Enrollment
720
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Bladenboro, NC
West Bladen High
Federal NCES profile for West Bladen High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370039002620
👥 S:T ratio 32
📚 AP courses 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Bladen High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Bladenboro · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 99.6%
- free-lunch eligible
West Bladen High has class sizes larger than 73% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Bladen High ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Bladenboro, NC.
School address
District: Bladen County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370039002620 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Bladen High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Bladen High
West Bladen High is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Bladenboro, North Carolina, enrolling 720 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.1:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.6% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 720 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 439 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #62.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 4 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 360 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 168 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 720 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Bladen County Schools also operates East Bladen High (525 students) and Elizabethtown Primary (483 students) alongside West Bladen 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 West Bladen High compares
West Bladen High on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.1:1 | ▲ 8% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.6% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 720 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
720
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 73% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
23.2%
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
$13,797
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 360 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
100
in-school suspensions + 68 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.3 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 46.8%
Hispanic or Latino 24.9%
African American 21.3%
Two or More 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 46.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.1, West Bladen High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bladen County Schools, which includes West Bladen High.
$13,797
Per student
+15%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.4%
State 59.5%
Federal 26.1%
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 West Bladen High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Bladen High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Elizabethtown Primary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tar Heel Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bladenboro Primary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Elizabethtown Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Bladen High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 525
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 483
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 29.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 448
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~720 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Bladen High's federal record.
- Compare West Bladen High against another school. Compare schools
- Bladen County Schools'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 Bladen High
How many students attend West Bladen High?
West Bladen High has 720 students enrolled. It is a high school in Bladenboro, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Bladen High?
The student-teacher ratio at West Bladen High is 17.1:1, which is 8% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Bladen High?
99.6% of students at West Bladen High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Bladen High?
The largest demographic group at West Bladen High is White at 46.8% of enrollment, in Bladenboro, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Bladen High?
West Bladen High has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 West Bladen High rank among public schools in Bladenboro?
By Resource Investment Index, West Bladen High ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Bladenboro, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Bladenboro on the city page.
Is West Bladen High a good school?
West Bladen High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of North Carolina 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 Bladen County Schools?
Besides West Bladen High, Bladen County Schools also operates East Bladen High (525 students), Elizabethtown Primary (483 students), and Tar Heel Middle (449 students). See the Bladen County Schools 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.