Enrollment
648
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lawrence, KS
Lawrence West Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Lawrence West Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 200840001377
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lawrence West Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Kansas schools.
- #4 of 4
- middle schools in Lawrence · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 34.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Lawrence West Middle School has class sizes larger than 77% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lawrence West Middle School ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Lawrence, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.0%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lawrence West Middle School compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lawrence West Middle School
Lawrence West Middle School is a large middle school in Lawrence, Kansas, enrolling 648 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kansas, bigger than 91% of state schools at 648 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 1,346 Kansas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 154 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #147, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Two or More (13%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 648 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Lawrence spends $12,091 per pupil, 22% below the Kansas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Lawrence's middle schools, it stands alongside Lawrence Southwest Middle School (641 students): Lawrence West Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.4:1 vs 14.2:1).
Lawrence also operates Lawrence Free State High (1,774 students) and Lawrence High (1,454 students) alongside Lawrence West Middle School.
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 Lawrence West Middle School compares
Lawrence West Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▲ 12% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.0% | ▼ 20% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 648 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
648
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Kansas - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.2%
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
$12,091
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 648 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
44
in-school suspensions + 44 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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
White 65.7%
Two or More 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.3%
African American 6.5%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 65.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.3, Lawrence West Middle School is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lawrence, which includes Lawrence West Middle School.
$12,091
Per student
-22%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.8%
State 59.4%
Federal 6.8%
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 Lawrence West Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Free State High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lawrence Southwest Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Langston Hughes Elem | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence Virtual School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lawrence West Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,774
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,454
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 641
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 560
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 543
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar middle schools in Lawrence
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~648 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lawrence West Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Lawrence West Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Lawrence'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 Lawrence West Middle School
How many students attend Lawrence West Middle School?
Lawrence West Middle School has 648 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lawrence, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lawrence West Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lawrence West Middle School is 15.4:1, which is 12% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lawrence West Middle School?
34.0% of students at Lawrence West Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lawrence West Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Lawrence West Middle School is White at 65.7% of enrollment, in Lawrence, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lawrence West Middle School?
Lawrence West Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lawrence West Middle School rank among middle schools in Lawrence?
By Resource Investment Index, Lawrence West Middle School ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Lawrence, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Lawrence on the city page.
Is Lawrence West Middle School a good school?
Lawrence West Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Kansas schools. 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 Lawrence?
Besides Lawrence West Middle School, Lawrence also operates Lawrence Free State High (1,774 students), Lawrence High (1,454 students), and Lawrence Southwest Middle School (641 students). See the Lawrence 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.