Whittier Elementary

Summary:

Whittier Elementary is a public elementary school in Costa Mesa, California, serving 476 students in grades K-6 as part of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. However, the school faces several challenges, including high chronic absenteeism, low academic achievement, and significant performance gaps among student subgroups.

Whittier Elementary has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism rates, rising from 11.3% in 2018-2019 to 28.2% in 2021-2022, which is notably higher than nearby schools like Woodland Elementary (24.7%) and Mariners Elementary (10.3%). Additionally, the school consistently underperforms compared to the district and state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics, with only 26.67% and 22.38% of Whittier students, respectively, being proficient or better. The school's student subgroups, such as Hispanic students, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities, also consistently rank in the bottom quartile of California elementary schools.

Whittier Elementary's high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 90.97% in 2022-2023, suggests that the school serves a predominantly low-income community, which likely contributes to the school's challenges. In contrast, nearby schools like Newport Heights Elementary (32.75%) and Mariners Elementary (19.47%) have significantly lower rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Addressing the issues at Whittier Elementary will require a comprehensive approach that considers the school's unique socioeconomic context and leverages the resources and best practices of the surrounding schools within the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.


Detail:

Public K-6

 1800 Whittier Ave.
       Costa Mesa, CA  92627-4558


(949) 515-6990

District: Newport-Mesa Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
4622nd of 5,862 California Elementary Schools


Students who attend Whittier Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Horace Ensign Intermediate
High:    Newport Harbor High

Student/teacher ratio:  19.5 Help
Number of students:  476

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
96.6%
Two or more races:
1.7%
White:
1.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  91% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Whittier Elementary ranks worse than 78.8% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 20th among 21 ranked elementary schools in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.5. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Whittier Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.  (See more...)
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Whittier Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittier Elementary 4622nd of 5862 California 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:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:


Newport-Mesa Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Newport-Mesa Unified 430th of 1568 California 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 CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 18.02 4574th 5193 11.9%
2010 27.10 4075th 5314 23.3%
2011 15.23 4936th 5377 8.2%
2012 27.08 4156th 5390 22.9%
2013 23.49 4498th 5530 18.7%
2015 19.88 4642nd 5611 17.3%
2016 18.14 4787th 5614 14.7%
2017 14.59 5150th 5692 9.5%
2018 22.35 4482nd 5662 20.8%
2019 28.14 4092nd 5789 29.3%
2021 38.00 808th 1417 43.0%
2022 27.99 4049th 5883 31.2%
2023 30.41 3851st 5874 34.4%
2024 22.50 4622nd 5862 21.2%
See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.20 1557th 3246 52.0%
2019 54.76 1005th 3275 69.3%
2021 47.85 229th 602 62.0%
2022 42.83 1621st 3311 51.0%
2023 42.71 1639th 3250 49.6%
2024 23.48 2925th 3160 7.4%
See the entire list of Best California 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 CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 34.15 1469th 2420 39.3%
2024 38.37 1408th 2634 46.5%
See the entire list of Best California 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 CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.68 3646th 5084 28.3%
2019 39.18 3180th 5173 38.5%
2021 62.53 330th 1110 70.3%
2022 36.55 3294th 5264 37.4%
2023 38.61 3173rd 5374 41.0%
2024 27.92 4153rd 5511 24.6%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 42.42 193rd 356 45.8%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.88 4098th 5413 24.3%
2019 34.46 3457th 5492 37.1%
2021 42.27 666th 1267 47.4%
2022 22.46 4458th 5635 20.9%
2023 32.46 3543rd 5617 36.9%
2024 26.89 4071st 5605 27.4%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.20 1751st 2128 17.7%
2019 25.68 2019th 2585 21.9%
2022 22.02 1918th 2227 13.9%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.73 4596th 5431 15.4%
2019 23.33 4352nd 5510 21.0%
2021 34.45 765th 1272 39.9%
2022 34.84 3390th 5663 40.1%
2023 29.03 3862nd 5650 31.6%
2024 19.62 4763rd 5636 15.5%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Whittier Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.13 3544th 4830 26.6%
2019 38.26 3076th 4963 38.0%
2022 38.15 3045th 5084 40.1%
2023 40.10 2897th 5098 43.2%
2024 30.75 3685th 5102 27.8%
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.

