Pioneer High

Summary:

Pioneer High is a public high school located in Whittier, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,152 students. It 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.

Pioneer High has consistently maintained high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 95.0% to 97.3% over the past five school years, significantly higher than the state average. The school also has very low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 1.9% over the same period, well below the state average. Pioneer High students perform well on standardized tests, particularly in English Language Arts/Literacy, with 64.78% of 11th-grade students and end-of-course assessments scoring proficient or better, compared to the state average of 55.73% and 47.04%, respectively. The school's performance is particularly strong among certain student subgroups, ranking in the top 302 out of 2,125 California high schools for Hispanic students, the top 136 out of 1,350 for English Language Learner students, and the top 389 out of 2,235 for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

While Pioneer High's performance is generally strong, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 11.1% in the 2018-2019 school year to 32.1% in the 2021-2022 school year, an area of concern. When compared to other high schools in the Whittier Union High School District, Pioneer High generally performs well, with higher English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics proficiency rates than Whittier High and Santa Fe High. However, the school's performance lags behind that of Downey High, a high-performing school in the neighboring Downey Unified School District.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 10800 Ben Avon
       Whittier, CA  90606-3010


(562) 698-8121

District: Whittier Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
591st of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,806 Help


Feeder schools for Pioneer High:

Elementary:    Ada S. Nelson Elementary
    Aeolian Elementary
    Daniel Phelan Language Academy
    Lake Marie Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Los Nietos Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  18.7 Help
Number of students:  1,072

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
95.8%
White:
2.4%
African American:
0.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  89.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Pioneer High ranks better than 74.6% of high schools in California. It also ranks 5th 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 62. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Pioneer 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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (95.8%), White (2.4%), African American (0.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 89.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Whittier Union High School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pioneer High is 18.7, which is the 2nd best among 7 high schools in the Whittier Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Pioneer High employs 57.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pioneer High is $6,806, which is the highest among 7 high schools in the Whittier Union High School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pioneer High:

SchoolDigger ranks Pioneer High 591st of 2323 California public high schools. (See Pioneer 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:
Hispanic students:


Whittier Union High:

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


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Rank History for Pioneer High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Pioneer High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 33.65 841st 1653 49.1%
2005 35.73 904th 1901 52.4%
2006 41.17 808th 1968 58.9%
2007 36.54 967th 2063 53.1%
2008 44.43 805th 2117 62.0%
2009 41.06 981st 2238 56.2%
2010 38.77 1040th 2281 54.4%
2011 47.63 852nd 2367 64.0%
2012 49.33 817th 2354 65.3%
2013 55.03 656th 2426 73.0%
2015 55.71 864th 1994 56.7%
2016 56.26 873rd 2039 57.2%
2017 54.89 912th 2021 54.9%
2018 65.30 702nd 2017 65.2%
2019 62.83 681st 2133 68.1%
2021 56.48 503rd 1290 61.0%
2022 55.37 815th 2123 61.6%
2023 53.16 796th 2348 66.1%
2024 62.00 591st 2323 74.6%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pioneer High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.89 381st 938 59.4%
2019 44.73 375th 941 60.1%
2021 43.45 226th 467 51.6%
2022 49.65 333rd 1044 68.1%
2023 48.14 292nd 1323 77.9%
2024 62.00 136th 1350 89.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Pioneer High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.05 917th 1547 40.7%
2024 49.68 507th 1534 66.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pioneer High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.98 384th 1862 79.4%
2019 71.64 442nd 1937 77.2%
2021 63.92 343rd 1126 69.5%
2022 66.02 525th 1943 73.0%
2023 62.66 571st 2247 74.6%
2024 71.59 389th 2235 82.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Pioneer High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 86.37 41st 417 90.2%
2024 80.04 53rd 451 88.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pioneer High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.36 613th 1760 65.2%
2019 62.99 586th 1833 68.0%
2021 56.03 442nd 1054 58.1%
2022 52.60 763rd 1858 58.9%
2023 57.74 648th 2118 69.4%
2024 62.47 549th 2098 73.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Pioneer High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.53 272nd 1052 74.1%
2019 48.24 438th 1117 60.8%
2021 48.37 212th 555 61.8%
2022 37.30 626th 1161 46.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pioneer High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.35 726th 1834 60.4%
2019 56.40 729th 1880 61.2%
2021 47.77 539th 1122 52.0%
2022 54.31 759th 1916 60.4%
2023 45.43 909th 2207 58.8%
2024 58.83 626th 2172 71.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pioneer High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.07 386th 1742 77.8%
2019 73.56 372nd 1814 79.5%
2022 67.29 482nd 1861 74.1%
2023 65.39 499th 2142 76.7%
2024 76.08 302nd 2125 85.8%
See the entire list of Best California High 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.

