La Serna High

Summary:

La Serna High is a public high school located in Whittier, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,410 students. The school is part of the Whittier Union High School District, which is ranked 500 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

La Serna High consistently ranks among the top 15% of California high schools, with a statewide ranking between 246-435 over the past 8 years. The school's performance on Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST exams is significantly higher than the Whittier Union High School District and the state of California averages, particularly in Mathematics and Science. La Serna High also maintains a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 95.7% to 97.9% over the past 5 years, and a very low dropout rate, ranging from 0.2% to 1.7% over the same period. The school's performance is particularly strong across various student subgroups, including Female, Male, Asian, Hispanic, White, English Language Learners, and Low Socioeconomic Status students.

When compared to other high schools in the Whittier Union High School District, such as Whittier High, Frontier High (Continuation), and Sierra Vista High (Alternative), La Serna High maintains a clear academic advantage. The school also outperforms high schools in neighboring districts, such as Los Altos High (Hacienda la Puente Unified) and La Mirada High (Norwalk-La Mirada Unified), on various academic metrics. However, the school's increasing chronic absenteeism rate, from 8.4% in 2018-2019 to 18.1% in 2022-2023, is an area that warrants further attention and intervention.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 15301 East Youngwood Dr.
       Whittier, CA  90605-1345


(562) 698-8121

District: Whittier Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
246th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,806 Help


Feeder schools for La Serna High:

Elementary:    Leffingwell Elementary
    Murphy Ranch Elementary
    Orchard Dale Elementary
    Scott Avenue Elementary
Middle:    Granada Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  26.6 Help
Number of students:  2,385

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
82.3%
White:
10.6%
Asian:
4.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  58.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details La Serna High ranks better than 89.4% of high schools in California. It also ranks first among 7 ranked high schools in the Whittier Union High School District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.25. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at La Serna High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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 La Serna High has the largest high school student body size in the Whittier Union High School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (82.3%), White (10.6%), Asian (4.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 58.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Whittier Union High School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at La Serna High is 26.6, which is the highest among 7 high schools in the Whittier Union High School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare La Serna High employs 89.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at La Serna High is $6,806, which is the highest among 7 high schools in the Whittier Union High School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

La Serna High:

SchoolDigger ranks La Serna High 246th of 2323 California public high schools. (See La Serna High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Whittier Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittier Union High 500th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for La Serna High?

Rank History for La Serna High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 58.29 367th 1653 77.8%
2005 59.67 417th 1901 78.1%
2006 60.64 464th 1968 76.4%
2007 73.13 210th 2063 89.8%
2008 68.72 291st 2117 86.3%
2009 70.95 238th 2238 89.4%
2010 72.37 246th 2281 89.2%
2011 76.34 182nd 2367 92.3%
2012 71.00 284th 2354 87.9%
2013 72.81 256th 2426 89.4%
2015 83.58 296th 1994 85.2%
2016 83.77 317th 2039 84.5%
2017 82.23 368th 2021 81.8%
2018 78.35 435th 2017 78.4%
2019 77.65 408th 2133 80.9%
2021 80.25 250th 1290 80.6%
2022 86.13 263rd 2123 87.6%
2023 78.65 351st 2348 85.1%
2024 85.25 246th 2323 89.4%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.00 171st 938 81.8%
2019 82.83 58th 941 93.8%
2021 42.16 238th 467 49.0%
2022 44.18 418th 1044 60.0%
2023 43.75 372nd 1323 71.9%
2024 67.77 102nd 1350 92.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 50.99 453rd 1547 70.7%
2024 69.19 224th 1534 85.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.96 350th 1862 81.2%
2019 76.96 351st 1937 81.9%
2021 80.73 182nd 1126 83.8%
2022 87.70 177th 1943 90.9%
2023 82.34 255th 2247 88.7%
2024 86.71 173rd 2235 92.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 83.54 26th 290 91.0%
2023 40.12 230th 417 44.8%
2024 41.62 268th 451 40.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.55 393rd 1760 77.7%
2019 76.70 377th 1833 79.4%
2021 76.89 224th 1054 78.7%
2022 83.91 263rd 1858 85.8%
2023 72.99 407th 2118 80.8%
2024 82.02 274th 2098 86.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.30 479th 1052 54.5%
2019 44.84 485th 1117 56.6%
2021 45.98 231st 555 58.4%
2022 67.11 222nd 1161 80.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.74 460th 1834 74.9%
2019 71.99 465th 1880 75.3%
2021 78.23 237th 1122 78.9%
2022 85.59 236th 1916 87.7%
2023 80.76 297th 2207 86.5%
2024 86.22 204th 2172 90.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.39 265th 581 54.4%
2019 52.43 318th 582 45.4%
2022 59.28 272nd 581 53.2%
2023 58.57 336th 731 54.0%
2024 91.62 16th 712 97.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.45 238th 1742 86.3%
2019 83.94 199th 1814 89.0%
2022 94.05 84th 1861 95.5%
2023 86.92 153rd 2142 92.9%
2024 91.70 89th 2125 95.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at La Serna High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.45 299th 1173 74.5%
2019 73.28 287th 1222 76.5%
2022 78.18 229th 1204 81.0%
2023 73.17 265th 1434 81.5%
2024 88.38 74th 1406 94.7%
See the entire list of Best California High 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.

