Is Whittier Elementary School a good school?

Whittier Elementary School ranks in the bottom 3.7% of Illinois elementary schools.

How many students attend Whittier Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 175 students attended Whittier Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Whittier Elementary School?

Students at Whittier Elementary School are 97% Hispanic, 2% White, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Whittier Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Whittier Elementary School usually go on to attend: High : Juarez Community Academy High School

Whittier Elementary School

Summary:

Whittier Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Chicago, Illinois, with 166 students enrolled. However, the school has consistently struggled, performing significantly below the Chicago Public Schools District 299 and Illinois state averages on standardized tests, with only 8.5% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 0% to 4.8% proficient in math across grade levels.

Whittier Elementary School also faces extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 62.8% in the 2023-2024 school year, much higher than the district and state averages. The school struggles to serve its diverse student population, ranking in the bottom 10-20% of Illinois elementary schools for Hispanic students, English Language Learners, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Over the past decade, Whittier Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Illinois elementary schools.

Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Orozco Elementary Fine Arts & Sciences, Cooper Elementary Dual Language Academy, and Pickard Elementary School, generally outperform Whittier Elementary School on academic measures and have lower chronic absenteeism rates, despite serving similar student demographics. Additionally, Whittier Elementary School spends significantly more per student ($26,213 in 2022-2023) compared to the nearby schools, but this higher spending does not appear to translate into better academic outcomes or student engagement.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

1900 W 23rd St
Chicago, IL 60608-4208

(773) 535-4590

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299

SchoolDigger Rank:
1991^st of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $23,389

Students who attend Whittier Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Juarez Community Academy High School

Student/teacher ratio: 8.3

Number of students: 175

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

96.6%

White:

1.7%

African American:

1.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 88%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Whittier Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Whittier Elementary School ranks worse than 96.3% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 409^th among 452 ranked elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.58. (See more...)

Compare Details Whittier Elementary School ranks worse than 93.4% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.68. (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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (96.6%), White (1.7%), African American (1.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 88% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary School is 8.3, which is the 11^th best among 452 elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299. (See more...)

Compare Whittier Elementary School employs 21 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whittier Elementary School is $23,389, which is the 149^th highest among 452 elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Whittier Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittier Elementary School 1991^st of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Whittier Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittier Elementary School 1273^rd of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Whittier Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Chicago Public Schools District 299:

SchoolDigger ranks Chicago Public Schools District 299 688^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Whittier Elementary School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	8.26	1819^th	2020	10.0%
2004	24.82	1657^th	2030	18.4%
2005	19.55	1742^nd	2022	13.8%
2006	41.15	1484^th	2086	28.9%
2007	18.97	1817^th	2095	13.3%
2008	6.91	1971^st	2092	5.8%
2009	5.33	2034^th	2120	4.1%
2010	6.33	2035^th	2139	4.9%
2011	14.27	1922^nd	2147	10.5%
2012	19.44	1869^th	2166	13.7%
2013	17.44	1863^rd	2167	14.0%
2014	10.15	1947^th	2093	7.0%
2015	17.30	1781^st	2052	13.2%
2016	18.04	1749^th	2046	14.5%
2017	20.00	1682^nd	2044	17.7%
2018	19.10	1682^nd	2037	17.4%
2019	18.26	1780^th	2086	14.7%
2022	13.62	1927^th	2082	7.4%
2023	12.10	1963^rd	2077	5.5%
2024	11.58	1991^st	2067	3.7%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	34.98	501^st	718	30.2%
2019	30.73	602^nd	743	19.0%
2022	30.36	621^st	768	19.1%
2023	29.53	643^rd	788	18.4%
2024	28.98	663^rd	826	19.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	31.33	1276^th	1765	27.7%
2019	28.67	1414^th	1816	22.1%
2022	19.17	1610^th	1763	8.7%
2023	18.41	1673^rd	1808	7.5%
2024	15.59	1724^th	1793	3.8%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	17.11	1695^th	1964	13.7%
2022	14.56	1787^th	1970	9.3%
2024	11.79	1869^th	1942	3.8%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	24.13	1525^th	1972	22.7%
2019	29.82	1408^th	2019	30.3%
2024	9.75	1934^th	1959	1.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	26.66	747^th	938	20.4%
2019	24.40	806^th	955	15.6%
2022	17.03	911^th	954	4.5%
2023	15.39	940^th	970	3.1%
2024	15.24	924^th	959	3.6%

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

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Whittier Elementary School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2009	15.63	1149^th	1318	12.8%
2010	23.72	1086^th	1327	18.2%
2011	16.57	1181^st	1344	12.1%
2012	10.46	1271^st	1365	6.9%
2013	10.51	1265^th	1367	7.5%
2014	8.73	1248^th	1322	5.6%
2015	10.92	1241^st	1302	4.7%
2016	18.14	1128^th	1294	12.8%
2017	20.46	1049^th	1293	18.9%
2018	17.51	1099^th	1293	15.0%
2019	13.55	1227^th	1356	9.5%
2022	14.30	1264^th	1369	7.7%
2023	14.75	1239^th	1367	9.4%
2024	12.68	1273^rd	1363	6.6%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	32.51	237^th	285	16.8%
2019	24.92	337^th	339	0.6%
2022	27.51	420^th	454	7.5%
2023	31.27	381^st	480	20.6%
2024	33.92	335^th	486	31.1%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	26.41	917^th	1161	21.0%
2019	19.81	1059^th	1217	13.0%
2022	17.62	1142^nd	1221	6.5%
2023	16.18	1162^nd	1234	5.8%
2024	16.73	1115^th	1219	8.5%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	17.10	1055^th	1226	13.9%
2019	15.27	1129^th	1276	11.5%
2022	12.53	1216^th	1286	5.4%
2024	15.20	1122^nd	1251	10.3%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	15.52	1088^th	1223	11.0%
2019	16.45	1131^st	1296	12.7%
2022	23.84	977^th	1286	24.0%
2023	9.96	1275^th	1292	1.3%
2024	9.93	1243^rd	1264	1.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Whittier Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	18.13	541^st	590	8.3%
2019	12.11	624^th	639	2.3%
2022	14.92	642^nd	662	3.0%
2023	15.66	628^th	661	5.0%
2024	14.09	614^th	643	4.5%

