How to read the Whittier Dashboard results
The California School Dashboard reports English and math as a distance from the state standard on the grade-level tests. A school at 0 points is, on average, exactly at standard. Positive numbers are above standard and negative numbers below. All figures on this page are the 2025 Dashboard results for all students, from the California Department of Education's downloadable data files. For comparison, the state as a whole scored 8.1 points below standard in English and 42.4 below in math, and the statewide graduation rate was 87.8%.
Two cautions apply in Whittier. First, a small school can swing a lot from year to year: Pioneer High's English result fell from 38.0 to 24.0 points above standard between the 2024 and 2025 Dashboards. Second, a Whittier mailing address does not tell you the district. The 90601 to 90606 ZIP codes cover the City of Whittier and unincorporated areas, and six public districts serve them. The Dashboard also reports chronic absenteeism, suspensions and English learner progress, so open each school's full page before you decide.
Whittier-area school districts compared
Elementary and middle schools are run by five separate districts, and Whittier Union High School District serves grades 9 to 12. Lowell Joint is administered from Orange County and also serves part of La Habra.
| District (grades) | English vs standard | Math vs standard | Chronic absenteeism |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whittier Union High (9-12) | +32.7 | -41.6 | Graduation rate 93.7% |
| Lowell Joint (K-8) | +24.0 | -6.1 | 10.9% |
| East Whittier City (K-8) | +19.8 | -5.5 | 11.4% |
| Los Nietos (K-8) | -1.3 | -36.3 | 14.7% |
| Whittier City (K-8) | -6.3 | -36.9 | 20.7% |
| South Whittier Elementary (K-8) | -39.9 | -64.0 | 17.8% |
| State of California (all grades) | -8.1 | -42.4 | 17.1% |
Source: California School Dashboard 2025 data files. Chronic absenteeism is the share of students who missed at least 10% of school days, reported for grades K-8.
Whittier high schools
Whittier Union High School District runs five comprehensive high schools plus Frontier (continuation) and Sierra Vista (alternative). The district as a whole scored 32.7 points above standard in English and graduated 93.7% of its students.
La Serna High School (Whittier Union High)
La Serna, on Youngwood Drive, had the district's highest 2025 English result, 55.3 points above standard, and scored 22.2 below in math, second in the district behind Santa Fe High. Its graduation rate was 97.1%.
California High School (Whittier Union High)
California High, on Mills Avenue, scored 47.1 points above standard in English and 35.5 below in math, with a 97.0% graduation rate.
Whittier High School (Whittier Union High)
Whittier High is on Philadelphia Street near Uptown. It scored 30.0 points above standard in English and 37.0 below in math, and graduated 95.9% of students. The district has filed plans to upgrade its tennis courts and parking.
Pioneer High and Santa Fe High (Whittier Union High)
Pioneer High, on Ben Avon Street, scored 24.0 above standard in English and 66.6 below in math, with a 96.5% graduation rate. Santa Fe High, in neighboring Santa Fe Springs, is also part of the district; it scored 38.4 above in English and 12.1 below in math, with 95.9% graduating.
Whittier middle schools
Granada Middle (East Whittier City)
Granada Middle, on Lemon Drive, had the strongest middle school results among Whittier-address schools in 2025: 44.8 points above standard in English and 11.0 above in math, both in the Dashboard's top performance color.
Rancho-Starbuck Intermediate (Lowell Joint)
Rancho-Starbuck, on Woodbrier Drive, scored 36.8 points above standard in English and 17.1 below in math.
East Whittier Middle and Hillview Middle (East Whittier City)
East Whittier Middle, on Whittier Boulevard, scored 14.0 above standard in English and 16.1 below in math. Hillview Middle, on Stamy Road, scored 9.7 above in English and 43.2 below in math.
Whittier City district middle schools
Katherine Edwards Middle School, a STEAM-themed campus on Norwalk Boulevard, scored 8.3 above standard in English and 30.1 below in math. Walter F. Dexter Middle, on Floral Drive, scored 43.5 below in English and 96.4 below in math. In South Whittier Elementary, Richard L. Graves Middle scored 50.3 below in English.
Whittier elementary schools
Leffingwell and Murphy Ranch Elementary (East Whittier City)
Leffingwell Elementary, on Santa Gertrudes Avenue, scored 52.9 points above standard in English and 38.2 above in math. Murphy Ranch Elementary, on Janine Drive, scored 52.1 above in English and 36.3 above in math. These were the highest elementary results among Whittier-address schools in 2025. Ocean View Elementary, on Second Street, was close behind at 43.9 above in English and 30.2 above in math.
Meadow Green and Jordan Elementary (Lowell Joint)
Meadow Green Elementary, on Grovedale Drive, scored 46.8 above standard in English and 23.3 above in math. Jordan Elementary, on Jordan Road, scored 13.6 above in English and 6.4 below in math.
Whittier City district elementary schools
Daniel Phelan Language Academy, on Cully Avenue, led the district at 26.9 above standard in English and 28.6 above in math. Mill School and Technology Academy scored 24.1 above in English and 7.2 above in math, and Andrews Elementary 21.0 above in English. Lydia Jackson College Preparatory Academy and Orange Grove Elementary were 33.5 and 30.2 points below standard in English.
South Whittier and Los Nietos elementary schools
In South Whittier Elementary, Lake Marie Elementary scored 2.7 below standard in English, while Carmela, McKibben and Los Altos were 40 or more points below. In Los Nietos, Ada S. Nelson Elementary scored 9.4 above in English and Aeolian Elementary 45.2 below.
School choice in Whittier: themed academies, immersion and transfers
Several Whittier City district schools carry a theme in their names: Phelan Language Academy, Lou Henry Hoover School of Fine Arts, Sorensen Science Academy and Mill School and Technology Academy, plus the Edwards STEAM middle school. East Whittier City runs a kindergarten Dual Language Immersion program with a yearly interest form; for 2025-26 it was open for about ten days in January, so ask the district for the next window. Whittier City also runs a Virtual Learning Academy.
At the high school level, Whittier Union lists intra-district transfers, interdistrict transfer information and an open enrollment application, with the 2027-2028 window marked as coming soon. Ask each district for its current deadlines, since transfers depend on space.
How to check which schools serve a Whittier address
Never rely on a listing, a map app or this page to tell you which school serves a home. Boundaries change and the Whittier ZIPs cross district lines. Use the district's own tools:
- Whittier City School District: the School Locator Tool linked from whittiercity.net.
- Lowell Joint School District: the school locator linked from ljsd.org.
- Whittier Union High School District: the Home School Lookup on the Enrollment and Registration page at wuhsd.org.
- East Whittier City, South Whittier and Los Nietos: call or email the district enrollment office with the full address and ask for the assigned schools in writing.
Then look up each assigned school on the California School Dashboard. Ask the seller's agent for the address's assigned schools as a disclosure item, but verify it yourself. For the rest of the buying process, see our Whittier homes for sale guide and the Whittier neighborhoods guide.