La Serna High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for La Serna High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 886 3 98 534 5 n/a n/a 0 1526
1989 857 5 92 547 6 n/a n/a 0 1507
1990 909 9 83 698 11 n/a n/a 0 1710
1991 860 13 99 766 13 n/a n/a 0 1751
1992 838 13 81 812 11 n/a n/a 0 1755
1993 832 15 89 887 6 n/a n/a 0 1829
1994 866 8 85 972 6 n/a n/a 0 1937
1995 836 2 93 1011 4 n/a n/a 0 1946
1996 836 2 93 1011 4 n/a n/a 0 1946
1997 873 12 84 1042 4 n/a n/a 0 2015
1998 814 11 90 1086 6 n/a n/a 0 2007
1999 813 11 85 1083 6 n/a n/a 0 1998
2000 840 15 79 1039 3 n/a n/a 2 1978
2001 785 8 86 1046 5 n/a n/a 4 1934
2002 811 18 91 1139 8 n/a n/a 7 2074
2003 811 18 91 1139 8 n/a n/a 7 2074
2004 804 18 109 1193 9 n/a n/a 17 2150
2005 829 20 101 1254 8 n/a n/a 26 2238
2006 823 25 92 1322 9 n/a n/a 29 2300
2007 828 26 88 1425 9 n/a n/a 34 2410
2008 756 24 88 1504 10 n/a n/a 0 2382
2009 697 29 85 1576 7 5 32 0 2431
2010 682 31 93 1695 6 7 4 0 2518
2011 885 28 91 1506 12 6 7 0 2535
2012 1031 32 104 1468 11 6 11 0 2663
2013 625 29 103 2039 10 8 2 0 2816
2014 569 28 107 2092 8 7 6 0 2817
2015 526 29 115 2249 8 5 8 0 2940
2016 490 32 110 2191 5 4 6 0 2838
2017 431 26 116 2142 5 2 9 0 2731
2018 398 29 116 2157 4 3 11 0 2718
2019 339 36 106 2036 3 4 9 0 2533
2020 309 31 123 2078 1 8 16 0 2566
2021 308 34 124 2076 3 7 17 0 2569
2022 273 29 114 1953 2 6 25 0 2402
2023 276 27 111 1963 5 2 26 0 2410
2024 253 27 98 1962 11 0 33 1 2385

