Enrollment
687
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Apex, NC
West Lake Middle
Federal NCES profile for West Lake Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370472000267
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 66
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Lake Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #5 of 5
- middle schools in Apex · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 35.7%
- free-lunch eligible
West Lake Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Lake Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Apex, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472000267 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Lake Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Lake Middle
West Lake Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Apex, North Carolina, enrolling 687 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 687 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 393 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #114.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 172 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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.
Discipline events run high: 194 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 687 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Apex's middle schools, it stands alongside Apex Friendship Middle (1,412 students): West Lake Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 18.6:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside West Lake Middle.
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 Middle compares
West Lake Middle 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.7% | ▼ 46% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 687 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
687
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 39% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
41.5%
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 172 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
74
in-school suspensions + 120 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.2 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 47.6%
Hispanic or Latino 26.8%
African American 19.5%
Two or More 4.2%
Asian 1.9%
Largest group: White at 47.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.1, West Lake Middle is more mixed than 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 Middle.
$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 Middle 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 | Lower 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 Middle'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 middle schools in Apex
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Apex Friendship Middle
Standard public school
1,412 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Salem Middle
Standard public school
1,057 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Lufkin Road Middle
Standard public school
1,035 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Apex Middle
Standard public school
867 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~687 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Lake Middle's federal record.
- Compare West Lake Middle 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 Middle
How many students attend West Lake Middle?
West Lake Middle has 687 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Apex, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Lake Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at West Lake Middle is 14.3:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 9% 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 Middle?
35.7% of students at West Lake Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Lake Middle?
The largest demographic group at West Lake Middle is White at 47.6% of enrollment, in Apex, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Lake Middle?
West Lake Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical 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 Middle rank among middle schools in Apex?
By Resource Investment Index, West Lake Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle 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 middle schools in Apex on the city page.
Is West Lake Middle a good school?
West Lake Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Middle, 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.