Walter F. Dexter Middle

Summary:

Walter F. Dexter Middle is a public middle school in Whittier, CA, serving 677 students in grades 6-8. It is part of the Whittier City Elementary School District, which is ranked 655 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Over the past 10 years, Walter F. Dexter Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom half of California middle schools, typically between 1,300-1,900 out of around 2,500-2,800 schools, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Hispanic students and English Language Learners performing relatively better, while female students, White students, students with disabilities, and low-socioeconomic status students perform poorly. The school has also seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 3.9% in 2017-2018 to 31.6% in 2021-2022.

Academically, Walter F. Dexter Middle's performance, as measured by Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST Science tests, is well below the state and district averages. In 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates ranged from 11.16% to 37.31% in English Language Arts and 11.16% to 22.73% in Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 45.82% to 47.19% in ELA and 31.57% to 35.54% in Math. When compared to other middle schools in the surrounding area, such as Katherine Edwards Mid School STEAM & Dual Immersion Academy, Walter F. Dexter Middle generally performs worse academically. However, the school stands out in its support for homeless students, ranking 36th out of 336 California middle schools for its homeless student performance in 2021-2022.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 11532 East Floral Dr.
       Whittier, CA  90601-2832


(562) 789-3090

District: Whittier City Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
1899th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $5,313 Help


Students who attend Walter F. Dexter Middle usually attend:

High:    Whittier High

Feeder schools for Walter F. Dexter Middle:

Elementary:    Longfellow Elementary
    Lou Henry Hoover School of Fine Arts
    Lydia Jackson College Preparatory Academy
    Mill School and Technology Academy

Student/teacher ratio:  20.3 Help
Number of students:  627

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
92.0%
White:
4.5%
Two or more races:
1.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  86.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Walter F. Dexter Middle ranks worse than 68.4% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.01. (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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (92%), White (4.5%), two or more races (1.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 86.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Walter F. Dexter Middle is 20.3. (See more...)
Help
Compare Walter F. Dexter Middle employs 30.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Walter F. Dexter Middle is $5,313.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Walter F. Dexter Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Walter F. Dexter Middle 1899th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Walter F. Dexter Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle 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:


Whittier City Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittier City Elementary 655th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Walter F. Dexter Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 40.71 973rd 1769 45.0%
2005 41.99 956th 1777 46.2%
2006 36.51 1103rd 1804 38.9%
2007 38.13 1164th 1999 41.8%
2008 44.83 1044th 2005 47.9%
2009 39.86 1212th 2063 41.3%
2010 33.73 1476th 2179 32.3%
2011 39.02 1387th 2236 38.0%
2012 47.69 1152nd 2259 49.0%
2013 43.38 1336th 2379 43.8%
2015 28.54 1678th 2477 32.3%
2016 35.39 1477th 2497 40.8%
2017 37.00 1477th 2508 41.1%
2018 30.68 1644th 2480 33.7%
2019 39.23 1476th 2715 45.6%
2022 25.00 1994th 2740 27.2%
2023 28.97 1853rd 2802 33.9%
2024 28.01 1899th 2777 31.6%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 2.55 674th 678 0.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.20 941st 1364 31.0%
2019 28.66 1188th 1442 17.6%
2022 33.76 1035th 1540 32.8%
2023 39.32 802nd 1529 47.5%
2024 45.66 551st 1477 62.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 23.02 1354th 1538 12.0%
2024 24.18 1305th 1550 15.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.53 1309th 2230 41.3%
2019 50.05 1012th 2369 57.3%
2022 30.43 1680th 2458 31.7%
2023 34.21 1588th 2549 37.7%
2024 31.85 1696th 2575 34.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 79.56 36th 336 89.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.27 1449th 2262 35.9%
2019 45.65 1167th 2380 51.0%
2022 22.54 1949th 2509 22.3%
2023 29.93 1653rd 2547 35.1%
2024 26.40 1827th 2546 28.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.45 1235th 1369 9.8%
2019 32.91 936th 1491 37.2%
2022 24.21 1292nd 1531 15.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.22 1645th 2273 27.6%
2019 31.84 1554th 2407 35.4%
2022 27.88 1742nd 2527 31.1%
2023 28.48 1723rd 2558 32.6%
2024 29.42 1701st 2547 33.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.46 1118th 2072 46.0%
2019 53.07 855th 2213 61.4%
2022 33.28 1515th 2359 35.8%
2023 40.39 1264th 2391 47.1%
2024 37.83 1372nd 2383 42.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Walter F. Dexter Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.33 1077th 1496 28.0%
2019 26.74 1186th 1602 26.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for White 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.

