Enrollment
99
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Minnetonka, MN
West Education Center Alternative
Federal NCES profile for West Education Center Alternative, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270002504603
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Education Center Alternative earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #4 of 10
- schools in Minnetonka · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.8:1
- large classes for Minnesota
- 63.3%
- free-lunch eligible
West Education Center Alternative has class sizes larger than 82% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Education Center Alternative ranks #4 of 10 schools in Minnetonka, MN.
School address
District: Intermediate School District 287 · Minnesota
NCES ID 270002504603 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
5.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.3%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Education Center Alternative compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Education Center Alternative
West Education Center Alternative is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Minnetonka, Minnesota, enrolling 99 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 63.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 99 puts it in the smaller third of Minnesota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 133 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #80.
Its student body is led by African American (50%) and Two or More (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 168 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Intermediate School District 287 also operates Tier Two (274 students) and Tier Three (226 students) alongside West Education Center Alternative.
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 Education Center Alternative compares
West Education Center Alternative on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.8:1 | ▲ 25% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.3% | ▲ 48% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 99 | top 70% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
99
Bigger than 10% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% above the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 82% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Support staff
Counselors0.6 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
African American 49.5%
Two or More 16.2%
White 15.2%
Hispanic or Latino 13.1%
Asian 5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: African American at 49.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.6, West Education Center Alternative is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
How West Education Center Alternative Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier Two | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tier Three | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hennepin Gateway to College | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Education Center Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Education Center Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Education Center Alternative's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 274
- Students per teacher
- 4.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 226
- Students per teacher
- 3.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 73
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 48
- Students per teacher
- 8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 37
- Students per teacher
- 7.4:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~99 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Education Center Alternative's federal record.
- Compare West Education Center Alternative against another school. Compare schools
- Intermediate School District 287'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 Education Center Alternative
How many students attend West Education Center Alternative?
West Education Center Alternative has 99 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Minnetonka, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Education Center Alternative?
The student-teacher ratio at West Education Center Alternative is 19.8:1, which is 25% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 26% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Education Center Alternative?
63.3% of students at West Education Center Alternative are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Education Center Alternative?
The largest demographic group at West Education Center Alternative is African American at 49.5% of enrollment, in Minnetonka, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Education Center Alternative?
West Education Center Alternative has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does West Education Center Alternative rank among schools in Minnetonka?
By Resource Investment Index, West Education Center Alternative ranks #4 of 10 schools in Minnetonka, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Minnetonka on the city page.
Is West Education Center Alternative a good school?
West Education Center Alternative earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota 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 Intermediate School District 287?
Besides West Education Center Alternative, Intermediate School District 287 also operates Tier Two (274 students), Tier Three (226 students), and Hennepin Gateway to College (73 students). See the Intermediate School District 287 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.