Enrollment
273
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · West Branch, IA
West Branch High School
Federal NCES profile for West Branch High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 193075001774
👥 S:T ratio 39
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Branch High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in West Branch · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 21.3%
- free-lunch eligible
West Branch High School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Branch High School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in West Branch, IA.
School address
District: West Branch Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193075001774 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.3%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Branch High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Branch High School
West Branch High School is a mid-sized high school in West Branch, Iowa, enrolling 273 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 21.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 273 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 370 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #239.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 19/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 273 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
West Branch Comm School District also operates Hoover Elementary School (353 students) and West Branch Middle School (239 students) alongside West Branch 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 West Branch High School compares
West Branch High 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 | 15.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.3% | ▼ 41% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 273 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
273
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 68% in Iowa - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.6%
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
$11,971
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 273 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.4 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 89.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
African American 1.5%
Two or More 0.7%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 89.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.4, West Branch High School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Branch Comm School District, which includes West Branch High School.
$11,971
Per student
-7%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.0%
State 41.0%
Federal 7.0%
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 Branch High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoover Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Branch Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Branch High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 239
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
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 (~273 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Branch High School's federal record.
- Compare West Branch High School against another school. Compare schools
- West Branch 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 Branch High School
How many students attend West Branch High School?
West Branch High School has 273 students enrolled. It is a high school in West Branch, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Branch High School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Branch High School is 15.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Branch High School?
21.3% of students at West Branch High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Branch High School?
The largest demographic group at West Branch High School is White at 89.4% of enrollment, in West Branch, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Branch High School?
West Branch High School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Branch High School rank among public schools in West Branch?
By Resource Investment Index, West Branch High School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in West Branch, 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 West Branch on the city page.
Is West Branch High School a good school?
West Branch High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa 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 West Branch Comm School District?
Besides West Branch High School, West Branch Comm School District also operates Hoover Elementary School (353 students) and West Branch Middle School (239 students). See the West Branch 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.