Enrollment
390
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Langley, WA
South Whidbey High School
Federal NCES profile for South Whidbey High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530819001878
👥 S:T ratio 29
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Whidbey High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Langley · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.7:1
- students per teacher
- 20.8%
- free-lunch eligible
South Whidbey High School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Whidbey High School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Langley, WA.
School address
District: South Whidbey School District · Washington
NCES ID 530819001878 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.8%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Whidbey High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Whidbey High School
South Whidbey High School is a mid-sized high school in Langley, Washington, enrolling 390 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 390 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 375 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #215.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 195 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Langley's high schools, it stands alongside South Whidbey Academy (42 students): South Whidbey High School is larger than that campus by headcount.
South Whidbey School District also operates South Whidbey Elementary (485 students) and South Whidbey Middle (290 students) alongside South Whidbey High 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 South Whidbey High School compares
South Whidbey High School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.8% | ▼ 54% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 390 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
390
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 62% in Washington - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.3%
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
$17,973
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 195 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.6 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
White 80.7%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
Two or More 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.8%
Asian 2.1%
African American 1.8%
Largest group: White at 80.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.9, South Whidbey High School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Whidbey School District, which includes South Whidbey High School.
$17,973
Per student
-8%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.2%
State 60.7%
Federal 14.1%
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 South Whidbey High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Whidbey Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Whidbey Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Whidbey Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | No ratio data |
| South Whidbey Special Services | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to South Whidbey High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 290
- Students per teacher
- 32.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 42
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 6
- Students per teacher
- -
Similar high schools in Langley
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~390 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Whidbey High School's federal record.
- Compare South Whidbey High School against another school. Compare schools
- South Whidbey School District'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 South Whidbey High School
How many students attend South Whidbey High School?
South Whidbey High School has 390 students enrolled. It is a high school in Langley, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Whidbey High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Whidbey High School is 17.7:1, which is 1% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Whidbey High School?
20.8% of students at South Whidbey High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Whidbey High School?
The largest demographic group at South Whidbey High School is White at 80.7% of enrollment, in Langley, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Whidbey High School?
South Whidbey High School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 South Whidbey High School rank among public schools in Langley?
By Resource Investment Index, South Whidbey High School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Langley, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Langley on the city page.
Is South Whidbey High School a good school?
South Whidbey High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. 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 South Whidbey School District?
Besides South Whidbey High School, South Whidbey School District also operates South Whidbey Elementary (485 students), South Whidbey Middle (290 students), and South Whidbey Academy (42 students). See the South Whidbey School District 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.