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Ada S. Nelson Elementary

Q: Is Ada S. Nelson Elementary a good school?

Ada S. Nelson Elementary ranks 2069 th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

2069^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 65% of California elementary schools

Summary

Ada S. Nelson Elementary is a K-6 public school serving 358 students in Whittier, California, as part of the Los Nietos School District, and it consistently ranks in the top third of elementary schools statewide despite serving a community with significant economic need.

The school stands out for its strong academic results in English and Math compared to state averages and its exceptional success with specific student groups, such as English Learners. A major accomplishment is dramatically reducing chronic student absenteeism to 12.4%, which is now better than both the district and state averages and significantly lower than nearby schools like Magee Academy of Arts & Sciences (26.3%) and Christian Sorensen Science Academy (23.5%). Furthermore, Nelson achieves these outcomes while spending less per student than several comparison schools, including Rancho Santa Gertrudes Elementary and Jersey Avenue Elementary.

While the school performs well overall, Science is an area identified for improvement, as proficiency rates are below the state average. Performance also varies by grade level, with different strengths in Math and English across grades. Compared to a high-performing neighbor like Daniel Phelan Language Academy, Nelson holds its own, especially considering it serves a higher percentage of students from low-income families. The school's stable, above-average performance within its supportive Los Nietos district demonstrates a reliable and effective learning environment for its community.

358

Students ?

25.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,646

Per pupil spending ?

84.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

8140 South Vicki Dr.
Whittier, CA 90606-3040

(562) 692-0615

District: Los Nietos

Students who attend Ada S. Nelson Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Los Nietos Middle
High:	Pioneer High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

91.6%

Asian:

3.6%

African American:

2.0%

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Compare Ada S. Nelson Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 71st percentile in 2023 → 65th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (46% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Above the California median (65th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 71st-percentile peak (2023) to 65th (2025)

!Large classes — about 26 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school46%

District avg40%

California avg41%

2,069^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Top 35%▲ up 24 pts since 2015

From bottom 40% (2015) to top 35% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 3Elementary Schools in the Los Nietos

676^th of 1,543Los Nietos 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	60.0	2069 of 5857	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.6	1952 of 5869	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.0	1707 of 5859	70.9%	★★★★☆
2022	67.0	1737 of 5883	70.5%	★★★★☆
2021	42.6	740 of 1417	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	56.6	2222 of 5789	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.3	2557 of 5662	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	60.4	1996 of 5692	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	50.9	2450 of 5614	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2015	34.7	3351 of 5611	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2013	37.0	3528 of 5530	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	34.0	3670 of 5390	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	38.5	3352 of 5377	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	39.6	3195 of 5314	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2009	48.5	2577 of 5193	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2008	48.2	2482 of 5113	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2007	43.8	2685 of 5113	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	36.1	2928 of 4818	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2005	36.2	2940 of 4822	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2004	27.0	3421 of 4809	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2019	50.4	972 of 2585	62.4%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2023	76.0	347 of 3245	89.3%	★★★★☆
2021	58.9	132 of 602	78.1%	★★★★☆
2019	85.5	241 of 3275	92.6%	★★★★★
2018	71.4	513 of 3246	84.2%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	61.8	1877 of 5597	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.5	1980 of 5612	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.0	1851 of 5609	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	66.8	1653 of 5635	70.7%	★★★★☆
2021	39.4	706 of 1267	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	54.5	2252 of 5492	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.8	2508 of 5413	53.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	76.5	893 of 5107	82.5%	★★★★☆
2024	77.7	827 of 5107	83.8%	★★★★☆
2023	82.4	636 of 5087	87.5%	★★★★☆
2022	82.0	672 of 5084	86.8%	★★★★☆
2019	72.8	1022 of 4963	79.4%	★★★★☆
2018	66.0	1322 of 4830	72.6%	★★★★☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	93.2	15 of 356	95.8%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	68.7	1344 of 5460	75.4%	★★★★☆
2024	70.8	1228 of 5517	77.7%	★★★★☆
2023	78.4	837 of 5363	84.4%	★★★★☆
2022	79.4	780 of 5264	85.2%	★★★★☆
2021	69.5	241 of 1110	78.3%	★★★★☆
2019	74.7	939 of 5173	81.8%	★★★★☆
2018	66.0	1395 of 5084	72.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	55.7	2201 of 5628	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.9	1803 of 5643	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.8	1516 of 5638	73.1%	★★★★☆
2022	64.3	1762 of 5663	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.3	610 of 1272	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.0	2140 of 5510	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.7	2529 of 5431	53.4%	★★★☆☆

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)

Homeless (2022)96th percentile+25 vs school

English Language Learner (2023)89th percentile+18 vs school

Hispanic (2025)83rd percentile+18 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)75th percentile+11 vs school

Female (2025)66th percentile~ school

Disabled (2019)62nd percentile~ school

Male (2025)61st percentile-4 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy54%+5 vs state

