Enrollment
1,308
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Sioux City, IA
West High School
Federal NCES profile for West High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 192640001533
👥 S:T ratio 37
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West High School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #1 of 3
- high schools in Sioux City · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 65.9%
- free-lunch eligible
West High School has class sizes larger than 75% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West High School ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Sioux City, IA.
School address
District: Sioux City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192640001533 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
83.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West High School
West High School is a higher-need, large high school in Sioux City, Iowa, enrolling 1,308 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 65.9% of students qualify for free meals, 81% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,308 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 329 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Sioux City's high schools, it stands alongside North High School (1,529 students): West High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.8:1 vs 19.9:1).
Sioux City Comm School District also operates North High School (1,529 students) and East High School (1,495 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 Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.8:1 | ▲ 7% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.9% | ▲ 81% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,308 | top 2% | - | - |
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.
1,308
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 81% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 75% in Iowa - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
48.1%
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
$11,941
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $12,854
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 329 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
162
in-school suspensions + 78 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 44.3%
White 33.0%
Two or More 8.1%
African American 6.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.3%
Asian 2.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.2, West High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sioux City Comm School District, which includes West High School.
$11,941
Per student
-7%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.0%
State 66.5%
Federal 14.5%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower 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
- 1,529
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,495
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,136
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 826
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Sioux City
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 Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,308 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West High School's federal record.
- Compare West High School against another school. Compare schools
- Sioux City Comm 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 1,308 students enrolled. It is a high school in Sioux City, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West High School?
The student-teacher ratio at West High School is 15.8:1, which is 7% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West High School?
65.9% of students at West High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West High School?
The largest demographic group at West High School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.3% of enrollment, in Sioux City, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West High School?
West High School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 High School rank among high schools in Sioux City?
By Resource Investment Index, West High School ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Sioux City, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Sioux City on the city page.
Is West High School a good school?
West High School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa. 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 Sioux City Comm School District?
Besides West High School, Sioux City Comm School District also operates North High School (1,529 students), East High School (1,495 students), and North Middle School (1,136 students). See the Sioux City Comm 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.