Whittier City runs schools through 8th grade. Its 9 public elementary schools run from the 24th to the 77th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). High school is run by another district; confirm the school for your address with the district.
K5Elementary
68Middle
912High
Whittier City · grades K–8
Another district · grades 9–12
Elementary · 9 schools
from 24th to 77th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Daniel Phelan Language Academy: 77th percentile, Strong
Wallen L. Andrews: 63rd percentile, Solid
Longfellow Elementary: 62nd percentile, Solid
West Whittier Elementary: 55th percentile, Solid
Lou Henry Hoover School of Fine Arts: 51st percentile, Solid
Lydia Jackson College Preparatory Academy: 49th percentile, Developing
Mill School and Technology Academy: 42nd percentile, Developing
Christian Sorensen Science Academy: 42nd percentile, Developing
Orange Grove Elementary: 24th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
3Developing
4Solid
1Strong
Middle · 4 schools
from 45th to 74th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Walter F. Dexter Middle: 45th percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
1Developing
3Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 1 of the 12 ranked schools teaches two levels, so it appears in more than one picture.
The average elementary school in Whittier City had 19 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Whittier City score highest?
Katherine Edwards Middle School STEAM & Dual Immersion Academy is highest, at the 74th percentile.
That’s higher than 74 in 100 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Whittier City
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean
The average middle school in Whittier City had 25 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
The district
Where does Whittier City’s money go, and what does it plan?
Whittier City spent $21,454 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 67 cents of every Whittier City dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction67%
Instruction support12%
Student services8%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance7%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$57.2 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 47 funded actions in 4 goals. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 116 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 64% of the money. The plan itself puts 94% of it toward staff.
Certificated and Management Salaries and Benefits $29.0 million
Classified Salaries and Benefits $4.6 million
K-3 Class Size Reduction $3.1 million
44 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
3 of the plan’s 47 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name catch-up help or English learners
Catch-up help $610,000
English learners $250,000
Largest of these
Multi Tiered Support System (MTSS) Instructional Aides (combo and RTI) and Intervention Substitute Teachers$600,000
English Language Development Training and Instructional Materials and Support (Newcomer and Long Term English Learners)$250,000
Summer Intervention and Support$10,000
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $18.9 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025-2026, it planned $19.1 million and estimates it spent $19.5 million, $0.4 million (2%) more than planned (our arithmetic).
$19.5 million spent (estimated)$19.1 million planned
What changed
The total is $4.0 million (8%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Certificated and Management Salaries and Benefits, which went from $24.8 million to $29.0 million.
Largest cuts
District Facilities and Maintenance−$515,550
Virtual Learning Academy−$236,075
K-3 Class Size Reduction−$234,487
Largest increases
Certificated and Management Salaries and Benefits+$4.2 million
Transitional Kindergarten Support Staff, Materials, and Training+$680,000
Full Day Kindergarten and Kindergarten Round Up+$482,900
New in the 2026–27 plan
Behavior Technicians, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Counselors$3.0 million
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 2
48%
50%
up 2 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 2
38%
39%
up 1 pt
Goal 4 tracks named schools and Goals 1 and 3 track other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Certificated and Management Salaries and Benefits · $29,000,000
Classified Salaries and Benefits · $4,630,000
K-3 Class Size Reduction · $3,100,000
The full plan4 goals, 7 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($57.2 million).
Where does the money go?
65% to Goal 1. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1WCSD will provide access to rigorous instructional materials aligned with academic standards, an innovative…$37.2 million65% of action budgets
“WCSD will provide access to rigorous instructional materials aligned with academic standards, an innovative and effective environment where students will thrive, and well-qualified teachers and staff” p. 11 ↗
10 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $34.2 million (+$2.9 million)
Largest funded actions
Certificated and Management Salaries and Benefits$29.0 millionaction 1.1 · p. 71 ↗
Classified Salaries and Benefits$4.6 millionaction 1.2 · p. 71 ↗
District Facilities and Maintenance$2.0 millionaction 1.4 · p. 71 ↗
Physical Education Elementary Teachers and Physical Education Aides$0.7 millionaction 1.8 · p. 71 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
LCFF Base Site Locations$0.3 millionaction 1.10 · p. 72 ↗
5 more funded actions in this goal
Andrews Staffing Support · action 1.3 · p. 71 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Visual and Performing Arts Support Staff and Art Events · action 1.6 · p. 71 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Supplemental Instructional Materials · action 1.5 · p. 71 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Enrichment Programs · action 1.9 · p. 71 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Visual and Performing Arts · action 1.7 · p. 71 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Certificated and Management Salaries and Benefits+$4.2 million$24.8 million → $29.0 million · p. 71 ↗
District Facilities and Maintenance−$0.5 million$2.5 million → $2.0 million · p. 71 ↗
Physical Education Elementary Teachers and Physical Education Aides−$212,944$912,944 → $700,000 · p. 71 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Classified Salaries and Benefits · $4.8 million → $4.6 million · p. 71 ↗−$0.1 million
LCFF Base Site Locations · $317,000 → $320,000 · p. 72 ↗+$3,000
Andrews Staffing Support · $206,238 → $218,000 · p. 71 ↗+$11,762
Visual and Performing Arts Support Staff and Art Events · $292,905 → $135,000 · p. 71 ↗−$157,905
Enrichment Programs · $250,000 → $60,000 · p. 71 ↗−$190,000
Visual and Performing Arts · $30,000 → $30,000 · p. 71 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 2 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 11 ↗.