Walter F. Dexter Middle 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 Walter F. Dexter Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 267 6 14 383 1 n/a n/a 0 671
1989 252 5 15 405 4 n/a n/a 0 681
1990 212 7 23 458 7 n/a n/a 0 707
1991 183 10 25 512 6 n/a n/a 0 736
1992 179 8 24 511 3 n/a n/a 0 725
1993 169 14 16 555 4 n/a n/a 0 758
1994 172 10 14 545 4 n/a n/a 0 745
1995 131 8 22 544 9 n/a n/a 0 714
1996 131 8 22 544 9 n/a n/a 0 714
1997 131 10 13 569 7 n/a n/a 0 730
1998 159 19 22 682 9 n/a n/a 0 891
1999 195 8 18 974 8 n/a n/a 0 1203
2000 161 10 13 1021 2 n/a n/a 0 1207
2001 189 14 14 1030 4 n/a n/a 2 1253
2002 176 15 24 1119 4 n/a n/a 1 1339
2003 176 15 24 1119 4 n/a n/a 1 1339
2004 156 18 17 1130 3 n/a n/a 21 1345
2005 141 20 28 1187 3 n/a n/a 0 1379
2006 109 14 17 1139 6 n/a n/a 53 1338
2007 108 12 22 1125 5 n/a n/a 46 1318
2008 100 9 14 1122 7 n/a n/a 0 1252
2009 79 10 17 1120 5 0 76 0 1307
2010 72 8 13 1163 7 1 17 0 1281
2011 68 6 14 1134 6 1 20 0 1249
2012 70 2 11 1076 2 1 37 0 1199
2013 53 3 7 877 1 0 17 0 958
2014 56 5 9 1046 5 1 16 0 1138
2015 49 10 8 1016 2 2 10 0 1097
2016 43 10 9 945 2 1 14 0 1024
2017 48 11 5 932 2 2 15 0 1015
2018 49 9 8 900 1 1 51 0 1019
2019 45 12 8 841 0 1 58 0 965
2020 39 14 7 761 3 1 49 0 874
2021 30 13 6 708 1 0 27 0 785
2022 28 8 6 680 3 0 22 0 747
2023 27 8 5 614 2 1 20 0 677
2024 28 5 5 577 3 0 9 0 627

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 Walter F. Dexter Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 671 30.5 22.0 n/a
1989 681 29.3 23.2 n/a
1990 707 30.6 23.1 n/a
1991 736 31.5 23.3 n/a
1992 725 32.0 22.6 50.6
1993 758 30.4 24.9 45.3
1994 745 30.2 24.7 53.3
1995 714 30.0 23.8 66.8
1996 714 30.0 23.8 66.8
1997 730 30.6 23.9 75.8
1998 891 38.0 23.4 65.5
1999 1203 50.6 23.8 63.1
2000 1207 51.3 23.5 56.9
2001 1253 52.0 24.1 55.8
2002 1339 54.0 24.8 57.5
2003 1339 54.0 24.8 57.5
2004 1345 53.9 25.0 62.8
2005 1379 52.4 26.3 56
2006 1338 55.5 24.1 62
2007 1318 54.6 24.1 22.1
2008 1252 58.9 21.3 71.5
2009 1307 52.4 22.7 66.3
2010 1281 51.8 24.7 69.3
2011 1249 n/a n/a 59.9
2012 1199 47.3 25.3 n/a
2013 958 44.7 21.4 62
2014 1138 41.8 27.2 61.2
2015 1097 42.0 26.1 78.7
2016 1024 41.0 24.9 79.4
2017 1015 41.5 24.4 77.5
2018 1019 37.0 27.5 74.4
2019 965 33.1 29.1 77.7
2020 874 n/a n/a 79.7
2021 785 34.2 22.9 77.8
2022 747 n/a n/a 81.1
2023 677 30.2 22.4 74.9
2024 627 30.8 20.3 86.6

