Enrollment
1,017
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data High school (grades 9-12) NCES 317284002441
Northwest High School — Lincoln, NE
Federal NCES profile for Northwest High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 50/100.
👥 Class size 50
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: Lincoln Public Schools · Nebraska
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.5:1
vs 13.6:1 Nebraska avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.9%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwest High School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Northwest High School reports 1,017 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 40.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 8% below the Nebraska state mean of 13.6:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 21% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 38.9% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 26% above the Nebraska average and 25% below the national baseline.
On the finance side, the surrounding Lincoln Public Schools spends $14,943 per pupil district-wide, below the Nebraska average of $20,313 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 57.5% from local sources (property taxes), 30.0% from the state, and 12.5% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (C-), calculated from 1 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Northwest High School compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Nebraska state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.5:1 | ▼ 8% | 13.6:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.9% | ▲ 26% | 30.9% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 1,017 | top 96% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
38.9%
free-lunch eligible
— 26% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold — federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.5:1
students per teacher
— 8% below state mean
Top 43% in Nebraska — lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Funding equity
$14,943
per pupil, district-wide
— below Nebraska avg of $20,313
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Overview
Enrollment 1,017 Top 96% in Nebraska — larger than 4% of 1,010 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 40.0
Students per teacher 12.5:1 -8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 38.9% +26% vs state
NCES ID 317284002441
Student demographics
White 56.3%
Hispanic or Latino 19.3%
Two or More 10.8%
African American 10.1%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 56.3% of enrollment.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lincoln Public Schools, which includes Northwest High School.
$14,943
Per student
-26%
vs Nebraska
Avg $20,313
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 57.5%
State 30.0%
Federal 12.5%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,110
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Enrollment
- 2,086
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Enrollment
- 1,982
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Enrollment
- 1,927
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Enrollment
- 1,848
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
Similar high schools in Lincoln
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Southwest High School
Standard public school
2,110 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Lincoln High School
Standard public school
2,086 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Lincoln East High School
Standard public school
1,982 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
North Star High School
Standard public school
1,927 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Southeast High School
Standard public school
1,848 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Northeast High School
Standard public school
1,819 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about Northwest High School
How many students attend Northwest High School?
Northwest High School has 1,017 students enrolled. It is a high school in LINCOLN, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwest High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwest High School is 12.5:1, which is 8% lower than the Nebraska average of 13.6:1 and 21% lower than the national average of 15.9:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwest High School?
38.9% of students at Northwest High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwest High School?
The largest demographic group at Northwest High School is White at 56.3%. The school serves a diverse student body in LINCOLN, NE.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwest High School?
Northwest High School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (C-) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.