Enrollment
331
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hereford, TX
West Central El
Federal NCES profile for West Central El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 482301002341
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Central El earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Hereford · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 84.8%
- free-lunch eligible
West Central El has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Central El ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Hereford, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.8%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Central El compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Central El
West Central El is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Hereford, Texas, enrolling 331 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 84.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 331 puts it in the smaller third of Texas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Against 1,308 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #677.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (93% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 13/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 331 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Hereford Isd spends $10,647 per pupil, 22% below the Texas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Hereford Isd also operates Hereford H S (1,182 students) and Hereford J H (534 students) alongside West Central El.
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 Central El compares
West Central El on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.8:1 | ▲ 7% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.8% | ▲ 37% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 331 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
331
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 69% in Texas - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.5%
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
$10,647
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
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 331 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 93.1%
White 5.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 93.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.0, West Central El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hereford Isd, which includes West Central El.
$10,647
Per student
-22%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.6%
State 42.7%
Federal 18.6%
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 Central El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hereford H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hereford J H | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northwest El | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aikman El | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bluebonnet El | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Central El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,182
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 534
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 464
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 366
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~331 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Central El's federal record.
- Compare West Central El against another school. Compare schools
- Hereford Isd'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 Central El
How many students attend West Central El?
West Central El has 331 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hereford, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Central El?
The student-teacher ratio at West Central El is 15.8:1, which is 7% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Central El?
84.8% of students at West Central El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Central El?
The largest demographic group at West Central El is Hispanic or Latino at 93.1% of enrollment, in Hereford, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Central El?
West Central El has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does West Central El rank among elementary schools in Hereford?
By Resource Investment Index, West Central El ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Hereford, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Hereford on the city page.
Is West Central El a good school?
West Central El earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas 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 Hereford Isd?
Besides West Central El, Hereford Isd also operates Hereford H S (1,182 students), Hereford J H (534 students), and Northwest El (479 students). See the Hereford Isd 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.