Goal 2Whittier City School District will focus on increasing student achievement for all students and close the…$12.9 million23% of action budgets
“Whittier City School District will focus on increasing student achievement for all students and close the achievement gap between all demographic groups, including Hispanic/Latino, English Learners, Foster & Homeless Youth, Students with Disabilities, and Socio-economically Disadvantaged as measured by state and local assessments. As illustrated in state and local assessments, WCSD will deliver high-quality instructions, programs, and interventions that will demonstrate growth toward proficiency in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science” p. 20 ↗
20 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $11.7 million (+$1.1 million)
Largest funded actions
K-3 Class Size Reduction$3.1 millionaction 2.9 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Full Day Kindergarten and Kindergarten Round Up$3.1 millionaction 2.11 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Transitional Kindergarten Support Staff, Materials, and Training$1.6 millionaction 2.14 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Technology Refresh Equipment, Software, and Training$1.2 millionaction 2.17 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Technology Subscriptions$0.6 millionaction 2.13 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
15 more funded actions in this goal
Three Professional Development Days · action 2.2 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.6 million
LCFF Site Locations · action 2.16 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.4 million
Professional Develoment Training and Support Staff · action 2.1 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.4 million
Contracts and Conferences for Professional Development · action 2.3 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
English Language Development Training and Instructional Materials and Support (Newcomer and Long Term English Learners) · action 2.7 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Special Education Professional Development, Resources, and Support Staff · action 2.18 · p. 73 ↗$0.2 million
Educational Services Support Staff · action 2.19 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Virtual Learning Academy · action 2.12 · p. 72 ↗$0.2 million
Foster Youth and Homeless Support and Resources · action 2.8 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Technology Support Staff · action 2.15 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Site-Based Lead Teachers · action 2.4 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Instructional Design Team Hourly Certificated · action 2.5 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) · action 2.10 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Summer Intervention and Support · action 2.6 · p. 72 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Transitional Kindergarten Support Staff, Materials, and Training+$0.7 million$0.9 million → $1.6 million · p. 73 ↗
Full Day Kindergarten and Kindergarten Round Up+$0.5 million$2.6 million → $3.1 million · p. 72 ↗
Technology Subscriptions+$247,000$400,000 → $647,000 · p. 72 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
K-3 Class Size Reduction · $3.3 million → $3.1 million · p. 72 ↗−$0.2 million
Technology Refresh Equipment, Software, and Training · $1.0 million → $1.2 million · p. 73 ↗+$0.2 million
Three Professional Development Days · $600,000 → $600,000 · p. 72 ↗unchanged
LCFF Site Locations · $396,267 → $398,000 · p. 73 ↗+$1,733
Professional Develoment Training and Support Staff · $241,225 → $350,000 · p. 72 ↗+$108,775
Contracts and Conferences for Professional Development · $300,000 → $300,000 · p. 72 ↗unchanged
Library Aides · $275,000 → $286,000 · p. 73 ↗+$11,000
English Language Development Training and Instructional Materials and Support (Newcomer and Long Term English Learners) · $256,493 → $250,000 · p. 72 ↗−$6,493
Special Education Professional Development, Resources, and Support Staff · $200,000 → $250,000 · p. 73 ↗+$50,000
Educational Services Support Staff · $243,000 → $230,000 · p. 73 ↗−$13,000
Virtual Learning Academy · $403,075 → $167,000 · p. 72 ↗−$236,075
Foster Youth and Homeless Support and Resources · $140,000 → $140,000 · p. 72 ↗unchanged
Technology Support Staff · $194,587 → $137,000 · p. 73 ↗−$57,587
Site-Based Lead Teachers · $149,052 → $100,000 · p. 72 ↗−$49,052
Instructional Design Team Hourly Certificated · $60,000 → $25,000 · p. 72 ↗−$35,000
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) · $40,000 → $16,000 · p. 72 ↗−$24,000
Summer Intervention and Support · $20,000 → $10,000 · p. 72 ↗−$10,000
How the plan measures it · 4 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 20 ↗.