Whittier Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: California Department of Education

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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
1988 165 6 19 305 0 n/a n/a 0 495
1989 164 4 9 330 0 n/a n/a 0 507
1990 151 5 10 360 0 n/a n/a 0 526
1991 134 9 4 422 0 n/a n/a 0 569
1992 152 10 8 483 0 n/a n/a 0 653
1993 134 10 13 564 0 n/a n/a 0 721
1994 64 9 4 588 0 n/a n/a 0 665
1995 55 9 1 737 0 n/a n/a 0 802
1996 55 9 1 737 0 n/a n/a 0 802
1997 57 8 5 838 1 n/a n/a 0 909
1998 26 2 1 645 3 n/a n/a 0 677
1999 29 2 3 653 1 n/a n/a 0 688
2000 27 2 3 581 1 n/a n/a 0 614
2001 31 3 3 547 1 n/a n/a 0 585
2002 25 3 10 616 0 n/a n/a 0 654
2003 25 3 10 616 0 n/a n/a 0 654
2004 22 1 9 575 0 n/a n/a 0 607
2005 17 0 12 609 0 n/a n/a 0 638
2006 20 0 10 564 0 n/a n/a 0 594
2007 10 2 5 555 0 n/a n/a 0 572
2008 10 1 10 529 n/a n/a n/a 0 550
2009 14 0 7 631 0 0 0 0 652
2010 7 2 5 687 0 0 0 0 701
2011 9 0 6 784 0 0 0 0 799
2012 8 0 7 757 0 0 0 0 772
2013 3 0 7 731 0 0 0 0 741
2014 5 0 4 739 0 0 0 0 748
2015 5 0 2 722 0 0 0 0 729
2016 7 0 3 708 0 0 0 0 718
2017 8 0 1 690 0 0 1 0 700
2018 8 0 1 665 0 0 1 0 675
2019 8 2 1 606 0 0 2 0 619
2020 9 3 2 536 0 0 3 0 553
2021 5 1 2 413 0 0 2 0 423
2022 8 0 3 476 0 0 7 0 494
2023 6 0 2 460 0 0 8 0 476

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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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 495 22.1 22.3 n/a
1989 507 21.0 24.1 n/a
1990 526 24.1 21.8 n/a
1991 569 26.5 21.4 n/a
1992 653 26.9 24.2 71.8
1993 721 28.6 25.2 89
1994 665 26.2 25.4 94.9
1995 802 29.0 27.7 94.9
1996 802 29.0 27.7 94.9
1997 909 43.0 21.1 94.9
1998 677 39.0 17.4 86.6
1999 688 38.9 17.7 94.9
2000 614 38.0 16.2 85.5
2001 585 38.8 15.1 23.1
2002 654 43.0 15.2 98.6
2003 654 43.0 15.2 98.6
2004 607 37.1 16.4 98.7
2005 638 35.3 18.1 96.6
2006 594 33.0 18.0 95.8
2007 572 33.8 16.9 96
2008 550 34.4 16.0 93.6
2009 652 33.8 17.9 96
2010 701 32.3 21.7 95.1
2011 799 n/a n/a 95
2012 772 34.0 22.7 99.6
2013 741 32.5 22.8 99.6
2014 748 27.5 27.2 70.3
2015 729 28.0 26.0 94.9
2016 718 28.0 25.6 94.2
2017 700 27.5 25.4 91
2018 675 27.5 24.5 88.6
2019 619 28.0 22.1 90
2020 553 n/a n/a 80.8
2021 423 20.0 21.1 91.5
2022 494 27.1 18.2 65.4
2023 476 24.3 19.5 91