Pioneer High 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 Pioneer High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 365 9 73 1347 26 n/a n/a 0 1820
1989 332 6 75 1243 32 n/a n/a 0 1688
1990 291 7 70 1241 35 n/a n/a 0 1644
1991 244 9 87 1222 29 n/a n/a 0 1591
1992 197 10 81 1229 17 n/a n/a 0 1534
1993 161 14 73 1264 6 n/a n/a 0 1518
1994 148 21 71 1262 2 n/a n/a 0 1504
1995 124 12 46 1266 4 n/a n/a 0 1452
1996 124 12 46 1266 4 n/a n/a 0 1452
1997 118 14 50 1328 4 n/a n/a 0 1514
1998 114 17 43 1305 9 n/a n/a 0 1488
1999 118 13 45 1348 7 n/a n/a 0 1531
2000 111 15 47 1391 9 n/a n/a 0 1573
2001 99 16 39 1425 9 n/a n/a 2 1590
2002 90 21 42 1571 8 n/a n/a 1 1733
2003 90 21 42 1571 8 n/a n/a 1 1733
2004 86 23 30 1549 8 n/a n/a 6 1702
2005 87 29 30 1653 5 n/a n/a 6 1810
2006 77 20 31 1697 6 n/a n/a 6 1837
2007 74 17 31 1622 6 n/a n/a 5 1755
2008 61 13 24 1579 5 n/a n/a 0 1682
2009 46 15 17 1503 5 3 3 0 1592
2010 50 14 13 1407 5 3 0 0 1492
2011 50 14 9 1386 4 2 2 0 1467
2012 63 16 14 1314 6 2 5 0 1420
2013 31 9 13 1360 4 1 0 0 1418
2014 33 15 9 1331 5 0 2 0 1395
2015 28 10 12 1357 4 0 3 0 1414
2016 37 11 13 1362 3 1 19 0 1446
2017 33 9 12 1353 3 1 2 0 1413
2018 27 8 9 1255 1 1 2 0 1303
2019 18 10 12 1174 0 2 1 0 1217
2020 17 6 8 1137 0 2 11 0 1181
2021 23 9 7 1189 0 3 2 0 1233
2022 25 5 5 1162 0 3 5 0 1205
2023 27 8 7 1100 0 2 8 0 1152
2024 26 7 5 1027 0 1 6 0 1072

