{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":19.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2407045,"projectId":9840765,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom library. Because of your generosity, books have become a true joy in our classroom.\r\n\r\nNow, after school, students line up outside my classroom door just to check out books to take home. The excitement around reading has grown so much that I am even letting students from two classes borrow from our library. The new graphic novels have been especially loved!\r\n\r\nThis week, a parent told me that his son has never been so dedicated to reading before and that it's hard for him to put the books down at home. Hearing that reminded me how powerful access to the right books can be.\r\n\r\nYour kindness is helping my students fall in love with reading. Thank you for making this possible.\r\n\r\nWith heartfelt gratitude,\r\nMs. Garcia and Students","fullyFundedDate":1764693558564,"projectUrl":"project/every-child-deserves-a-story-that-sounds/9840765/","projectTitle":"Every Child Deserves a Story That Sounds Like Theirs","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Garcia","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2407045_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1654711778687","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2407045"},{"teacherId":2407045,"projectId":9155994,"letterContent":"In my classroom, reading is one of the most joyful and anticipated parts of our day. Through these new bilingual books, my students have been able to strengthen essential literacy skills such as comprehension, vocabulary development, and making text-to-self and text-to-world connections all while reading in both Spanish and English. The diverse range of stories has allowed me to expose students to different worlds, traditions, and lifestyles, helping them see the richness of cultures beyond their own. Reading time has become a space where curiosity thrives, and students eagerly engage in discussions about the characters and themes we explore together.\r\n\r\nSince adding these new books, I've noticed a wonderful shift in my students' attitudes toward reading. They now look forward to silent reading every day and often ask if they can borrow books to take home. Many parents have shared that their children are reading more on their own and showing a newfound excitement for stories, especially because they find the books interesting and relatable. It's been incredible to watch their confidence grow as readers and to see them develop a genuine love for reading that bridges both of their languages.","fullyFundedDate":1746825653243,"projectUrl":"project/opening-worlds-through-books/9155994/","projectTitle":"Opening Worlds Through Books","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Garcia","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2407045_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1654711778687","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2407045"},{"teacherId":9402818,"projectId":9046327,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my project. Thanks to your donations my students received many culturally diverse books. Students enjoyed listening to stories of people who are of a different culture; some felt connected with the charaters that share their own culture and identity. They loved learning about distant places, and how other peoples' culture, while different, holds similarities to their own. \r\n\r\nMy bulleting board came to life with the multicultural faces border. This border helped create an inclusive environment where all students feel welcome and acknowledged. Students enjoy seeing themselves represented on the border with multicultural faces on it.","fullyFundedDate":1746492437050,"projectUrl":"project/celebrating-different-cultures/9046327/","projectTitle":"Celebrating different cultures","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Estrada","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9402818"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_27402","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":430,"numTeachers":14,"percentFrplEligible":59,"percentAsian":11,"percentBlack":13,"percentWhite":6,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":60,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"30.7:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":80.5,"schoolId":27402,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/long-beach-unified-school-district/james-whitcomb-riley-elementary-school/27402"}
Join the 118 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School is
a suburban public school
in Lakewood, California that is part of Long Beach Unified School District.
It serves 430 students
in grades Pre-K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 30.7:1.
Its teachers have had 26 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Share and help support James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School
Boost support for this school! Share this page with friends, family, alumni, and fellow supporters. Every connection helps teachers get the supplies they need and shows how much your community cares about its students.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for public school teachers.
Every donation funds real needs — pencils, books, lab equipment, art supplies, and more — helping students learn and thrive. We ship supplies directly to the school, and you'll see exactly where each dollar goes.
James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School Demographics
59%
of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
84%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Mar 19, 2026
DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students
in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School
$14,640
raised using DonorsChoose
26
projects
funded
16
teachers
funded
118
donors
3
projects
for
basic supplies
9
projects for
technology
5
projects for
books
1
project
for
art supplies
James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School has received support from
95 individuals from California and
23 individuals out-of-state.
