Enrollment
634
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Lenoir, NC
West Caldwell High
Federal NCES profile for West Caldwell High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370058000241
👥 S:T ratio 46
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Caldwell High earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 13
- public schools in Lenoir · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.5:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 63.2%
- free-lunch eligible
West Caldwell High has class sizes smaller than 72% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Caldwell High ranks #3 of 13 public schools in Lenoir, NC.
School address
District: Caldwell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370058000241 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Caldwell High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Caldwell High
West Caldwell High is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Lenoir, North Carolina, enrolling 634 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.2% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 634 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 449 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #110.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 60/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 211 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 69.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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: 230 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 634 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Lenoir's high schools, it stands alongside Hibriten High (818 students): West Caldwell High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 vs 15.7:1).
Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students) and Hibriten High (818 students) alongside West Caldwell 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 Caldwell High compares
West Caldwell 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 15% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.2% | ▼ 4% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 634 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
634
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 28% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
69.6%
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
$11,644
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 211 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
110
in-school suspensions + 120 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.3 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 57.4%
Hispanic or Latino 23.2%
African American 9.9%
Two or More 8.5%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 57.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.0, West Caldwell High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Caldwell County Schools, which includes West Caldwell High.
$11,644
Per student
-3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.4%
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 Caldwell High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Caldwell High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hibriten High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hudson Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Granite Falls Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hudson Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Caldwell High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 647
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 551
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar high schools in Lenoir
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 North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~634 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Caldwell High's federal record.
- Compare West Caldwell High against another school. Compare schools
- Caldwell 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 Caldwell High
How many students attend West Caldwell High?
West Caldwell High has 634 students enrolled. It is a high school in Lenoir, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Caldwell High?
The student-teacher ratio at West Caldwell High is 13.5:1, which is 15% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 14% 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 Caldwell High?
63.2% of students at West Caldwell High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Caldwell High?
The largest demographic group at West Caldwell High is White at 57.4% of enrollment, in Lenoir, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Caldwell High?
West Caldwell High has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Caldwell High rank among public schools in Lenoir?
By Resource Investment Index, West Caldwell High ranks #3 of 13 public schools in Lenoir, 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 Lenoir on the city page.
Is West Caldwell High a good school?
West Caldwell High earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% 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 Caldwell County Schools?
Besides West Caldwell High, Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students), Hibriten High (818 students), and Hudson Elementary (665 students). See the Caldwell 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.