Enrollment
1,702
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Anchorage, AK
West High School
Federal NCES profile for West High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 020018000120
👥 S:T ratio 17
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West High School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Alaska schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alaska.
- #3 of 8
- high schools in Anchorage · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 20.8:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 35.6%
- free-lunch eligible
West High School has class sizes larger than 90% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West High School ranks #3 of 8 high schools in Anchorage, AK.
School address
District: Anchorage School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020018000120 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
82.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.8:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.6%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West High School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at West High School
West High School is a large high school in Anchorage, Alaska, enrolling 1,702 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.8:1 is larger than about 90% of Alaska schools and 37% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alaska, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,702 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 495 scored Alaska schools.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 80/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 20 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 284 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
The surrounding Anchorage School District spends $17,200 per pupil, 48% below the Alaska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Anchorage's high schools, it stands alongside Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School (1,636 students): West High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.8:1 vs 19.5:1).
Anchorage School District also operates Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School (1,636 students) and Service High School (1,518 students) alongside West 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 High School compares
West High School on the metrics families compare, against Alaska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.8:1 | ▲ 37% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.6% | ▼ 42% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,702 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.8:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,702
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the Alaska average of 61.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.8:1
students per teacher
- 37% above state mean
Top 90% in Alaska - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$17,200
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alaska avg of $33,240
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 284 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
157
in-school suspensions + 164 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.9 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 34.9%
Hispanic or Latino 15.7%
Two or More 13.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 10.9%
Asian 10.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 8.2%
African American 6.3%
Largest group: White at 34.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 80.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 80.2, West High School is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 20
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Anchorage School District, which includes West High School.
$17,200
Per student
-48%
vs Alaska
Avg $33,240
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.8%
State 54.1%
Federal 18.1%
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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Service High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bartlett High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dimond High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Anchorage High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,636
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,518
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,431
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,373
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,239
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Anchorage
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School
Standard public school
1,636 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Service High School
Standard public school
1,518 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Bartlett High School
Standard public school
1,431 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Dimond High School
Standard public school
1,373 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
South Anchorage High School
Standard public school
1,239 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
S.a.V.E. High School
Alternative education program
156 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alaska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,702 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West High School's federal record.
- Compare West High School against another school. Compare schools
- Anchorage 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 High School
How many students attend West High School?
West High School has 1,702 students enrolled. It is a high school in Anchorage, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West High School?
The student-teacher ratio at West High School is 20.8:1, which is 37% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 32% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West High School?
35.6% of students at West High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West High School?
The largest demographic group at West High School is White at 34.9% of enrollment, in Anchorage, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 80.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West High School?
West High School has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does West High School rank among high schools in Anchorage?
By Resource Investment Index, West High School ranks #3 of 8 high schools in Anchorage, AK. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Anchorage on the city page.
Is West High School a good school?
West High School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Alaska schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alaska. 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 Anchorage School District?
Besides West High School, Anchorage School District also operates Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School (1,636 students), Service High School (1,518 students), and Bartlett High School (1,431 students). See the Anchorage 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.