Whittier High

Summary:

Whittier High is a public high school serving 1,767 students in grades 9-12 in Whittier, California. It is part of the Whittier Union High School District, which is ranked 500 out of 1,568 districts in the state.

Whittier High has maintained consistently high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 93.7% to 97.3%, which are significantly higher than the state average. The school also boasts very low dropout rates, from 0.3% to 2.3%, considerably lower than state and district averages. Whittier High students outperform their peers at the state and district levels in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, as well as in the California Science Test (CAST). The school's Hispanic and Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) students also perform exceptionally well, outranking their counterparts across California.

While Whittier High's performance is generally stronger than nearby schools within the Whittier Union High School District, such as Santa Fe High and California High, it lags behind the higher-performing La Serna High in several metrics, including test scores and graduation rates. The district also includes several continuation and alternative schools, such as Frontier High and Sierra Vista High, which face unique challenges and lower performance compared to Whittier High and other comprehensive high schools in the district.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 12417 East Philadelphia St.
       Whittier, CA  90601-3933


(562) 698-8121

District: Whittier Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
512th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,806 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  21.1 Help
Number of students:  1,710

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
92.5%
White:
5.1%
Asian:
0.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  86.3% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Whittier High ranks better than 78% of high schools in California. It also ranks 4th 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 67.98. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Whittier High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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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 (92.5%), White (5.1%), Asian (0.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 86.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whittier High is 21.1, which is the 3rd best among 7 high schools in the Whittier Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Whittier High employs 80.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whittier High is $6,806, which is the highest among 7 high schools in the Whittier Union High School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Whittier High:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittier High 512th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Whittier 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:
White 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 Whittier High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 26.95 1013th 1653 38.7%
2005 40.56 791st 1901 58.4%
2006 47.46 681st 1968 65.4%
2007 53.88 565th 2063 72.6%
2008 49.44 690th 2117 67.4%
2009 57.90 527th 2238 76.5%
2010 56.39 588th 2281 74.2%
2011 60.38 502nd 2367 78.8%
2012 58.47 577th 2354 75.5%
2013 57.58 595th 2426 75.5%
2015 51.21 962nd 1994 51.8%
2016 52.09 965th 2039 52.7%
2017 67.24 648th 2021 67.9%
2018 72.29 548th 2017 72.8%
2019 64.22 653rd 2133 69.4%
2021 59.83 469th 1290 63.6%
2022 57.23 772nd 2123 63.6%
2023 62.39 610th 2348 74.0%
2024 67.98 512th 2323 78.0%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.67 433rd 938 53.8%
2019 45.33 361st 941 61.6%
2022 40.05 521st 1044 50.1%
2023 31.24 759th 1323 42.6%
2024 41.75 418th 1350 69.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 45.50 562nd 1547 63.7%
2024 52.31 458th 1534 70.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.62 355th 1862 80.9%
2019 70.36 457th 1937 76.4%
2021 65.92 320th 1126 71.6%
2022 66.33 518th 1943 73.3%
2023 73.42 378th 2247 83.2%
2024 76.51 321st 2235 85.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 80.98 33rd 290 88.6%
2023 80.32 57th 417 86.3%
2024 64.61 132nd 451 70.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.03 599th 1760 66.0%
2019 64.69 556th 1833 69.7%
2021 56.35 436th 1054 58.6%
2022 58.62 646th 1858 65.2%
2023 61.63 585th 2118 72.4%
2024 66.56 494th 2098 76.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.33 652nd 1052 38.0%
2019 29.25 789th 1117 29.4%
2021 32.60 371st 555 33.2%
2022 41.70 541st 1161 53.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.05 480th 1834 73.8%
2019 56.74 721st 1880 61.6%
2021 57.59 431st 1122 61.6%
2022 51.44 797th 1916 58.4%
2023 60.66 603rd 2207 72.7%
2024 66.79 496th 2172 77.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.92 282nd 1742 83.8%
2019 73.77 367th 1814 79.8%
2022 69.09 450th 1861 75.8%
2023 75.23 326th 2142 84.8%
2024 80.02 248th 2125 88.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Whittier High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.76 384th 1173 67.3%
2019 60.75 473rd 1222 61.3%
2023 62.98 396th 1434 72.4%
2024 35.91 819th 1406 41.7%
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.

