The top reported proficiency rate is 8% in English language arts. The lowest is 2% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Whittier Elementary
Whittier Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in Kansas City, Missouri, as a regular public school within the Kansas City 33 district. The school is located in the eastern part of the city, in a neighborhood that sits within a large, car-dependent urban area. Kansas City itself is a major Midwestern city with a mix of commercial, industrial, and residential zones spread across a very large footprint, and the school's immediate area reflects that broader urban context.
The student body is diverse. The largest groups are students who identify as Hispanic and Black, each making up a substantial share of the enrollment, followed by a smaller but notable share of Asian students. A very small portion of the student body is white, and the remainder is made up of students who identify as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Every student at the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a fact that places the school in a high-poverty context. The school serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, and the enrollment is heavily weighted toward the pre-kindergarten year, which accounts for a large portion of the total student body. The remaining grades from kindergarten through sixth each have a similar, smaller enrollment.
On the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), the school's proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science are very low. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced in grades three through six was in the low single digits. In English language arts, the rates were slightly higher but still in the low single digits to low teens across the same grades. In fifth-grade science, the proficiency rate was also very low. When compared to other districts in Jackson County, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. A parent considering this school will want to look into what academic supports and interventions are in place, as the test results point to a student body that is, on the whole, far from meeting state benchmarks.
The school serves a student population where every child qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the high level of economic need in the community. The student body is majority Hispanic and Black, with a smaller but notable share of Asian students. The school does not report data on the share of students with individualized education plans or those identified as English learners, so a parent should ask the school directly about the availability of special education services and English language support.
The district itself, Kansas City 33, regained full accreditation from the state in 2022 after a period of provisional status, a publicly reported change that signals a shift toward greater stability. The district has maintained that accredited status in subsequent years. For a family considering Whittier, this means the school operates within a district that has recently resolved a long-standing accreditation question.
Housing in the area around the school is notably affordable relative to national benchmarks. Home values are well below the national median, and rents are also below the national average, making the neighborhood one of the more accessible parts of the Kansas City metro for a family looking to buy or rent. The area has seen a slight decline in home values recently, while rents have increased modestly.
The school's academic performance on state assessments is a central fact for any family evaluating it. Across every tested grade and subject, the proportion of students meeting the state's proficiency standard is very low. In math, the rate was in the low single digits for each grade. In English language arts, the highest rate was in the low teens for third grade, with other grades in the single digits. In fifth-grade science, the rate was similarly very low. The school's overall proficiency index, which averages these results, places it in the bottom quartile among districts in Jackson County. A parent should expect that the school is serving a student body with significant academic needs and should ask what specific interventions, tutoring, or curriculum supports are in place to address them.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, with a notably large pre-kindergarten program that accounts for a substantial share of the total students. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a high-poverty context. The student body is majority Hispanic and Black, with a smaller but meaningful Asian population and a very small white population. Data on the share of students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent should ask the school directly about the availability and structure of special education and English language development services.
The neighborhood around the school is one of the more affordable parts of the Kansas City metro. Home values are well below the national median, and rents are also below the national average. The area has seen a slight dip in home values recently, while rents have risen modestly. For a family, this means housing costs are relatively low, but the local housing market is not appreciating quickly.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it is not a Title I school according to the available data, though the universal free lunch qualification suggests a high-need population. The school's website was not provided in the source material, so a parent may need to contact the school or district directly for information about specific programs, after-school activities, or family engagement opportunities.
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