Enrollment
1,438
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Harvey, LA
West Jefferson High School
Federal NCES profile for West Jefferson High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 220084000654
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Jefferson High School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Louisiana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Louisiana.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Harvey · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.7:1
- large classes for Louisiana
- 58.5%
- free-lunch eligible
West Jefferson High School has class sizes larger than 96% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Jefferson High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Harvey, LA.
School address
District: Jefferson Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220084000654 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.7:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+53% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.5%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Jefferson High School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Jefferson High School
West Jefferson High School is a higher-need, large high school in Harvey, Louisiana, enrolling 1,438 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25.7:1 is larger than about 96% of Louisiana schools and 53% above the 16.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.5% lands close to the Louisiana typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Louisiana, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,438 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Among 67 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Louisiana schools statewide, it ranks #52, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and African American (41%) (diversity index 60/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 288 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 523 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,438 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 10 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Harvey's high schools, it stands alongside Helen Cox High School (904 students): West Jefferson High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.7:1 vs 24.4:1).
Jefferson Parish also operates Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School (2,376 students) and Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy (2,263 students) alongside West Jefferson 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 Jefferson High School compares
West Jefferson High School on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.7:1 | ▲ 53% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.5% | ▼ 6% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,438 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.7:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,438
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% below the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.7:1
students per teacher
- 53% above state mean
Top 96% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
33.4%
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
$16,675
per pupil, district-wide
- above Louisiana avg of $16,376
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 288 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
325
in-school suspensions + 198 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 22.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 10 expulsions.
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 47.9%
African American 41.2%
White 6.7%
Two or More 2.2%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.5, West Jefferson High School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson Parish, which includes West Jefferson High School.
$16,675
Per student
+2%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.4%
State 31.1%
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 Jefferson High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John Ehret High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grace King High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Jefferson High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Jefferson High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,376
- Students per teacher
- 43.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,263
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 1,850
- Students per teacher
- 30.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,463
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,381
- Students per teacher
- 27.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar high schools in Harvey
1 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 Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,438 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Jefferson High School's federal record.
- Compare West Jefferson High School against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson Parish'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 Jefferson High School
How many students attend West Jefferson High School?
West Jefferson High School has 1,438 students enrolled. It is a high school in Harvey, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Jefferson High School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Jefferson High School is 25.7:1, which is 53% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 64% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Jefferson High School?
58.5% of students at West Jefferson High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Jefferson High School?
The largest demographic group at West Jefferson High School is Hispanic or Latino at 47.9% of enrollment, in Harvey, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Jefferson High School?
West Jefferson High School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Jefferson High School rank among public schools in Harvey?
By Resource Investment Index, West Jefferson High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Harvey, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Harvey on the city page.
Is West Jefferson High School a good school?
West Jefferson High School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Louisiana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Louisiana. 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 Jefferson Parish?
Besides West Jefferson High School, Jefferson Parish also operates Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School (2,376 students), Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy (2,263 students), and John Ehret High School (1,850 students). See the Jefferson Parish 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.