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 Walter F. Dexter Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 671 30.5 22.0 n/a
1989 681 29.3 23.2 n/a
1990 707 30.6 23.1 n/a
1991 736 31.5 23.3 n/a
1992 725 32.0 22.6 50.6
1993 758 30.4 24.9 45.3
1994 745 30.2 24.7 53.3
1995 714 30.0 23.8 66.8
1996 714 30.0 23.8 66.8
1997 730 30.6 23.9 75.8
1998 891 38.0 23.4 65.5
1999 1203 50.6 23.8 63.1
2000 1207 51.3 23.5 56.9
2001 1253 52.0 24.1 55.8
2002 1339 54.0 24.8 57.5
2003 1339 54.0 24.8 57.5
2004 1345 53.9 25.0 62.8
2005 1379 52.4 26.3 56
2006 1338 55.5 24.1 62
2007 1318 54.6 24.1 22.1
2008 1252 58.9 21.3 71.5
2009 1307 52.4 22.7 66.3
2010 1281 51.8 24.7 69.3
2011 1249 n/a n/a 59.9
2012 1199 47.3 25.3 n/a
2013 958 44.7 21.4 62
2014 1138 41.8 27.2 61.2
2015 1097 42.0 26.1 78.7
2016 1024 41.0 24.9 79.4
2017 1015 41.5 24.4 77.5
2018 1019 37.0 27.5 74.4
2019 965 33.1 29.1 77.7
2020 874 n/a n/a 79.7
2021 785 34.2 22.9 77.8
2022 747 n/a n/a 81.1
2023 677 30.2 22.4 74.9
2024 627 30.8 20.3 86.6

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.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Walter F. Dexter Middle

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $5,313

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Walter F. Dexter Middle

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 1476th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1853rd of 2802 Middle schools
 11.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Walter F. Dexter Middle)44.726.2
 18.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Whittier City Elementary)44.538.4
 6.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Walter F. Dexter Middle)33.113.6
 19.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Whittier City Elementary)33.322.8
 10.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Walter F. Dexter Middle)3832.3
 5.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Whittier City Elementary)44.935.2
 9.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Walter F. Dexter Middle)2719.8
 7.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Whittier City Elementary)34.423.3
 11.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Walter F. Dexter Middle)47.536.5
 11%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Whittier City Elementary)48.846.4
 2.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Walter F. Dexter Middle)30.318.9
 11.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Whittier City Elementary)33.829.1
 4.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Walter F. Dexter Middle)20.420
 0.4%
   8th Grade Science (Whittier City Elementary)19.621.9
 2.3%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students965677
 29.8%
African American128
 33.3%
American Indian02
Asian85
 37.5%
Hispanic841614
 27%
Pacific Islander11
White4527
 40%
Two or More Races5820
 65.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77.7%74.9%
 2.8%


Schools Near Walter F. Dexter Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Walter F. Dexter Middle

Students at Walter F. Dexter Middle are 92% Hispanic, 4% White, 1% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 627 students attended Walter F. Dexter Middle.

Walter F. Dexter Middle ranks 1899th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Walter F. Dexter Middle usually go on to attend Whittier High


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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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