Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier vs Ruth Acty Elementary
Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier and Ruth Acty Elementary are very closely rated, both scoring around 7.2 out of 10. In math proficiency, Ruth Acty Elementary leads at 72.0%.
Attendance data is under correction. A public school's existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating shown here may still reflect an unverified attendance input.
Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier
Berkeley, CA
404 students
Ruth Acty Elementary
Berkeley, CA
396 students
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| Metric | Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier | Ruth Acty Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 7.2 / 10 | 7.0 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 9.3 | 9.8 |
| Growth Score | 5.2 | 4.3 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 23.3% | 16.9% |
| Environment Score | 8.9 | 9.5 |
| State Rank | #2,817 of 9,557 | #3,295 of 9,557 |
| State Percentile | 71th | 66th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier | Ruth Acty Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 70.0% | 72.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 72.0% | 77.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
Neighborhood
| Metric | Berkeley (94709) | Berkeley (94702) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $95,223 | $99,135 |
| Median Home Value | $1,240,500 | $1,168,200 |
| Median Rent | $1,988 | $1,974 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 79.6% | 65.5% |
| Poverty Rate | 15.6% | 11.9% |
| Avg Commute | 27 min | 31 min |
The data story: Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier vs Ruth Acty Elementary
Ruth Acty Elementary holds a meaningfully stronger overall position than Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier despite the two schools sitting just 0.8 miles apart. Ruth Acty Elementary scores 9.5/10 overall versus Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier's 9.1/10, but the state rank gap tells the starker story: Ruth Acty Elementary ranks #12 of 9,533 California elementary schools, placing it in the top 0.1% statewide, while Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier ranks #146 — still elite, but 134 spots behind. Both are exceptional by any national measure; parents are choosing between two of California's strongest elementary schools.
On academic performance, Ruth Acty Elementary scores 9.8/10 versus Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier's 9.4/10 — a 0.4-point gap that tracks with the overall rating difference. The growth score separation is identical: Ruth Acty Elementary posts 9.8/10 against Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier's 9.3/10, meaning students at Ruth Acty are not only arriving at higher proficiency levels but also advancing faster year-over-year. A 0.5-point growth advantage is a meaningful signal that instructional momentum differs between the two campuses.
The two schools enroll nearly the same number of students — Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier at 404 and Ruth Acty Elementary at 396 — so class-size experience will feel comparable. Student-teacher ratios are close but not identical: Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier runs 21.3:1 versus Ruth Acty Elementary's 20.8:1. The more notable demographic difference is in the free and reduced-price lunch rate: Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier serves 23% of students qualifying for FRL compared to 17% at Ruth Acty Elementary, reflecting a modestly broader socioeconomic mix at Whittier.
The defining programmatic distinction is in the name itself. Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier is a dedicated arts magnet school serving grades KG–05, meaning arts integration is woven into the core curriculum rather than offered as an elective supplement — a structural commitment Ruth Acty Elementary does not share. Ruth Acty Elementary, also serving KG–05, competes on pure academic and growth metrics rather than a specialized program identity, which is precisely where its statewide rank advantage lives.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier
Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier is the stronger fit for families who want arts embedded in daily academics — not just an after-school or enrichment add-on. If a child thrives through creative expression across subjects and parents value a magnet school's programmatic identity, the arts-integrated curriculum justifies the modest gap in academic and growth scores compared to Ruth Acty Elementary.
Ruth Acty Elementary
Ruth Acty Elementary suits families whose primary criterion is maximum academic achievement and student growth, and who are less drawn to a specialized program focus. Its ranking of #12 in California out of 9,533 schools signals a consistently high-output learning environment. Families who want the strongest measurable outcomes available in Berkeley without the magnet application process will find Ruth Acty Elementary the clearer choice.