Enrollment
581
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Apex, NC
West Lake Elementary
Federal NCES profile for West Lake Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370472000205
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Lake Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 11
- schools in Apex · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.5:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 29.1%
- free-lunch eligible
West Lake Elementary has class sizes smaller than 72% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Lake Elementary ranks #2 of 11 schools in Apex, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472000205 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Lake Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Lake Elementary
West Lake Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Apex, North Carolina, enrolling 581 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 29.1% free-meal eligibility runs 56% below the North Carolina average.
With 581 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 294 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #55.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 291 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Apex's public schools, it stands alongside Olive Chapel Elementary (1,066 students): West Lake Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 vs 15.9:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside West Lake Elementary.
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 Lake Elementary compares
West Lake Elementary 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 15% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.1% | ▼ 56% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 581 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
581
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 28% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.5%
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
$11,859
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 291 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 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 63.5%
Hispanic or Latino 20.1%
African American 6.5%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 4.5%
Largest group: White at 63.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.7, West Lake Elementary is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wake County Schools, which includes West Lake Elementary.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
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 Lake Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Lake Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Apex
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Olive Chapel Elementary
Standard public school
1,066 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Apex Friendship Elementary
Standard public school
896 students 16:1 students per teacher
Oakview Elementary
Standard public school
873 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Scotts Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
869 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
White Oak Elementary
Standard public school
843 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Salem Elementary
Standard public school
776 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~581 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Lake Elementary's federal record.
- Compare West Lake Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Wake County 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 Lake Elementary
How many students attend West Lake Elementary?
West Lake Elementary has 581 students enrolled. It is a public school in Apex, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Lake Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at West Lake Elementary is 13.5:1, which is 15% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 14% 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 Lake Elementary?
29.1% of students at West Lake Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Lake Elementary?
The largest demographic group at West Lake Elementary is White at 63.5% of enrollment, in Apex, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Lake Elementary?
West Lake Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does West Lake Elementary rank among schools in Apex?
By Resource Investment Index, West Lake Elementary ranks #2 of 11 schools in Apex, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Apex on the city page.
Is West Lake Elementary a good school?
West Lake Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of North Carolina schools. 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 Wake County Schools?
Besides West Lake Elementary, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake County 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.