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James A. Whitaker Elementary

Public Grades K-5

4709^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 20% of California elementary schools

Summary

James A. Whitaker Elementary is a K-5 public school serving 559 students in the Buena Park Elementary district, ranking in the lower 20th percentile of California elementary schools with significant academic challenges and a high rate of chronic student absenteeism.

The school's performance in English, math, and science is substantially lower than many nearby schools, including Charles G. Emery Elementary in the same district, which has proficiency rates two to three times higher despite similar per-student funding. Whitaker serves a very high-need population, with over 91% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, a factor shared with some other area schools like Carl E. Gilbert Elementary that also face challenges. However, comparisons show that high economic need does not always lead to low performance, as schools such as Glen H. Dysinger Senior Elementary and Dr. Peter Marshall achieve much stronger academic results with similar student demographics.

Notably, Whitaker shows a major strength in supporting English Learner students, ranking in the 76th percentile for this group, but faces severe difficulties in serving students with special needs, ranking in the state's bottom 1st percentile. The school's chronic absenteeism rate, though improved, remains higher than most peers, which is a known barrier to learning. The wide variation in performance among schools within the Buena Park Elementary district itself suggests that school-specific practices and culture are critical factors influencing student success.

559

Students ?

20.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,392

Per pupil spending ?

91.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

8401 Montana St.
Buena Park, CA 90621-3629

(714) 521-9770

District: Buena Park Elementary

Students who attend James A. Whitaker Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Gordon H. Beatty Middle
High:	Buena Park High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

81.0%

Asian:

7.5%

White:

4.7%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare James A. Whitaker Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 28th percentile in 2013 → 20th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (24% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (20th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 8 percentile points since 2013

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school24%

District avg38%

California avg41%

4,709^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Bottom 20%▼ down 16 pts since 2015

From bottom 35% (2015) to bottom 20% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 5Elementary Schools in the Buena Park Elementary

855^th of 1,543Buena Park Elementary among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	21.5	4709 of 5857	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.4	4543 of 5869	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.8	4768 of 5859	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	29.5	3904 of 5883	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.9	3320 of 5789	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.7	3174 of 5662	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	33.7	3543 of 5692	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2016	34.4	3450 of 5614	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	31.0	3628 of 5611	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2013	30.6	3994 of 5530	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	39.2	3313 of 5390	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	39.2	3312 of 5377	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	37.3	3333 of 5314	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	39.2	3099 of 5193	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2008	33.1	3381 of 5113	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	38.1	3041 of 5113	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	39.5	2742 of 4818	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2005	42.3	2583 of 4822	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2004	42.9	2508 of 4809	47.8%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	25.4	1718 of 2227	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.9	2503 of 2585	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	59.2	761 of 3162	75.9%	★★★★☆
2023	46.6	1368 of 3245	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.5	979 of 3311	70.4%	★★★★☆
2019	71.3	503 of 3275	84.6%	★★★★☆
2018	80.3	332 of 3246	89.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	20.7	4621 of 5597	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.0	4154 of 5612	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.5	4924 of 5609	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.0	3494 of 5635	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	36.3	3330 of 5492	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.6	3117 of 5413	42.4%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	26.4	4015 of 5107	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.7	3825 of 5107	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.5	4141 of 5087	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	38.2	3036 of 5084	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.1	2474 of 4963	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.4	2330 of 4830	51.8%	★★★☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	46.2	209 of 429	51.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	28.8	4069 of 5460	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.1	3936 of 5517	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.2	4212 of 5363	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.2	3074 of 5264	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.2	2256 of 5173	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.7	1922 of 5084	62.2%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	23.1	4464 of 5628	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.4	4498 of 5643	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.7	4282 of 5638	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.5	4001 of 5663	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	39.9	3046 of 5510	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.0	3049 of 5431	43.9%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	14.5	2827 of 2847	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.8	2404 of 2635	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	21.9	2109 of 2420	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2024)76th percentile+53 vs school

Homeless (2025)51st percentile+32 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)25th percentile+6 vs school

Disabled (2022)23rd percentile-11 vs school

Hispanic (2025)21st percentile~ school

Male (2025)21st percentile~ school

Female (2025)17th percentile~ school

Special Education (2025)1st percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics27%-11 vs state

