Whittier Elementary

Summary:

Whittier Elementary is a public elementary school in Houston, Texas, serving 355 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), which is ranked 572 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Whittier Elementary faces significant challenges compared to its peers. The school has a much higher Hispanic student population (93.8%) than surrounding schools, and its academic performance, as measured by STAAR test scores, is consistently lower than HISD and Texas state averages across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, only 56.86% of 5th-grade students at Whittier Elementary were proficient or better in STAAR Reading, compared to 51.32% for HISD and 53.96% for Texas. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Texas elementary schools, and its performance is particularly low for Hispanic students, English Language Learners, and students with special needs.

When comparing Whittier Elementary to nearby schools, such as Jacinto City Elementary, the school consistently underperforms academically. Jacinto City Elementary, located just 0.59 miles away, outperformed Whittier Elementary by a significant margin on 2023-2024 STAAR tests, with 68.75% of 3rd-grade students proficient or better in Reading compared to Whittier's 38%. Despite increased per-student spending and a relatively low student-teacher ratio, Whittier Elementary's academic performance and school ranking have remained consistently low over the past several years, with no clear signs of significant improvement.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 10511 Lacrosse St
       Houston, TX  77029-2111


(713) 671-3810

District: Houston Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
2713th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,155 Help


Students who attend Whittier Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Holland Middle
High:    Furr High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.7 Help
Number of students:  327

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
92.7%
African American:
5.2%
White:
1.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  85.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Whittier Elementary ranks worse than 58% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 88th among 170 ranked elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.85. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (92.7%), African American (5.2%), White (1.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 85.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary is 13.7, which is the 51st best among 170 elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Help
Compare Whittier Elementary employs 23.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whittier Elementary is $10,155. 94 elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District (Isd) spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Whittier Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittier Elementary 2713th of 4675 Texas public elementary schools. (See Whittier Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Hispanic students:


Houston Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Houston Independent School District (Isd) 572nd of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Whittier Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 32.82 2769th 3465 20.1%
2005 16.63 3255th 3475 6.3%
2006 20.44 3146th 3476 9.5%
2007 17.92 3439th 3724 7.7%
2008 29.54 3138th 3768 16.7%
2009 56.17 1912th 3884 50.8%
2010 62.59 1611th 3937 59.1%
2011 52.52 2260th 4095 44.8%
2012 35.21 3141st 4206 25.3%
2013 47.62 2424th 4221 42.6%
2014 21.61 3756th 4260 11.8%
2015 20.76 3740th 4320 13.4%
2016 27.59 3401st 4286 20.6%
2017 23.78 3558th 4329 17.8%
2018 23.96 3585th 4359 17.8%
2019 25.27 3617th 4479 19.2%
2021 11.44 4421st 4578 3.4%
2022 22.53 3810th 4581 16.8%
2023 21.82 3895th 4647 16.2%
2024 41.85 2713th 4675 42.0%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.63 2344th 3226 27.3%
2019 32.18 2550th 3333 23.5%
2021 34.58 2386th 3446 30.8%
2022 39.63 2248th 3487 35.5%
2023 38.41 2346th 3556 34.0%
2024 55.27 1381st 3638 62.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.52 3277th 3558 7.9%
2019 36.89 2287th 3684 37.9%
2021 20.70 3508th 3799 7.7%
2022 46.57 1795th 3952 54.6%
2023 20.31 3767th 4086 7.8%
2024 52.46 1735th 4261 59.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.58 3203rd 4264 24.9%
2019 37.37 2952nd 4309 31.5%
2021 16.61 4213th 4451 5.3%
2022 32.46 3349th 4477 25.2%
2023 29.47 3554th 4521 21.4%
2024 59.68 1513th 4560 66.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.63 3571st 4306 17.1%
2019 24.63 3645th 4348 16.2%
2021 8.44 4468th 4499 0.7%
2022 20.29 3994th 4561 12.4%
2023 25.67 3685th 4588 19.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.11 2641st 3106 15.0%
2019 35.37 2528th 3184 20.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.97 2156th 4240 49.2%
2019 37.01 2895th 4295 32.6%
2021 38.34 2696th 4331 37.8%
2022 44.71 2467th 4461 44.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.74 3566th 4319 17.4%
2019 29.67 3327th 4357 23.6%
2021 16.72 4081st 4498 9.3%
2022 26.74 3587th 4563 21.4%
2023 21.12 3946th 4585 13.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.05 2275th 2483 8.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.89 3475th 4168 16.6%
2019 28.75 3358th 4188 19.8%
2021 13.67 4200th 4329 3.0%
2022 29.21 3459th 4376 21.0%
2023 28.89 3432nd 4401 22.0%
2024 53.90 1844th 4431 58.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.96 789th 3127 74.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, 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 Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Whittier Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 164 49 1 336 0 n/a n/a 0 550
1990 166 61 1 341 0 n/a n/a 0 569
1991 159 45 1 346 0 n/a n/a 0 551
1992 133 38 0 360 0 n/a n/a 0 531
1993 129 44 0 365 0 n/a n/a 0 538
1994 110 40 0 365 0 n/a n/a 0 515
1995 85 37 1 425 0 n/a n/a 0 548
1996 85 37 1 425 0 n/a n/a 0 548
1997 68 36 2 467 0 n/a n/a 0 573
1998 56 26 0 534 0 n/a n/a 0 616
1999 54 26 0 510 0 n/a n/a 0 590
2000 60 53 0 507 0 n/a n/a 0 620
2001 45 29 2 496 0 n/a n/a 0 572
2002 35 19 1 474 0 n/a n/a 0 529
2003 35 19 1 474 0 n/a n/a 0 529
2004 30 9 2 481 1 n/a n/a 0 523
2005 24 9 2 494 1 n/a n/a 0 530
2006 20 16 1 476 0 n/a n/a 0 513
2007 14 9 4 487 0 n/a n/a 0 514
2008 20 14 2 481 0 n/a n/a 0 517
2009 29 19 1 497 1 n/a n/a 0 547
2010 24 16 2 494 1 n/a n/a 0 537
2011 22 13 2 492 1 0 0 0 530
2012 20 14 3 488 1 0 0 0 526
2013 21 24 4 529 1 0 0 0 579
2014 22 27 1 531 1 0 0 0 582
2015 24 30 4 540 0 0 2 0 600
2016 20 20 4 558 0 0 1 0 603
2017 22 21 4 518 0 0 0 0 565
2018 19 16 5 507 0 0 1 0 548
2019 13 15 7 492 0 0 0 0 527
2020 11 8 9 471 0 0 0 0 499
2021 10 10 7 388 0 0 0 0 415
2022 9 16 0 354 0 1 1 0 381
2023 5 15 0 333 0 0 2 0 355
2024 6 17 0 303 0 0 1 0 327