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 La Serna High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1526 66.2 23.0 n/a
1989 1507 59.6 25.2 n/a
1990 1710 65.7 26.0 n/a
1991 1751 68.7 25.4 n/a
1992 1755 69.8 25.1 11.3
1993 1829 67.8 27.0 13.3
1994 1937 74.5 26.0 21.7
1995 1946 74.8 26.0 20.8
1996 1946 74.8 26.0 20.8
1997 2015 78.2 25.8 18.5
1998 2007 79.2 25.3 15.5
1999 1998 80.4 24.9 20.9
2000 1978 82.2 24.1 13.5
2001 1934 80.0 24.2 11.9
2002 2074 84.2 24.6 9.7
2003 2074 84.2 24.6 9.7
2004 2150 84.3 25.5 12.1
2005 2238 91.9 24.4 17.2
2006 2300 93.0 24.7 16.6
2007 2410 94.4 25.5 18.3
2008 2382 111.4 21.4 14.5
2009 2431 95.0 22.1 20.5
2010 2518 93.8 26.8 28.9
2011 2535 n/a n/a 35.5
2012 2663 91.4 29.1 n/a
2013 2816 92.9 30.3 41.3
2014 2817 92.3 30.5 42.4
2015 2940 100.0 29.4 44.1
2016 2838 102.0 27.8 44.6
2017 2731 99.5 27.4 46.9
2018 2718 99.0 27.4 51.1
2019 2533 96.0 26.3 50.1
2020 2566 n/a n/a 49.9
2021 2569 91.8 27.9 45.8
2022 2402 93.9 25.5 54.1
2023 2410 93.3 25.8 57
2024 2385 89.6 26.6 58.4

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 La Serna High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1526 66.2 23.0 n/a
1989 1507 59.6 25.2 n/a
1990 1710 65.7 26.0 n/a
1991 1751 68.7 25.4 n/a
1992 1755 69.8 25.1 11.3
1993 1829 67.8 27.0 13.3
1994 1937 74.5 26.0 21.7
1995 1946 74.8 26.0 20.8
1996 1946 74.8 26.0 20.8
1997 2015 78.2 25.8 18.5
1998 2007 79.2 25.3 15.5
1999 1998 80.4 24.9 20.9
2000 1978 82.2 24.1 13.5
2001 1934 80.0 24.2 11.9
2002 2074 84.2 24.6 9.7
2003 2074 84.2 24.6 9.7
2004 2150 84.3 25.5 12.1
2005 2238 91.9 24.4 17.2
2006 2300 93.0 24.7 16.6
2007 2410 94.4 25.5 18.3
2008 2382 111.4 21.4 14.5
2009 2431 95.0 22.1 20.5
2010 2518 93.8 26.8 28.9
2011 2535 n/a n/a 35.5
2012 2663 91.4 29.1 n/a
2013 2816 92.9 30.3 41.3
2014 2817 92.3 30.5 42.4
2015 2940 100.0 29.4 44.1
2016 2838 102.0 27.8 44.6
2017 2731 99.5 27.4 46.9
2018 2718 99.0 27.4 51.1
2019 2533 96.0 26.3 50.1
2020 2566 n/a n/a 49.9
2021 2569 91.8 27.9 45.8
2022 2402 93.9 25.5 54.1
2023 2410 93.3 25.8 57
2024 2385 89.6 26.6 58.4

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 La Serna High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $6,806

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

Impact of COVID-19 on La Serna High

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 408th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 351st of 2348 High schools
 4.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (La Serna High)71.170.7
 0.4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Whittier Union High)5962.2
 3.1%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (La Serna High)37.936.9
 1%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Whittier Union High)32.730.8
 1.9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (La Serna High)29.611.5
 18.1%
   12th Grade Science (Whittier Union High)21.413.7
 7.7%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students25332410
 4.9%
African American3627
 25%
American Indian35
 66.7%
Asian106111
 4.7%
Hispanic20361963
 3.6%
Pacific Islander42
 50%
White339276
 18.6%
Two or More Races926
 188.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.1%57%
 6.9%


Schools Near La Serna High









Frequently Asked Questions about La Serna High

Students at La Serna High are 82% Hispanic, 11% White, 4% Asian, 1% Two or more races, 1% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,385 students attended La Serna High.

La Serna High ranks 246th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

La Serna High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Leffingwell Elementary
Elementary : Murphy Ranch Elementary
Elementary : Orchard Dale Elementary
Elementary : Scott Avenue Elementary
Middle : Granada Middle


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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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