	81.2%	10 (2.2%)	5 (1.1%)	416 (89.8%)	9 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	20 (4.3%)	50.5	2529^th of 5862 public elementary schools	56.9%		51.3	2470^th of 5874 public elementary schools	58.0%	59					37.8		37.8	34.2	41.1	54.9			43.5	33.7	37.0	42.7			37.8	96.8				96.8		$5,041
Daniel Phelan Language Academy	Public	K-5	7150 South Cully Ave.	Whittier	90606	Los Angeles County	Whittier City Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3210	503	21	24.4	63.2%	11 (2.2%)	2 (0.4%)	481 (95.6%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.0%)	73.6	1427^th of 5862 public elementary schools	75.7%		69.5	1602^nd of 5874 public elementary schools	72.7%	175		6.4		6.4	24.7		24.7	56.6	62.2	74.0			64.3	53.3	56.8	57.1			55.7							$5,337
Lou Henry Hoover School of Fine Arts	Public	K-5	6302 South Alta Ave.	Whittier	90601	Los Angeles County	Whittier City Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3150	374	15	25.0	78.9%	24 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	329 (88.0%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.5%)	49.3	2585^th of 5862 public elementary schools	55.9%		41.4	3048^th of 5874 public elementary schools	48.1%	463					30.0		30.0	44.6	52.1	56.7			51.3	33.9	33.8	24.6			30.9	96.8	96.8	96.8		96.8		$5,056
South Ranchito Dual Language Academy	Public	K-5	5241 South Passons Blvd.	Pico Rivera	90660	Los Angeles County	El Rancho Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 801-7660	351	17	20.6	89.2%	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	343 (97.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	22.1	4661^st of 5862 public elementary schools	20.5%		23.1	4552^nd of 5874 public elementary schools	22.5%	109	6.7	3.9	11.9	7.3	10.8		10.8	31.8	23.1	23.8			25.8	37.8	25.0	16.9			25.3	95.4	96.9		95.4	96.9	96.9	$5,350
Mill School and Technology Academy	Public	K-5	4030 South Workman Mill Rd.	Whittier	90601	Los Angeles County	Whittier City Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3190	318	14	22.8	66.7%	11 (3.5%)	4 (1.3%)	280 (88.1%)	11 (3.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.5%)	83.9	996^th of 5862 public elementary schools	83.0%		76.5	1303^rd of 5874 public elementary schools	77.8%	307					44.4		44.4	71.1	66.0	64.8			67.1	76.1	54.0	59.3			62.7	93.0			94.7	94.7	93.0	$4,873
Durfee Elementary	Public	K-5	4220 South Durfee Ave.	Pico Rivera	90660	Los Angeles County	El Rancho Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 801-7610	342	13	26.3	85.7%	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	330 (96.5%)	7 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	31.2	3835^th of 5862 public elementary schools	34.6%		39.5	3167^th of 5874 public elementary schools	46.1%	668					23.5		23.5	40.0	24.0	32.4			32.4	43.6	26.0	16.2			27.8	96.4			96.4			$5,534

Frequently Asked Questions about Whittier Independent Study

How many students attend Whittier Independent Study?

In the 2023-24 school year, 74 students attended Whittier Independent Study.

What district is Whittier Independent Study in?

Whittier City Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Whittier Independent Study?

Students at Whittier Independent Study are 82% Hispanic, 8% White, 4% African American, 3% Pacific Islander, 1% Asian, 1% Two or more races.

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