Enrollment
1,505
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Wichita, KS
Heights High
Federal NCES profile for Heights High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 201299000350
👥 S:T ratio 26
📚 AP courses 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Heights High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Kansas schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kansas.
- #10 of 13
- high schools in Wichita · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 61.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Heights High has class sizes larger than 94% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Heights High ranks #10 of 13 high schools in Wichita, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
82.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.0%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Heights High compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Heights High
Heights High is a higher-need, large high school in Wichita, Kansas, enrolling 1,505 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.4:1 is larger than about 94% of Kansas schools and 33% above the 13.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 61.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kansas, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,505 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 1,346 Kansas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 17 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #14, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (37%) and White (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 9 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 376 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 377 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,505 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Wichita's high schools, it stands alongside East High (2,435 students): Heights High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.4:1 vs 16.8:1).
Wichita also operates East High (2,435 students) and Southeast High (2,066 students) alongside Heights High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Heights High compares
Heights High on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.4:1 | ▲ 33% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.0% | ▲ 43% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,505 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,505
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 94% in Kansas - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
37.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,361
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 376 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
151
in-school suspensions + 226 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 37.0%
White 30.4%
Hispanic or Latino 21.0%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 37.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.0, Heights High is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
AP courses offered 9
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wichita, which includes Heights High.
$15,361
Per student
-1%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.2%
State 70.9%
Federal 11.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Heights High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southeast High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northwest High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Heights High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,435
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,066
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,041
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,662
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,424
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Wichita
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
East High
Standard public school
2,435 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Southeast High
Standard public school
2,066 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
North High
Standard public school
2,041 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Campus High Haysville
Standard public school
1,803 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
South High
Standard public school
1,662 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Northwest High
Standard public school
1,424 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,505 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Heights High's federal record.
- Compare Heights High against another school. Compare schools
- Wichita's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Heights High
How many students attend Heights High?
Heights High has 1,505 students enrolled. It is a high school in Wichita, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Heights High?
The student-teacher ratio at Heights High is 18.4:1, which is 33% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Heights High?
61.0% of students at Heights High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Heights High?
The largest demographic group at Heights High is African American at 37.0% of enrollment, in Wichita, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Heights High?
Heights High has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Heights High rank among high schools in Wichita?
By Resource Investment Index, Heights High ranks #10 of 13 high schools in Wichita, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Wichita on the city page.
Is Heights High a good school?
Heights High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Kansas schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kansas. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Wichita?
Besides Heights High, Wichita also operates East High (2,435 students), Southeast High (2,066 students), and North High (2,041 students). See the Wichita district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.