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 Pioneer High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1820 75.0 24.2 n/a
1989 1688 68.8 24.5 n/a
1990 1644 65.9 24.9 n/a
1991 1591 67.7 23.5 n/a
1992 1534 68.8 22.2 9.4
1993 1518 60.0 25.3 10.6
1994 1504 56.6 26.6 30.7
1995 1452 57.0 25.5 48.4
1996 1452 57.0 25.5 48.4
1997 1514 59.2 25.6 40.4
1998 1488 58.0 25.7 37.7
1999 1531 64.0 23.9 51.3
2000 1573 62.2 25.3 45.2
2001 1590 68.1 23.3 41.7
2002 1733 73.4 23.6 42.3
2003 1733 73.4 23.6 42.3
2004 1702 69.3 24.6 46.2
2005 1810 72.6 24.9 60.4
2006 1837 77.6 23.7 63.9
2007 1755 79.2 22.2 64.7
2008 1682 85.0 19.8 64.3
2009 1592 65.4 21.0 67.7
2010 1492 60.8 24.5 77.3
2011 1467 n/a n/a 78.5
2012 1420 54.6 26.0 n/a
2013 1418 58.5 24.2 81.6
2014 1395 54.5 25.5 81.1
2015 1414 57.0 24.8 84.3
2016 1446 57.0 25.3 85.3
2017 1413 59.7 23.6 83.9
2018 1303 58.3 22.3 89.3
2019 1217 56.1 21.6 87.3
2020 1181 n/a n/a 83.7
2021 1233 52.4 23.5 79.5
2022 1205 58.4 20.6 87
2023 1152 59.6 19.3 88.7
2024 1072 57.3 18.7 89.6

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 Pioneer High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1820 75.0 24.2 n/a
1989 1688 68.8 24.5 n/a
1990 1644 65.9 24.9 n/a
1991 1591 67.7 23.5 n/a
1992 1534 68.8 22.2 9.4
1993 1518 60.0 25.3 10.6
1994 1504 56.6 26.6 30.7
1995 1452 57.0 25.5 48.4
1996 1452 57.0 25.5 48.4
1997 1514 59.2 25.6 40.4
1998 1488 58.0 25.7 37.7
1999 1531 64.0 23.9 51.3
2000 1573 62.2 25.3 45.2
2001 1590 68.1 23.3 41.7
2002 1733 73.4 23.6 42.3
2003 1733 73.4 23.6 42.3
2004 1702 69.3 24.6 46.2
2005 1810 72.6 24.9 60.4
2006 1837 77.6 23.7 63.9
2007 1755 79.2 22.2 64.7
2008 1682 85.0 19.8 64.3
2009 1592 65.4 21.0 67.7
2010 1492 60.8 24.5 77.3
2011 1467 n/a n/a 78.5
2012 1420 54.6 26.0 n/a
2013 1418 58.5 24.2 81.6
2014 1395 54.5 25.5 81.1
2015 1414 57.0 24.8 84.3
2016 1446 57.0 25.3 85.3
2017 1413 59.7 23.6 83.9
2018 1303 58.3 22.3 89.3
2019 1217 56.1 21.6 87.3
2020 1181 n/a n/a 83.7
2021 1233 52.4 23.5 79.5
2022 1205 58.4 20.6 87
2023 1152 59.6 19.3 88.7
2024 1072 57.3 18.7 89.6

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 Pioneer High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $6,806

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Pioneer 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 681st of 2133 High schoolsRanks 796th of 2348 High schools
 2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pioneer High)61.558.1
 3.4%
   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 (Pioneer High)38.421.5
 16.9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Whittier Union High)32.730.8
 1.9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Pioneer High)16.319.9
 3.6%
   12th Grade Science (Whittier Union High)21.428.3
 7%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.8
 1.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students12171152
 5.3%
African American108
 20%
American Indian00
Asian127
 41.7%
Hispanic11741100
 6.3%
Pacific Islander22
White1827
 50%
Two or More Races18
 700%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients87.3%88.7%
 1.5%


Schools Near Pioneer High









Frequently Asked Questions about Pioneer High

Students at Pioneer High are 96% Hispanic, 2% White.

Pioneer High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Ada S. Nelson Elementary
Elementary : Aeolian Elementary
Elementary : Daniel Phelan Language Academy
Elementary : Lake Marie Elementary
Elementary : Wallen L. Andrews
Elementary : West Whittier Elementary
Middle : Los Nietos Middle

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,072 students attended Pioneer High.

Pioneer High ranks 591st of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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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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