Enrollment
1,024
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Appleton, WI
West High
Federal NCES profile for West High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 550039000048
👥 S:T ratio 48
📚 AP courses 95
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin.
- #1 of 7
- high schools in Appleton · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.1:1
- students per teacher
- 53.3%
- free-lunch eligible
West High has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West High ranks #1 of 7 high schools in Appleton, WI.
School address
District: Appleton Area School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550039000048 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
78.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.3%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West High compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at West High
West High is a higher-need, large high school in Appleton, Wisconsin, enrolling 1,024 students.
At 13.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Wisconsin median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 53.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,024 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Among 53 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #39, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Asian (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 19 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 223 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Appleton's high schools, it stands alongside North High (1,635 students): West High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 18.4:1).
Appleton Area School District also operates North High (1,635 students) and East High (1,238 students) alongside West 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 High compares
West High on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.1:1 | ▼ 9% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.3% | ▲ 38% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,024 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
1,024
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 49% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
53.9%
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
$13,545
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.6 FTE
Per 223 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.7 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 55.2%
Asian 14.8%
Hispanic or Latino 14.2%
African American 10.4%
Two or More 4.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 55.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.0, West High is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 19
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Appleton Area School District, which includes West High.
$13,545
Per student
-9%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 48.8%
Federal 11.4%
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 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Einstein Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wisconsin Connections Academy | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,635
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,238
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 929
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 35.4:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Similar high schools in Appleton
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
North High
Standard public school
1,635 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
East High
Standard public school
1,238 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Renaissance School
Standard public school
151 students 50.3:1 students per teacher
Tesla Engineering Charter School
Standard public school
147 students 49:1 students per teacher
Fox Cities Leadership Academy
Standard public school
78 students 39:1 students per teacher
Appleton Technical Academy
Vocational / career-technical school
68 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Wisconsin, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,024 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West High's federal record.
- Compare West High against another school. Compare schools
- Appleton Area 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
How many students attend West High?
West High has 1,024 students enrolled. It is a high school in Appleton, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West High?
The student-teacher ratio at West High is 13.1:1, which is 9% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 17% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West High?
53.3% of students at West High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West High?
The largest demographic group at West High is White at 55.2% of enrollment, in Appleton, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West High?
West High has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 rank among high schools in Appleton?
By Resource Investment Index, West High ranks #1 of 7 high schools in Appleton, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Appleton on the city page.
Is West High a good school?
West High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin. 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 Appleton Area School District?
Besides West High, Appleton Area School District also operates North High (1,635 students), East High (1,238 students), and Madison Middle (929 students). See the Appleton Area 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.