Whittier 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 Whittier High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 844 4 74 988 20 n/a n/a 0 1930
1989 721 10 70 1005 28 n/a n/a 0 1834
1990 647 22 64 995 39 n/a n/a 0 1767
1991 604 15 57 1078 27 n/a n/a 0 1781
1992 582 19 59 1165 27 n/a n/a 0 1852
1993 507 20 61 1284 21 n/a n/a 0 1893
1994 491 24 61 1222 16 n/a n/a 0 1814
1995 420 19 53 1283 25 n/a n/a 0 1800
1996 420 19 53 1283 25 n/a n/a 0 1800
1997 370 29 41 1294 25 n/a n/a 0 1759
1998 387 15 31 1374 29 n/a n/a 0 1836
1999 382 16 27 1373 24 n/a n/a 22 1844
2000 373 15 31 1437 20 n/a n/a 0 1876
2001 343 23 23 1489 16 n/a n/a 0 1894
2002 297 25 32 1838 11 n/a n/a 1 2204
2003 297 25 32 1838 11 n/a n/a 1 2204
2004 291 29 31 1849 11 n/a n/a 0 2211
2005 292 34 27 1972 12 n/a n/a 0 2337
2006 288 32 31 2108 8 n/a n/a 0 2467
2007 273 34 29 2194 13 n/a n/a 4 2547
2008 258 28 40 2175 11 n/a n/a 0 2512
2009 226 28 34 2168 14 7 19 0 2496
2010 199 25 37 2192 10 3 0 0 2466
2011 243 20 33 2257 5 2 1 0 2561
2012 219 19 36 2139 9 3 16 0 2441
2013 153 23 33 2221 7 3 1 0 2441
2014 140 15 26 2168 2 2 0 0 2353
2015 112 10 22 2014 4 2 0 0 2164
2016 117 9 14 1926 7 1 8 0 2082
2017 99 12 16 1786 3 2 20 0 1938
2018 76 16 16 1779 4 2 13 0 1906
2019 71 20 19 1742 7 3 14 0 1876
2020 57 24 19 1710 4 4 13 0 1831
2021 66 22 18 1753 5 5 8 0 1877
2022 80 10 18 1680 3 5 6 0 1802
2023 84 12 13 1648 1 4 3 2 1767
2024 87 15 16 1582 1 2 6 1 1710

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 Whittier High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1930 80.2 24.0 n/a
1989 1834 77.6 23.6 n/a
1990 1767 74.7 23.6 n/a
1991 1781 75.8 23.4 n/a
1992 1852 77.0 24.0 7.3
1993 1893 76.1 24.9 8.1
1994 1814 73.8 24.6 22.1
1995 1800 65.3 27.6 35.3
1996 1800 65.3 27.6 35.3
1997 1759 68.2 25.8 37
1998 1836 72.6 25.3 30.9
1999 1844 75.4 24.5 37.2
2000 1876 78.8 23.8 37.7
2001 1894 81.8 23.2 37.1
2002 2204 93.2 23.6 38
2003 2204 93.2 23.6 38
2004 2211 90.8 24.4 39.9
2005 2337 95.2 24.5 48.2
2006 2467 98.8 25.0 50.8
2007 2547 108.6 23.5 51
2008 2512 115.3 21.8 51.3
2009 2496 97.2 21.9 56.8
2010 2466 96.8 25.4 65.1
2011 2561 n/a n/a 67.3
2012 2441 89.9 27.1 n/a
2013 2441 85.6 28.5 72.4
2014 2353 82.9 28.3 75.1
2015 2164 84.0 25.7 76.7
2016 2082 82.0 25.3 74.5
2017 1938 79.8 24.2 73.3
2018 1906 76.8 24.8 75.7
2019 1876 75.8 24.7 77
2020 1831 n/a n/a 74.9
2021 1877 76.8 24.4 74.5
2022 1802 81.8 22.0 82.9
2023 1767 81.6 21.6 85.1
2024 1710 80.9 21.1 86.3

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 Whittier High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1930 80.2 24.0 n/a
1989 1834 77.6 23.6 n/a
1990 1767 74.7 23.6 n/a
1991 1781 75.8 23.4 n/a
1992 1852 77.0 24.0 7.3
1993 1893 76.1 24.9 8.1
1994 1814 73.8 24.6 22.1
1995 1800 65.3 27.6 35.3
1996 1800 65.3 27.6 35.3
1997 1759 68.2 25.8 37
1998 1836 72.6 25.3 30.9
1999 1844 75.4 24.5 37.2
2000 1876 78.8 23.8 37.7
2001 1894 81.8 23.2 37.1
2002 2204 93.2 23.6 38
2003 2204 93.2 23.6 38
2004 2211 90.8 24.4 39.9
2005 2337 95.2 24.5 48.2
2006 2467 98.8 25.0 50.8
2007 2547 108.6 23.5 51
2008 2512 115.3 21.8 51.3
2009 2496 97.2 21.9 56.8
2010 2466 96.8 25.4 65.1
2011 2561 n/a n/a 67.3
2012 2441 89.9 27.1 n/a
2013 2441 85.6 28.5 72.4
2014 2353 82.9 28.3 75.1
2015 2164 84.0 25.7 76.7
2016 2082 82.0 25.3 74.5
2017 1938 79.8 24.2 73.3
2018 1906 76.8 24.8 75.7
2019 1876 75.8 24.7 77
2020 1831 n/a n/a 74.9
2021 1877 76.8 24.4 74.5
2022 1802 81.8 22.0 82.9
2023 1767 81.6 21.6 85.1
2024 1710 80.9 21.1 86.3

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 Whittier 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 Whittier 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 653rd of 2133 High schoolsRanks 610th of 2348 High schools
 4.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Whittier High)61.861.7
 0.1%
   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 (Whittier High)36.834.2
 2.6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Whittier Union High)32.730.8
 1.9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Whittier High)17.625
 7.4%
   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 Students18761767
 5.8%
African American2012
 40%
American Indian71
 85.7%
Asian1913
 31.6%
Hispanic17421648
 5.4%
Pacific Islander34
 33.3%
White7184
 18.3%
Two or More Races143
 78.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77%85.1%
 8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Whittier High

Students at Whittier High are 93% Hispanic, 5% White.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,710 students attended Whittier High.

Whittier High ranks 512th 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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