The school educates its students using a modified block schedule program that alternates four periods every two days.

[5] Additional debate revolved around the school's mascot and colors; deliberation around data collected via survey from the city of Rocklin and other Rocklin Unified School District entities ultimately convinced the district administration to choose the wildcat and the colors of maroon and gold.

The high school opened its doors to over 721 ninth and tenth grade students on August 22, 2005,[7] while still partially under construction.

Its opening relieved the strain of overcrowding that had previously affected Rocklin High School.

[8] Whitney was recognized as a California Distinguished institution on April 1, 2009, four years after its opening in 2005; the school was noted for this achievement, and is one of six in Placer County to merit the title.

On May 19, 2009, Whitney and other recently designated California Distinguished Schools were congratulated in a ceremony in Anaheim.

[11] Whitney teacher Matthew Yamamoto was arrested in September 2012 on suspicion of molesting an underage student.

He received the maximum sentence of five years in prison, in light of his violation of a restraining order during the investigation.

The area that Whitney's thirteen campus buildings occupy total approximately 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) and includes a total of 65 classrooms, while Whitney's sports fields encompass 20 acres (81,000 m2) of hard court and grass athletic areas.

[16] For some classes, like English, essential skills may be demonstrated by receiving a passing grade on assigned essays or tests.

The test covers grade 6–10 language arts concepts, as well as pre-algebraic and Algebra I mathematics.

[22] This system of Professional Learning Communities was designed by Illinois's former Adlai E. Stevenson High School principal, Richard Du Four.

Among the programs, the intervention periods are twenty minutes set before lunch that is intended for students who need to fulfill the academic requirements in which they are lacking.

[28] Many of these clubs, including those pertaining to art, dance, music (the school's band and orchestra), foreign language, and the United States Air Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, directly correspond to official classes that are run by the school itself.

Others, including the California Scholarship Federation and National Honor Society, can be used as catalysts to fulfill the community service graduation requirement.