Enrollment
1,563
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Benson, NC
West Johnston High
Federal NCES profile for West Johnston High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370237002635
👥 S:T ratio 20
📚 AP courses 75
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Johnston High earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Benson · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 33.5%
- free-lunch eligible
West Johnston High has class sizes larger than 90% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Johnston High ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Benson, NC.
School address
District: Johnston County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370237002635 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
78.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Johnston High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Johnston High
West Johnston High is a large high school in Benson, North Carolina, enrolling 1,563 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20:1 is larger than about 90% of North Carolina schools and 27% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.5% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,563 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 125 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #59.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 63/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 15 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 521 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 17.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students) and Clayton High (1,929 students) alongside West Johnston 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 Johnston High compares
West Johnston High on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20:1 | ▲ 27% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.5% | ▼ 49% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,563 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,563
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 90% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,788
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
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 521 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
102
in-school suspensions + 116 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.9 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 51.0%
Hispanic or Latino 29.3%
African American 13.4%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 51.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.4, West Johnston High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Johnston County Public Schools, which includes West Johnston High.
$10,788
Per student
-10%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.7%
State 62.2%
Federal 17.1%
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 Johnston High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corinth Holders High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clayton High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cleveland High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Smithfield-Selma High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Johnston High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Johnston High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,187
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,929
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,889
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,355
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,563 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Johnston High's federal record.
- Compare West Johnston High against another school. Compare schools
- Johnston County Public Schools'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 Johnston High
How many students attend West Johnston High?
West Johnston High has 1,563 students enrolled. It is a high school in Benson, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Johnston High?
The student-teacher ratio at West Johnston High is 20:1, which is 27% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Johnston High?
33.5% of students at West Johnston High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Johnston High?
The largest demographic group at West Johnston High is White at 51.0% of enrollment, in Benson, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Johnston High?
West Johnston High has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Johnston High rank among public schools in Benson?
By Resource Investment Index, West Johnston High ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Benson, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Benson on the city page.
Is West Johnston High a good school?
West Johnston High earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina. 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 Johnston County Public Schools?
Besides West Johnston High, Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students), Clayton High (1,929 students), and Cleveland High (1,889 students). See the Johnston County Public Schools 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.