Enrollment
51
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Newton, IA
West Academy Alternative School
Federal NCES profile for West Academy Alternative School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 192061002052
👥 S:T ratio 66
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Academy Alternative School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Iowa.
- #1 of 7
- public schools in Newton · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 8.5:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 63.9%
- free-lunch eligible
West Academy Alternative School has class sizes smaller than 98% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Academy Alternative School ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Newton, IA.
School address
District: Newton Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192061002052 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-43% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+76% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Academy Alternative School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Academy Alternative School
West Academy Alternative School is a higher-need, small high school in Newton, Iowa, enrolling 51 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.5:1, West Academy Alternative School is leaner than roughly 98% of Iowa schools and 43% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 63.9% of students qualify for free meals, 76% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of Iowa schools, with 51 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 99% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Newton's high schools, it stands alongside Newton Senior High School (806 students): West Academy Alternative School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.5:1 vs 16.8:1).
Newton Comm School District also operates Newton Senior High School (806 students) and Berg Middle School (790 students) alongside West Academy Alternative 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 West Academy Alternative School compares
West Academy Alternative School on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.5:1 | ▼ 43% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.9% | ▲ 76% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 51 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.5:1
Leaner classes than 94% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
51
Bigger than 6% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 76% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.5:1
students per teacher
- 43% below state mean
Top 2% in Iowa - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$12,608
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $12,854
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 82.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.8%
Two or More 5.9%
African American 2.0%
Largest group: White at 82.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.8, West Academy Alternative School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newton Comm School District, which includes West Academy Alternative School.
$12,608
Per student
-2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.4%
State 54.9%
Federal 12.7%
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 West Academy Alternative School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Berg Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Emerson Hough Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodrow Wilson Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Academy Alternative School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 380
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 306
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar high schools in Newton
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 Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~51 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Academy Alternative School's federal record.
- Compare West Academy Alternative School against another school. Compare schools
- Newton Comm 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 West Academy Alternative School
How many students attend West Academy Alternative School?
West Academy Alternative School has 51 students enrolled. It is a high school in Newton, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Academy Alternative School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Academy Alternative School is 8.5:1, which is 43% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 46% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Academy Alternative School?
63.9% of students at West Academy Alternative School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Academy Alternative School?
The largest demographic group at West Academy Alternative School is White at 82.4% of enrollment, in Newton, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Academy Alternative School?
West Academy Alternative School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does West Academy Alternative School rank among public schools in Newton?
By Resource Investment Index, West Academy Alternative School ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Newton, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Newton on the city page.
Is West Academy Alternative School a good school?
West Academy Alternative School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Iowa. 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 Newton Comm School District?
Besides West Academy Alternative School, Newton Comm School District also operates Newton Senior High School (806 students), Berg Middle School (790 students), and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (380 students). See the Newton Comm 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.