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

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 550 n/a n/a n/a
1990 569 27.0 21.0 n/a
1991 551 26.8 20.5 n/a
1992 531 27.2 19.5 49
1993 538 18.0 29.9 62.6
1994 515 30.0 17.2 53.4
1995 548 30.5 18.0 65.3
1996 548 30.5 18.0 65.3
1997 573 31.9 18.0 66.8
1998 616 30.6 20.1 64.6
1999 590 30.0 19.7 77.5
2000 620 30.9 20.1 78.5
2001 572 28.9 19.8 82
2002 529 32.0 16.5 83.9
2003 529 32.0 16.5 83.9
2004 523 30.0 17.4 81.6
2005 530 28.0 18.9 84.2
2006 513 28.0 18.3 87.1
2007 514 31.0 16.6 72.8
2008 517 32.0 16.2 78.3
2009 547 33.0 16.6 78.1
2010 537 31.5 17.0 73.9
2011 530 32.0 16.5 61.7
2012 526 31.4 16.7 51.7
2013 579 30.2 19.1 92.6
2014 582 32.0 18.1 93.1
2015 600 35.0 17.1 92.3
2016 603 34.0 17.7 90.4
2017 565 33.7 16.7 89.4
2018 548 31.5 17.3 88.1
2019 527 33.0 15.9 98.3
2020 499 33.0 15.1 99.6
2021 415 26.0 15.9 97.8
2022 381 23.8 15.9 100
2023 355 21.9 16.2 94.6
2024 327 23.8 13.7 85.9

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

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 550 n/a n/a n/a
1990 569 27.0 21.0 n/a
1991 551 26.8 20.5 n/a
1992 531 27.2 19.5 49
1993 538 18.0 29.9 62.6
1994 515 30.0 17.2 53.4
1995 548 30.5 18.0 65.3
1996 548 30.5 18.0 65.3
1997 573 31.9 18.0 66.8
1998 616 30.6 20.1 64.6
1999 590 30.0 19.7 77.5
2000 620 30.9 20.1 78.5
2001 572 28.9 19.8 82
2002 529 32.0 16.5 83.9
2003 529 32.0 16.5 83.9
2004 523 30.0 17.4 81.6
2005 530 28.0 18.9 84.2
2006 513 28.0 18.3 87.1
2007 514 31.0 16.6 72.8
2008 517 32.0 16.2 78.3
2009 547 33.0 16.6 78.1
2010 537 31.5 17.0 73.9
2011 530 32.0 16.5 61.7
2012 526 31.4 16.7 51.7
2013 579 30.2 19.1 92.6
2014 582 32.0 18.1 93.1
2015 600 35.0 17.1 92.3
2016 603 34.0 17.7 90.4
2017 565 33.7 16.7 89.4
2018 548 31.5 17.3 88.1
2019 527 33.0 15.9 98.3
2020 499 33.0 15.1 99.6
2021 415 26.0 15.9 97.8
2022 381 23.8 15.9 100
2023 355 21.9 16.2 94.6
2024 327 23.8 13.7 85.9

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

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,518 (17.1%) $7,338 (82.9%) $8,856
2020 $1,685 (17.8%) $7,755 (82.2%) $9,440
2021 $975 (9.6%) $9,180 (90.4%) $10,155

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Whittier Elementary

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 3617th of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 3895th of 4647 Elementary schools
 3.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Whittier Elementary)2936
 7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Houston Independent School District (Isd))3946
 7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Whittier Elementary)3027
 3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Houston Independent School District (Isd))4541
 4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
4th Grade Reading (Whittier Elementary)2733
 6%
   4th Grade Reading (Houston Independent School District (Isd))3840
 2%
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Whittier Elementary)3831
 7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Houston Independent School District (Isd))4443
 1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
5th Grade Reading (Whittier Elementary)3635
 1%
   5th Grade Reading (Houston Independent School District (Isd))4449
 5%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Whittier Elementary)5328
 25%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Houston Independent School District (Isd))5344
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Whittier Elementary)3220
 12%
   5th Grade Science (Houston Independent School District (Isd))4027
 13%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students527355
 32.6%
African American1515
American Indian00
Asian70
 100%
Hispanic492333
 32.3%
Pacific Islander00
White135
 61.5%
Two or More Races02
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients98.3%94.6%
 3.6%


Schools Near Whittier Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Whittier Elementary

Whittier Elementary ranks 2713th of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Whittier Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Holland Middle
High : Furr High School

Students at Whittier Elementary are 93% Hispanic, 5% African American, 2% White.

In the 2023-24 school year, 327 students attended Whittier Elementary.


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

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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