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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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 495 22.1 22.3 n/a
1989 507 21.0 24.1 n/a
1990 526 24.1 21.8 n/a
1991 569 26.5 21.4 n/a
1992 653 26.9 24.2 71.8
1993 721 28.6 25.2 89
1994 665 26.2 25.4 94.9
1995 802 29.0 27.7 94.9
1996 802 29.0 27.7 94.9
1997 909 43.0 21.1 94.9
1998 677 39.0 17.4 86.6
1999 688 38.9 17.7 94.9
2000 614 38.0 16.2 85.5
2001 585 38.8 15.1 23.1
2002 654 43.0 15.2 98.6
2003 654 43.0 15.2 98.6
2004 607 37.1 16.4 98.7
2005 638 35.3 18.1 96.6
2006 594 33.0 18.0 95.8
2007 572 33.8 16.9 96
2008 550 34.4 16.0 93.6
2009 652 33.8 17.9 96
2010 701 32.3 21.7 95.1
2011 799 n/a n/a 95
2012 772 34.0 22.7 99.6
2013 741 32.5 22.8 99.6
2014 748 27.5 27.2 70.3
2015 729 28.0 26.0 94.9
2016 718 28.0 25.6 94.2
2017 700 27.5 25.4 91
2018 675 27.5 24.5 88.6
2019 619 28.0 22.1 90
2020 553 n/a n/a 80.8
2021 423 20.0 21.1 91.5
2022 494 27.1 18.2 65.4
2023 476 24.3 19.5 91

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Whittier Elementary

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPolioHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMMR
2012100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%
201399.0%0.0%0.0%1.0%99.0%100.0%100.0%99.0%99.0%
201491.0%0.0%0.0%9.0%95.0%99.0%100.0%95.0%94.0%
201587.0%0.0%0.0%13.0%90.0%98.0%99.0%90.0%87.0%
201695.0%1.0%0.0%1.0%95.0%95.0%96.0%95.0%95.0%
2017≥98.0%≤2.0%≤2.0%≤2.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%
2018≥99.0%≤1.0%≤1.0%≤1.0%≥99.0%≥99.0%≥99.0%≥99.0%≥99.0%
2019≥98.0%≤2.0%≤2.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%
202297.1%0.0%0.0%

Data source: California Department of Public Health
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 4092nd of 5789 Elementary schoolsRanks 3851st of 5874 Elementary schools
 5.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Whittier Elementary)41.845.5
 3.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Newport-Mesa Unified)65.361.9
 3.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.543
 5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Whittier Elementary)38.550.9
 12.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Newport-Mesa Unified)65.862.3
 3.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (California)50.245.1
 5.1%
3rd Grade Reading/Language Arts (Whittier Elementary)13.947.1
 33.2%
   3rd Grade Reading/Language Arts (Newport-Mesa Unified)13.947.1
 33.2%
   3rd Grade Reading/Language Arts (California)13.88.7
 5.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Whittier Elementary)42.731.9
 10.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Newport-Mesa Unified)6358.2
 4.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.543.7
 5.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Whittier Elementary)39.336.2
 3.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Newport-Mesa Unified)63.456.7
 6.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (California)44.940.8
 4.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Whittier Elementary)37.522.4
 15.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Newport-Mesa Unified)65.958.9
 7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Whittier Elementary)12.510.5
 2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Newport-Mesa Unified)52.645.6
 7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (California)3833.4
 4.6%
5th Grade Science (Whittier Elementary)13.87.9
 5.9%
   5th Grade Science (Newport-Mesa Unified)44.838.9
 5.9%
   5th Grade Science (California)31.731.9
 0.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Whittier Elementary)37.332.8
 4.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Newport-Mesa Unified)66.363.1
 3.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Whittier Elementary)15.517.2
 1.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Newport-Mesa Unified)5351.1
 1.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students619476
 23.1%
African American20
 100%
American Indian00
Asian12
 100%
Hispanic606460
 24.1%
Pacific Islander00
White86
 25%
Two or More Races28
 300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients90%91%
 1%


Schools Near Whittier Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Whittier Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 476 students attended Whittier Elementary.

Students who attend Whittier Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Horace Ensign Intermediate
High : Newport Harbor High

Students at Whittier Elementary are 97% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% White.

Whittier Elementary ranks in the bottom 21.2% of California elementary schools.


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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.





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