Enrollment
2,222
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Madison, WI
West High
Federal NCES profile for West High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 550852000967
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West High earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Wisconsin schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin.
- #6 of 7
- high schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.4:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 27.6%
- free-lunch eligible
West High has class sizes larger than 88% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West High ranks #6 of 7 high schools in Madison, WI.
School address
District: Madison Metropolitan School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550852000967 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
128.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.6%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-28% 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 large high school in Madison, Wisconsin, enrolling 2,222 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.4:1 is larger than about 88% of Wisconsin schools and 21% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,222 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 29 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #18.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 22 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 317 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Madison's high schools, it stands alongside Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students): West High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.4:1 vs 16.3:1).
Madison Metropolitan School District also operates Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students) and East High (1,643 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 | 17.4:1 | ▲ 21% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.6% | ▼ 28% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,222 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,222
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 88% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
36.5%
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
$17,181
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 317 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 84 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 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 48.7%
Hispanic or Latino 25.1%
African American 10.5%
Two or More 8.0%
Asian 7.5%
Largest group: White at 48.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.7, West High is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 22
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison Metropolitan School District, which includes West High.
$17,181
Per student
+15%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.6%
State 18.4%
Federal 9.0%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vel Phillips Memorial High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lafollette High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hamilton Middle | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cesar Chavez Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower 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
- 2,004
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,643
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,541
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 631
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar high schools in Madison
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Vel Phillips Memorial High
Standard public school
2,004 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
East High
Standard public school
1,643 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Lafollette High
Standard public school
1,541 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Innovative High
Alternative education program
138 students 8.1:1 students per teacher
Capital High
Alternative education program
129 students 7.2:1 students per teacher
Shabazz-City High
Alternative education program
106 students 8.2:1 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 (~2,222 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West High's federal record.
- Compare West High against another school. Compare schools
- Madison Metropolitan 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 2,222 students enrolled. It is a high school in Madison, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West High?
The student-teacher ratio at West High is 17.4:1, which is 21% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West High?
27.6% 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 48.7% of enrollment, in Madison, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West High?
West High has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, West High ranks #6 of 7 high schools in Madison, 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 Madison on the city page.
Is West High a good school?
West High earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Wisconsin schools. 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 Madison Metropolitan School District?
Besides West High, Madison Metropolitan School District also operates Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students), East High (1,643 students), and Lafollette High (1,541 students). See the Madison Metropolitan 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.