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Average

#7092 of 9,539 schools in CA

Whale Gulch Elementary

Elementary School · Leggett Valley Unified · Whitethorn, CA

A Leggett Valley Unified elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 8th.

76811 Usal Rd., Whitethorn, CA 95589

  • Math 23% vs CA 36% (2024)
  • Reading 58% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.3Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.73 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.6Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency23.1% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency57.7% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-12.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+10.6 pts
Overall Proficiency40% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)43% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-2.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile51th
Resources & Environment9.9Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.7:1
District spending per student$28,976
Chronic Absenteeism21.1%

Students at Whale Gulch Elementary score 40% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 43%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency23%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
36%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency58%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 39 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 40% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
90%
ELA
70%
2010
Math
70%
ELA
70%
2011
Math
70%
ELA
90%
2012
Math
70%
ELA
70%
2014
Math
50%
ELA
50%
2015
Math
50%
ELA
50%
2016
Math
50%
ELA
30%
2017
Math
50%
ELA
50%
2018
Math
30%
ELA
50%
2019
Math
30%
ELA
50%
2020*
Math
10%
ELA
70%
2021*
Math
10%
ELA
70%
2022
Math
25%
ELA
75%
2024
Math
23%
ELA
58%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 61% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

55.3%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Whale Gulch Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 4Car-Dependent
  • Bike 19Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average305/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$45,074

Median home value

$439,000

Median rent

$1,164/mo

College educated

13.4%

Homeownership

79.1%

Poverty rate

27%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95589; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

2 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Whitethorn ElementaryEnrollment path unverifiedNot ratedK–63.2 mi19Compare →
Leggett Valley ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.6K–8Not available57Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Leggett Valley Unified

Schools in district
5
Rank in district
#2 of 2
District spending per student
$28,976NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
35.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Whale Gulch Elementary is listed in Leggett Valley Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Whale Gulch Elementary

Whale Gulch Elementary is a public elementary school in Whitethorn, CA, part of Leggett Valley Unified, serving approximately 38 students in grades Kindergarten-8th with a 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 out of 10 and ranks #7,092 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Whale Gulch Elementary

What grades does Whale Gulch Elementary serve?

Whale Gulch Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 8th.

How many students attend Whale Gulch Elementary?

Whale Gulch Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 38 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Whale Gulch Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Whale Gulch Elementary is 12.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Whale Gulch Elementary rank in CA?

Whale Gulch Elementary ranks #7,092 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Whale Gulch Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Whale Gulch Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Whale Gulch Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Whale Gulch Elementary has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Whale Gulch Elementary a charter school?

No, Whale Gulch Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Whale Gulch Elementary a Title I school?

No, Whale Gulch Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Whale Gulch Elementary?

55.3% of students at Whale Gulch Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 8th
Enrollment
38
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
3
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Rural
County
Mendocino County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
21.1%
Area population (ZIP 95589)
1,467
Area average commute
21 min
Area median age
48.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 95589; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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