Goal 3Whittier City School District will increase meaningful parent involvement, student and community engagement.…$7.0 million12% of action budgets
“Whittier City School District will increase meaningful parent involvement, student and community engagement. WCSD will cultivate a supportive and inclusive climate where everyone is respected, valued, and supported” p. 40 ↗
16 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $7.1 million (−$81,869)
Largest funded actions
Behavior Technicians, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Counselors$3.0 millionaction 3.12 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.3 million is state funding counted toward those services
Health Clerks$0.6 millionaction 3.14 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Multi Tiered Support System (MTSS) Instructional Aides (combo and RTI) and Intervention Substitute Teachers$0.6 millionaction 3.11 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Site Clerks and Benefits$0.5 millionaction 3.8 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Safety Aides and Noon Duty Aides$0.4 millionaction 3.15 · p. 74 ↗
11 more funded actions in this goal
District and Licensed Vocational Nurses · action 3.9 · p. 73 ↗$0.3 million
Data and Assessment Clerks · action 3.16 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) Lead Staff and Support · action 3.10 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
Parent Community Liaisons · action 3.4 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Attendance Recovery Program · action 3.2 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Parent Liaison and Communication · action 3.1 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Data Analysis and Document Tracking · action 3.6 · p. 73 ↗$0.1 million
Themed Academies · action 3.7 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Parent Engagement Workshops and Support · action 3.5 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Transportation · action 3.13 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Student Services Support Staff with benefits · action 3.3 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Student Services Support Staff with benefits−$173,000$213,000 → $40,000 · p. 73 ↗
Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) Lead Staff and Support−$129,000$419,000 → $290,000 · p. 74 ↗
Safety Aides and Noon Duty Aides+$56,732$376,268 → $433,000 · p. 74 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Behavior Technicians, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Counselors · $3.0 million · p. 74 ↗new or renamed
Health Clerks · $651,690 → $643,000 · p. 74 ↗−$8,690
Multi Tiered Support System (MTSS) Instructional Aides (combo and RTI) and Intervention Substitute Teachers · $619,098 → $600,000 · p. 74 ↗−$19,098
Site Clerks and Benefits · $531,288 → $535,000 · p. 73 ↗+$3,712
District and Licensed Vocational Nurses · $316,555 → $327,000 · p. 73 ↗+$10,445
Data and Assessment Clerks · $317,000 → $327,000 · p. 74 ↗+$10,000
Parent Community Liaisons · $207,121 → $214,000 · p. 73 ↗+$6,879
Attendance Recovery Program · $200,000 → $200,000 · p. 73 ↗unchanged
Parent Liaison and Communication · $125,398 → $130,000 · p. 73 ↗+$4,602
Data Analysis and Document Tracking · $75,000 → $106,000 · p. 73 ↗+$31,000
Themed Academies · $100,000 → $100,000 · p. 73 ↗unchanged
Parent Engagement Workshops and Support · $100,417 → $55,000 · p. 73 ↗−$45,417
Transportation · $42,000 → $42,000 · p. 74 ↗unchanged
Goal 4 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalVirtual Learning Academy will increase students' academic achievement, as measured by state standardized test…$176,000under 1% of action budgets
“Virtual Learning Academy will increase students' academic achievement, as measured by state standardized test scores and/or internal data. Students in our virtual academy will receive supplemental, evidence-based services, resources, and support that meet learners' needs and lead to improved outcomes” p. 53 ↗
1 funded action · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Virtual Academy (Equity Multiplier)$176,000action 4.1 · p. 74 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Virtual Academy (Equity Multiplier)+$50,000$126,000 → $176,000 · p. 74 ↗
We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 53. p. 53 ↗
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 5,291 students
1Hispanic or Latino92%
2White3%
3Not reported2%
4Asian1%
5Two or more races<1%
6Black or African American<1%
7Filipino<1%
8American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
9Pacific Islander<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
76%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 4,024 of 5,288 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
Whittier City isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 47% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (222 of 473 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
Does living in the Whittier City district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)
Are the public schools in Whittier City good?
Whittier City’s 9 public elementary schools run from the 24th to the 77th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 4 Solid, 3 Developing and 1 Needs Support. Whittier City’s 4 public middle schools run from the 45th to the 74th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 3 Solid and 1 Developing. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How does chronic absence in Whittier City compare with California?
The average elementary school in Whittier City had 19 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in Whittier City had 25 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does Whittier City spend per student?
Whittier City spent $21,454 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 67 cents of every Whittier City dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in Whittier City’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $57.2 million into 47 funded actions in 4 goals. Its largest goal holds $37.2 million, 65% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP) from spring 2026 and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Whittier City, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.