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

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board 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: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Whittier Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	21	4	1	448	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	474
1990	16	1	n/a	491	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	508
1991	19	2	0	446	0	n/a	n/a	0	467
1992	17	0	0	518	0	n/a	n/a	0	535
1993	7	2	0	533	3	n/a	n/a	0	545
1994	47	1	0	506	1	n/a	n/a	0	555
1995	7	1	0	487	2	n/a	n/a	0	497
1996	7	1	0	487	2	n/a	n/a	0	497
1997	7	1	0	496	1	n/a	n/a	0	505
1998	4	0	0	502	0	n/a	n/a	0	506
1999	8	0	0	517	1	n/a	n/a	0	526
2000	9	0	0	493	0	n/a	n/a	0	502
2001	6	1	0	507	0	n/a	n/a	0	514
2002	5	2	1	454	0	n/a	n/a	0	462
2003	5	2	1	454	0	n/a	n/a	0	462
2004	7	2	0	421	0	n/a	n/a	0	430
2005	8	1	0	399	0	n/a	n/a	0	408
2006	4	0	0	405	0	n/a	n/a	7	416
2007	1	0	1	387	0	n/a	n/a	10	399
2008	3	0	1	354	0	n/a	n/a	9	367
2009	3	3	1	385	0	n/a	n/a	0	392
2010	3	4	1	394	0	n/a	n/a	0	402
2011	1	3	0	406	0	0	3	0	413
2012	1	0	2	399	0	0	5	0	407
2013	5	2	0	371	0	0	1	0	379
2014	4	0	0	346	0	0	0	0	350
2015	1	0	0	315	0	0	0	0	316
2016	1	2	0	286	0	0	0	0	289
2017	2	1	0	265	0	0	0	0	268
2018	3	0	0	226	0	0	0	0	229
2019	3	1	0	200	0	0	0	0	204
2020	4	3	0	179	0	0	1	0	187
2021	4	2	0	179	0	1	0	0	186
2022	4	4	0	180	0	1	0	0	189
2023	5	3	0	158	0	0	0	0	166
2024	3	2	0	169	1	0	0	0	175

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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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	474	24.0	19.7	n/a
1990	508	25.0	20.3	n/a
1991	467	23.0	20.3	n/a
1992	535	27.0	19.8	n/a
1993	545	32.0	17.0	n/a
1994	555	31.0	17.9	n/a
1995	497	30.0	16.6	n/a
1996	497	30.0	16.6	n/a
1997	505	29.0	17.4	n/a
1998	506	29.0	17.4	n/a
1999	526	31.0	17.0	n/a
2000	502	28.0	17.9	n/a
2001	514	26.0	19.8	n/a
2002	462	27.0	17.1	99.4
2003	462	27.0	17.1	99.4
2004	430	22.1	19.5	99.3
2005	408	24.3	16.8	99.3
2006	416	25.7	16.2	101
2007	399	22.0	18.1	101.8
2008	367	21.0	17.5	100.8
2009	392	23.0	17.0	96.7
2010	402	22.0	18.2	99.3
2011	413	25.0	16.5	99.3
2012	407	22.0	18.5	98
2013	379	39.0	9.7	95.8
2014	350	24.5	14.2	98.6
2015	316	21.0	15.0	98.4
2016	289	19.0	15.2	97.9
2017	268	17.2	15.5	97.4
2018	229	13.9	16.4	96.9
2019	204	16.5	12.3	88.7
2020	187	16.5	11.3	92
2021	186	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	189	20.0	9.4	87.3
2023	166	21.0	7.9	83.1
2024	175	21.0	8.3	88

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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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	474	24.0	19.7	n/a
1990	508	25.0	20.3	n/a
1991	467	23.0	20.3	n/a
1992	535	27.0	19.8	n/a
1993	545	32.0	17.0	n/a
1994	555	31.0	17.9	n/a
1995	497	30.0	16.6	n/a
1996	497	30.0	16.6	n/a
1997	505	29.0	17.4	n/a
1998	506	29.0	17.4	n/a
1999	526	31.0	17.0	n/a
2000	502	28.0	17.9	n/a
2001	514	26.0	19.8	n/a
2002	462	27.0	17.1	99.4
2003	462	27.0	17.1	99.4
2004	430	22.1	19.5	99.3
2005	408	24.3	16.8	99.3
2006	416	25.7	16.2	101
2007	399	22.0	18.1	101.8
2008	367	21.0	17.5	100.8
2009	392	23.0	17.0	96.7
2010	402	22.0	18.2	99.3
2011	413	25.0	16.5	99.3
2012	407	22.0	18.5	98
2013	379	39.0	9.7	95.8
2014	350	24.5	14.2	98.6
2015	316	21.0	15.0	98.4
2016	289	19.0	15.2	97.9
2017	268	17.2	15.5	97.4
2018	229	13.9	16.4	96.9
2019	204	16.5	12.3	88.7
2020	187	16.5	11.3	92
2021	186	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	189	20.0	9.4	87.3
2023	166	21.0	7.9	83.1
2024	175	21.0	8.3	88

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.

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