English Language Arts/Literacy25%-24 vs state

Science15%-17 vs state

★

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Schools Near James A. Whitaker Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CSA Spanish Overall (2025)				CSA Spanish Listening (2025)				CSA Spanish Writing (2025)				CSA Spanish Reading (2025)				CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)					% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CSA Spanish Overall 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall All Grades	CSA Spanish Listening 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening All Grades	CSA Spanish Writing 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing All Grades	CSA Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading All Grades	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	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 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James A. Whitaker Elementary	Public	K-5	8401 Montana St.	Buena Park	90621	Orange County	Buena Park Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 521-9770	559	27	20.7	91.9%	26 (4.7%)	17 (3.0%)	453 (81.0%)	42 (7.5%)	2 (0.4%)	5 (0.9%)	14 (2.5%)	21.5	4709^th of 5857 public elementary schools	19.6%		23.4	4543^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	22.6%	166																	15.5	15.5	17.8	28.6	27.8		25.2	25.4	30.1	24.7		26.7	96.5			98.3	97.4		$21,392	$1,926	$19,466
Mabel L. Pendleton Elementary	Public	K-5	7101 Stanton Ave.	Buena Park	90621	Orange County	Buena Park Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 521-8568	365	19	19.7	87.7%	12 (3.3%)	13 (3.6%)	285 (78.1%)	37 (10.1%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	14 (3.8%)	33.9	3656^th of 5857 public elementary schools	37.6%		34.6	3558^th of 5869 public elementary schools	39.4%	98																	10.9	10.9	24.3	47.3	28.9		35.0	27.0	58.2	13.0		34.8							$22,337	$1,994	$20,343
Valencia Park Elementary	Public	K-6	3441 West Valencia Dr.	Fullerton	92833	Orange County	Fullerton Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 447-7755	398	13	30.6	85.4%	9 (2.3%)	5 (1.3%)	359 (90.2%)	13 (3.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.8%)	23.4	4552^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	22.3%		19.7	4895^th of 5869 public elementary schools	16.6%	343																	18.0	18.0	25.0	33.3	36.7	29.6	31.3	22.5	24.2	30.0	10.7	21.7							$26,061	$1,190	$24,871
Glen H. Dysinger Senior Elementary	Public	K-6	7770 Camellia Dr.	Buena Park	90620	Orange County	Centralia Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 228-3240	468	19	24.6	65.8%	78 (16.7%)	7 (1.5%)	256 (54.7%)	87 (18.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (8.5%)	57	2211^th of 5857 public elementary schools	62.3%		60.5	2046^th of 5869 public elementary schools	65.1%	165																	40.5	40.5	48.0	40.7	51.4	46.2	47.0	55.3	44.4	31.1	42.4	43.3							$15,923	$1,935	$13,988
Carl E. Gilbert Elementary	Public	K-5	7255 Eighth St.	Buena Park	90621	Orange County	Buena Park Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 522-7281	490	18	27.0	93.9%	4 (0.8%)	19 (3.9%)	429 (87.6%)	17 (3.5%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.0%)	15 (3.1%)	16.1	5174^th of 5857 public elementary schools	11.7%		18.7	4962^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	15.5%	212																	16.3	16.3	16.0	21.5	21.3		19.7	26.3	21.8	19.0		22.3	98.1				98.1		$21,455	$2,003	$19,452
Charles G. Emery Elementary	Public	K-5	8600 Somerset St.	Buena Park	90621	Orange County	Buena Park Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 521-5134	646	25	26.3	55.3%	31 (4.8%)	7 (1.1%)	201 (31.1%)	368 (57.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.9%)	83.1	1013^th of 5857 public elementary schools	82.7%		88.6	772^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	86.8%	241																	54.4	54.4	50.5	64.2	73.5		62.8	58.9	69.1	65.8		64.8							$21,303	$1,920	$19,383
Dr. Peter Marshall	Public	K-6	2627 Crescent Ave.	Anaheim	92801	Orange County	Magnolia Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 527-8821	714	33	21.6	66.0%	46 (6.4%)	17 (2.4%)	559 (78.3%)	70 (9.8%)	2 (0.3%)	6 (0.8%)	14 (2.0%)	61.6	1987^th of 5857 public elementary schools	66.1%		68.9	1639^th of 5869 public elementary schools	72.1%	348																	30.9	30.9	50.0	40.2	53.8	69.3	53.2	52.8	43.1	32.1	54.9	46.6	96.4	98.2	98.2	97.3	98.2	97.3	$20,597	$2,806	$17,791
Orangethorpe Elementary	Public	K-6	1400 South Brookhurst Rd.	Fullerton	92833	Orange County	Fullerton Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 447-7730	489	22	22.1	77.7%	41 (8.4%)	7 (1.4%)	383 (78.3%)	40 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.5%)	30.7	3907^th of 5857 public elementary schools	33.3%		27.7	4144^th of 5869 public elementary schools	29.4%	237																	21.3	21.3	41.3	37.2	35.1	37.9	37.8	40.6	23.3	17.3	18.2	24.6	89.3	93.2	97.1	92.2	91.3	91.3	$29,843	$1,432	$28,411
Gauer (Melbourne A.) Elementary	Public	K-6	810 North Gilbert St.	Anaheim	92801	Orange County	Anaheim Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 517-8908	487	20	24.3	64.9%	17 (3.5%)	12 (2.5%)	399 (81.9%)	41 (8.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	15 (3.1%)	27.8	4151^st of 5857 public elementary schools	29.1%		25	4367^th of 5869 public elementary schools	25.6%	216	9.5	35.0	0.0	15.5	61.9	25.0	5.9	32.8	4.8	50.0	0.0	19.0	0.0	25.0	0.0	8.6	18.5	18.5	28.2	31.8	31.5	29.4	30.1	43.1	33.3	28.3	12.7	29.4	97.2	98.1		97.2	98.1	98.1	$23,535	$1,358	$22,177
Pacific Drive Elementary	Public	K-6	1501 West Valencia Dr.	Fullerton	92833	Orange County	Fullerton Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 447-7735	607	27	22.4	70.7%	52 (8.6%)	11 (1.8%)	495 (81.5%)	27 (4.4%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	15 (2.5%)	34.4	3625^th of 5857 public elementary schools	38.1%		25.3	4343^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	26.0%	718																	16.2	16.2	33.0	41.4	41.2	46.3	40.2	33.7	30.0	30.9	20.0	28.7	92.8	95.2		93.6	94.4	94.4	$24,036	$780	$23,256

Frequently Asked Questions about James A. Whitaker Elementary

What district is James A. Whitaker Elementary in?

Buena Park Elementary

What is the racial makeup of James A. Whitaker Elementary?

Students at James A. Whitaker Elementary are 81% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 5% White, 3% African American, 3% Two or more races.

How many students attend James A. Whitaker Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 559 students attended James A. Whitaker Elementary.

What schools do graduates of James A. Whitaker Elementary attend?

Students who attend James A. Whitaker Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Gordon H. Beatty Middle
High : Buena Park High

Is James A. Whitaker Elementary a good school?

James A. Whitaker Elementary ranks in the bottom 19.6% of California elementary schools.

Rate James A. Whitaker 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 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.