South Whittier Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on South Whittier Elementary

South Whittier Elementary is a small kindergarten-through-eighth-grade district serving a community of about that size across several neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area. The district is predominantly Hispanic, with a very high share of students from Spanish-speaking backgrounds. Most students live in the area covered by Whittier, La Mirada, and Santa Fe Springs zip codes, where housing values lean toward the upper-middle range and rental costs have climbed moderately over the past year.

The district's state testing results show proficiency rates well below the midpoint among Los Angeles County's districts. In English language arts, students across grades three through eight show proficiency that hovers in the low range; fifth grade performs somewhat better than the others. Math proficiency is notably lower, with sixth and eighth grades scoring particularly weak. Science proficiency, where tested, falls into a similar lower band. These patterns hold across the elementary and middle school grades without a clear upward or downward trend. A parent may want to look further into whether the district has targeted supports in place to address these gaps or interventions underway.

Chronic absenteeism sits just slightly below the county median, suggesting attendance is not a standout concern but bears watching. The district spends per pupil in the upper range compared to other Los Angeles County districts, so funding is not the constraint.

Two recent developments shape what families encounter. In early 2024, voters approved a general obligation bond measure, publicly reported, to finance roof repairs, electrical and HVAC upgrades, student technology access, facility modernization, and health and safety work. That brings both a property-tax commitment and tangible facility improvements over time. Second, the district has introduced a Spanish dual language immersion program using a 90-10 two-way model at the kindergarten and first-grade levels at two of its elementary schools. The program pairs native English and Spanish speakers in the same classrooms with the stated goal of achieving bilingual proficiency in both languages. For families seeking that pathway or comfortable with Spanish-language academics, this is a distinguishing option within the district.

The district operates six schools, five elementary and one middle school serving grades six through eight. Class sizes are moderate for the grade band. The student population itself is quite concentrated: nearly all students are Hispanic or Latino, with very small shares of other backgrounds represented. This homogeneity in ethnicity and likely language background is a factual characteristic of the enrollment, neither better nor worse, but a reality families will recognize immediately upon visiting.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

2,272

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 95%

Black 1%

White 2%

Asian 1%

Two+ 1%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

33%

—

Gr 3

29%

46%

Gr 4

33%

52%

Gr 5

39%

56%

Gr 6

35%

36%

Gr 7

29%

57%

Gr 8

34%

29%

Math

Gr ALL

24%

—

Gr 3

31%

54%

Gr 4

32%

45%

Gr 5

24%

32%

Gr 6

18%

27%

Gr 7

21%

43%

Gr 8

19%

14%

Science

Gr 5

19%

35%

Gr 8

16%

Gr HS

18%

—

Schools in this District

6 schools are officially reported under this district.

Howard J. McKibben Elementary

Lake Marie Elementary

Loma Vista Elementary

Los Altos Elementary

Richard L. Graves Middle

Carmela Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

34%

Grade 3

33%

Grade 4

25%

Grade 5

19%

Grade 6

23%

Grade 7

19%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

31%

Grade 3

35%

Grade 4

41%

Grade 5

35%

Grade 6

32%

Grade 7

34%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

21%

Grade 5

16%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

51%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$800,534

Year-over-year change+0.6%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$784K to $891K

vs. state typical1.03x

vs. national typical2.17x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
90605	Whittier	$799K	+0.8%	48.1%
90670	Santa Fe Springs	$784K	-0.1%	33.5%
90604	Whittier	$835K	+1.2%	17.4%
90602	Whittier	$854K	+1.1%	0.9%
90638	La Mirada	$891K	+1.6%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,302/mo

Year-over-year change+3.2%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$2,172 to $2,938/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
90605	Whittier	$2,273	+3.1%	48.1%
90604	Whittier	$2,385	—	17.4%
90602	Whittier	$2,172	+5.3%	0.9%
90638	La Mirada	$2,938	+4.6%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$4,040/mo

Home price / national median income9.6x

Annual rent / national median income33.0%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$1,737/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.