Enrollment
1,827
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Florence, SC
West Florence High
Federal NCES profile for West Florence High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 450213000443
👥 S:T ratio 28
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Florence High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Carolina.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Florence · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 63.0%
- free-lunch eligible
West Florence High has class sizes larger than 90% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Florence High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Florence, SC.
School address
District: Florence 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450213000443 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
102.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Florence High compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Florence High
West Florence High is a higher-need, large high school in Florence, South Carolina, enrolling 1,827 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.9:1 is larger than about 90% of South Carolina schools and 25% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 63.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Carolina, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,827 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 39 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #15.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and White (37%) (diversity index 66/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 305 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 477 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,827 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 29 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Florence's high schools, it stands alongside South Florence High (1,580 students): West Florence High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.9:1 vs 15.8:1).
Florence 01 also operates South Florence High (1,580 students) and Wilson High (1,373 students) alongside West Florence 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 Florence High compares
West Florence High on the metrics families compare, against South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.9:1 | ▲ 25% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.0% | ▼ 15% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,827 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,827
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 90% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.3%
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
$13,158
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 305 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
245
in-school suspensions + 232 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 29 expulsions.
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 43.9%
White 37.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
Two or More 7.9%
Asian 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 43.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.5, West Florence High is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Florence 01, which includes West Florence High.
$13,158
Per student
-10%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.4%
State 46.0%
Federal 20.6%
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 Florence High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Florence High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wilson High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southside Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John W. Moore Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Delmae Heights Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Florence High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,580
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,373
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,056
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 988
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Florence
2 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 South Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,827 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Florence High's federal record.
- Compare West Florence High against another school. Compare schools
- Florence 01'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 Florence High
How many students attend West Florence High?
West Florence High has 1,827 students enrolled. It is a high school in Florence, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Florence High?
The student-teacher ratio at West Florence High is 17.9:1, which is 25% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Florence High?
63.0% of students at West Florence High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Florence High?
The largest demographic group at West Florence High is African American at 43.9% of enrollment, in Florence, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Florence High?
West Florence High has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does West Florence High rank among high schools in Florence?
By Resource Investment Index, West Florence High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Florence, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Florence on the city page.
Is West Florence High a good school?
West Florence High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Carolina. 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 Florence 01?
Besides West Florence High, Florence 01 also operates South Florence High (1,580 students), Wilson High (1,373 students), and Southside Middle (1,138 students). See the Florence 01 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.