The California Department of Education’s data provides another compelling validation of Whittier Union’s “Whatever It Takes” initiative that has propelled increases in student achievement in a high school district with 13,450 students who are 83% Latino and 80% socioeconomically disadvantaged.

 

WUHSD is proving that demographics do not determine destiny. All students can achieve at high levels, complete high school and continue on to college and careers when provided with dedicated educators who implement rigorous academic programs and targeted student support.

 

 

State Rankings

Whittier Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools rank as top schools among the state’s high schools with similar demographics, according to results from the 2011 Base Academic Performance Index (API) report released by the California State Department of Education (CDE). According to the CDE, schools are ranked in 10 groups of equal size, called deciles, from one (lowest scoring) to 10 (highest scoring). 

California, La Serna and Santa Fe high schools all ranked a 10 among comprehensive high schools with similar demographics, earning the schools the distinction of being three out of only six comprehensive high schools in Los Angeles County to rank a 10 this year, not including magnet and charter high schools. Whittier and Pioneer high schools both ranked an 8 among similar schools.

At the state level, Whittier Union was one of only two districts to have more than two high schools rank a 10 among similar schools. Only 10 percent of all high schools in California ranked a 10 among similar schools.

 

Graduation Rates at Highest Levels

More than 93 percent of the 13,000 students from the Whittier Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools are graduating and 0.7 percent or fewer are dropping out, according to data released by the California Department of Education (CDE) for the 2010-11 academic year. The district-wide dropout rate went down from 2.3 percent in 2010 to only 1.5 percent in 2011, which is well below the state dropout rate of 4.3 percent and county rate of 5.2 percent.

“Our low dropout rate verifies what we are seeing in our schools,” says WUHSD Superintendent Sandra Thorstenson. “Our students stay in school when they are challenged and engaged and given the targeted support they need to succeed in academics and remain on track to graduate. “Our focused efforts will continue as we persevere to ensure that all of our students graduate,” she said.