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Whittier City: Whittier City elementary schools lead at 46.8. A 34.3-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Near Average2024–25 data12 schools · avg 46.1/100

Whittier City has 12 ranked schools across elementary and middle levels with an average Scope Score of 46.1/100 — within 1.2 points of the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Daniel Phelan Language Academy at 64/100, where 33.4% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,985 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 2 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 21.4%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
46.1
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
34.3
29.7 – 64.0
Avg Exceeded %
20.6%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
21.4%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
12
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
46.8/100
1021.6%21.4%
MiddleDeveloping
42.3/100
215.6%21.6%

Whittier City's elementary schools average 46.8/100 — within 2.0 points of the state average.

K–12 pipeline

The typical school path in Whittier City, top-scoring shown first.

Elementary
46.8
avg score · 10 schools
+7 more elementary schools
Middle
42.3
avg score · 2 schools

District Analysis

Whittier City has 12 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 46.1/100 — within 1.2 points of the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Whittier City's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 46.8.

District-wide elementary growth averages +1.3pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are making incremental gains.

Score range of 34.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 21.4%, 3.5pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 1.0%, near the state average of 1.6%.

Daniel Phelan Language Academy leads the district at 64 with 33.4% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Whittier City

3 On the Rise2 Growth Engine1 Culture First6 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 5 schools in Whittier City are classified as On the Rise (3) or Growth Engine (2) — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.

Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more

Student demographics

Hispanic
90.5%
White
3.2%
Asian
1.4%
Black
1.1%
Other
3.7%
Free/Reduced Lunch
76%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Whittier City spends $13,985 per student in current expenditures — $829 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$13,985
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
5,836
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 18.6%
$11,795 → $13,985
Spending Efficiency
3.29
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 64%Support 33%Other 3%
NCES F-33 Finance · District-level data — not school-specific

Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020

Teacher compensation

Salary Range
$51,184–$120,969
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
198
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Whittier City

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (10)

Whittier City has 10 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 46.8 — within 2.0 points of the state average of 44.8.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +1.3pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Daniel Phelan Language Academy with a Scope Score of 64 and 33.4% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Daniel Phelan Language Academy
Whittier City Growth Engine
33.4%Solid
64/100
2Whittier Independent Study
Whittier City Building Momentum
13.0%Solid
56/100
3Wallen L. Andrews
Whittier City On the Rise
30.8%Solid
52/100
4Longfellow Elementary
Whittier City Building Momentum
28.1%Developing
49/100
5West Whittier Elementary
Whittier City Building Momentum
19.6%Developing
45/100
6Mill School and Technology Academy
Whittier City Building Momentum
28.6%Developing
44/100
7Christian Sorensen Science Academy
Whittier City Growth Engine
17.3%Developing
44/100
8Lydia Jackson College Preparatory Academy
Whittier City On the Rise
14.9%Developing
43/100
9Lou Henry Hoover School of Fine Arts
Whittier City Building Momentum
19.4%Developing
42/100
10Orange Grove Elementary
Whittier City On the Rise
11.3%Needs Support
30/100

Middle Schools (2)

Whittier City has 2 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 42.3 — within 0.4 points of the state average of 42.6.

Growth is essentially flat at -0.3pp.

The highest-scoring middle school is Katherine Edwards Middle School STEAM & Dual Immer with a Scope Score of 51 and 22.0% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Katherine Edwards Middle School STEAM & Dual Immer
Whittier City Culture First
22.0%Solid
51/100
2Walter F. Dexter Middle
Whittier City Building Momentum
9.2%Developing
33/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 12 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology

Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.

What Scope Scores can't tell you about Whittier City

Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Is Whittier City a good school district?
Whittier City has 12 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 46.1/100, which is within 1.2 points of the state average. 20.6% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across seven dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in Whittier City?
The highest-scoring school in Whittier City is Daniel Phelan Language Academy with a Scope Score of 64/100 and 33.4% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Whittier City spend per student?
Whittier City spends $13,985 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,815. Spending data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data Fiscal Survey (F-33). Higher spending does not automatically mean better outcomes — the Scope Score measures what happens in the classroom regardless of budget.
What is the teacher salary range in Whittier City?
Teacher salaries in Whittier City range from $51,184–$120,969 based on the district's salary schedule (CDE Form J-90). The California statewide median teacher salary is approximately $98,000.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Full methodology and weights.