Mathematics45%+7 vs state

Science27%-6 vs state

★

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Schools Near Ada S. Nelson 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)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (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 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall All Grades	CSA Spanish Listening 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening All Grades	CSA Spanish Writing 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing All Grades	CSA Spanish Reading 4th 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	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ada S. Nelson Elementary	Public	K-6	8140 South Vicki Dr.	Whittier	90606	Los Angeles County	Los Nietos	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 692-0615	358	14	25.5	84.1%	4 (1.1%)	7 (2.0%)	328 (91.6%)	13 (3.6%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	60	2069^th of 5857 public elementary schools	64.7%		62.6	1952^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	66.7%	117									26.9	26.9	45.2	54.9	59.6	52.5	53.5	56.8	47.1	37.7	37.5	44.7					$19,646	$2,616	$17,030
Aeolian Elementary	Public	K-6	11600 Aeolian St.	Whittier	90606	Los Angeles County	Los Nietos	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 699-0913	283	13	21.7	91.2%	7 (2.5%)	6 (2.1%)	266 (94.0%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	26.3	4293^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	26.7%		42.8	3012^th of 5869 public elementary schools	48.7%	1281									20.4	20.4	24.4	23.1	44.9	37.5	33.3	15.6	10.3	34.7	19.6	20.6	89.1	93.5	93.5	93.5	$22,048	$3,348	$18,700
Daniel Phelan Language Academy	Public	K-5	7150 South Cully Ave.	Whittier	90606	Los Angeles County	Whittier City	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3210	507	21	24.6	64.5%	10 (2.0%)	2 (0.4%)	488 (96.3%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	75.1	1364^th of 5857 public elementary schools	76.7%		73.6	1430^th of 5869 public elementary schools	75.6%	66	14.0	14.0	12.0	12.0	42.0	42.0	14.0	14.0	31.6	31.6	58.7	53.7	72.4		61.4	68.0	48.2	75.0		63.3					$19,451	$2,074	$17,377
Rancho Santa Gertrudes Elementary	Public	K-6	11233 East Charlesworth Rd.	Santa Fe Springs	90670	Los Angeles County	Los Nietos	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 692-0841	307	14	21.9	86.6%	4 (1.3%)	3 (1.0%)	294 (95.8%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	46.5	2793^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	52.3%		66.9	1735^th of 5869 public elementary schools	70.4%	1058									24.4	24.4	14.3	37.2	53.7	60.0	43.4	28.6	37.2	29.3	52.5	37.5	88.9			92.6	$24,639	$4,337	$20,302
Christian Sorensen Science Academy	Public	K-5	11493 East Rosehedge Dr.	Whittier	90606	Los Angeles County	Whittier City	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3220	446	18	24.1	79.6%	10 (2.2%)	4 (0.9%)	409 (91.7%)	11 (2.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.5%)	44	2952^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	49.6%		50.5	2533^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	56.8%	419									35.5	35.5	37.2	34.9	48.0		39.8	34.2	38.6	38.7		37.1	96.8			96.8	$18,925	$2,086	$16,839
Rivera Elementary	Public	K-5	7250 Citronell St.	Pico Rivera	90660	Los Angeles County	El Rancho Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 801-7650	473	18	26.2	85.0%	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	466 (98.5%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36.9	3417^th of 5857 public elementary schools	41.7%		33.3	3657^th of 5869 public elementary schools	37.7%	240									25.6	25.6	35.1	34.9	47.1		39.3	36.5	38.6	21.2		31.8					$20,397	$1,083	$19,314
Jersey Avenue Elementary	Public	K-5	9400 Jersey Ave.	Santa Fe Springs	90670	Los Angeles County	Little Lake City Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 948-3772	260	13	20.0	75.4%	6 (2.3%)	2 (0.8%)	243 (93.5%)	6 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	74.6	1395^th of 5857 public elementary schools	76.2%		56.1	2233^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	62.0%	838									43.8	43.8	62.8	64.9	64.6		64.1	62.8	56.8	35.4		50.8	95.4			95.4	$23,915	$1,059	$22,856
West Whittier Elementary	Public	K-5	6411 South Norwalk Blvd.	Whittier	90606	Los Angeles County	Whittier City	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 789-3240	346	17	19.8	76.0%	8 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	307 (88.7%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.9%)	47.9	2705^th of 5857 public elementary schools	53.8%		47.2	2724^th of 5869 public elementary schools	53.6%	19	5.3	5.3	10.5	10.5	26.3	26.3	5.3	5.3	25.4	25.4	42.6	47.1	43.1		44.2	47.8	45.1	32.8		41.3					$19,953	$2,070	$17,883
Birney Technical Academy	Public	K-5	8501 Orange Ave.	Pico Rivera	90660	Los Angeles County	El Rancho Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 801-7600	344	15	22.9	80.8%	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	340 (98.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	45.5	2852^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	51.3%		47.7	2688^th of 5869 public elementary schools	54.2%	164									32.7	32.7	38.5	42.9	51.9		44.4	30.8	42.0	32.7		35.1	96.6				$21,568	$1,128	$20,440
Valencia Academy of the Arts	Public	K-5	9241 East Cosgrove St.	Pico Rivera	90660	Los Angeles County	El Rancho Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(562) 801-7670	398	16	24.8	82.4%	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	383 (96.2%)	6 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	57.7	2187^th of 5857 public elementary schools	62.7%		60.1	2063^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	64.8%	124									40.4	40.4	38.2	56.5	57.9		50.5	39.7	54.3	31.6		42.6	96.6				$21,108	$1,019	$20,089

Frequently Asked Questions about Ada S. Nelson Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Ada S. Nelson Elementary?

Students at Ada S. Nelson Elementary are 92% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 2% African American, 1% White.

What district is Ada S. Nelson Elementary in?

Los Nietos

What schools do graduates of Ada S. Nelson Elementary attend?

Students who attend Ada S. Nelson Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Los Nietos Middle
High : Pioneer High

Is Ada S. Nelson Elementary a good school?

Ada S. Nelson Elementary ranks 2069^th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ada S. Nelson Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 358 students attended Ada S. Nelson Elementary.

Rate Ada S. Nelson 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.