Enrollment
1,167
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Waukesha, WI
West High
Federal NCES profile for West High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 551578000528
👥 S:T ratio 27
📚 AP courses 95
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West High earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Wisconsin schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin.
- #3 of 6
- high schools in Waukesha · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.2:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 14.7%
- free-lunch eligible
West High has class sizes larger than 90% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West High ranks #3 of 6 high schools in Waukesha, WI.
School address
District: Waukesha School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551578000528 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.7%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-62% 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 lower-poverty, large high school in Waukesha, Wisconsin, enrolling 1,167 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.2:1 is larger than about 90% of Wisconsin schools and 26% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.7% free-meal eligibility runs 62% below the Wisconsin average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,167 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 118 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #68.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 42/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 19 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 389 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
17.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Waukesha's high schools, it stands alongside North High (911 students): West High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.2:1 vs 14.2:1).
Waukesha School District also operates North High (911 students) and South High (833 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 | 18.2:1 | ▲ 26% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.7% | ▼ 62% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,167 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,167
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% below the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 90% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,813
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 389 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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
White 74.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.0%
Two or More 4.6%
African American 3.7%
Asian 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 74.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.2, West High is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 19
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waukesha School District, which includes West High.
$12,813
Per student
-14%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.8%
State 36.8%
Federal 8.4%
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 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Butler Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eachieve Academy - Wisconsin | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Waukesha Stem Academy | 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
- 911
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 833
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 786
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 639
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 580
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar high schools in Waukesha
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
North High
Standard public school
911 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
South High
Standard public school
833 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Waukesha Engineering Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
144 students 36:1 students per teacher
Waukesha Academy of Health Professions
Standard public school
112 students
Waukesha Transition Academy
Special-education school
36 students 36:1 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 (~1,167 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West High's federal record.
- Compare West High against another school. Compare schools
- Waukesha 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 1,167 students enrolled. It is a high school in Waukesha, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West High?
The student-teacher ratio at West High is 18.2:1, which is 26% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West High?
14.7% 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 74.4% of enrollment, in Waukesha, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West High?
West High has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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 Waukesha?
By Resource Investment Index, West High ranks #3 of 6 high schools in Waukesha, 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 Waukesha on the city page.
Is West High a good school?
West High earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Waukesha School District?
Besides West High, Waukesha School District also operates North High (911 students), South High (833 students), and Butler Middle (786 students). See the Waukesha 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.