Enrollment
402
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Denver, NC
West Lake Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for West Lake Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370045303508Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Lake Preparatory Academy earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Denver · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 30.1%
- free-lunch eligible
West Lake Preparatory Academy has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Lake Preparatory Academy ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Denver, NC.
School address
District: West Lake Preparatory Academy · North Carolina
NCES ID 370045303508 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Lake Preparatory Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Lake Preparatory Academy
West Lake Preparatory Academy is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Denver, North Carolina, enrolling 402 students.
At 14.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 30.1% free-meal eligibility runs 54% below the North Carolina average.
With 402 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 194 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #133.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 402 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding West Lake Preparatory Academy spends $15,827 per pupil, 32% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
West Lake Preparatory Academy is a single-school charter district, so West Lake Preparatory Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Preparatory Academy compares
West Lake Preparatory Academy 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 | 14.4:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.1% | ▼ 54% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 402 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
402
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% 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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$15,827
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 402 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 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 22.4%
African American 18.7%
Two or More 7.2%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 51.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.0, West Lake Preparatory Academy is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Lake Preparatory Academy, which includes West Lake Preparatory Academy.
$15,827
Per student
+32%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.4%
State 66.1%
Federal 3.5%
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.
Similar elementary 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 (~402 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Lake Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare West Lake Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- West Lake Preparatory Academy'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 Preparatory Academy
How many students attend West Lake Preparatory Academy?
West Lake Preparatory Academy has 402 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Denver, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Lake Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at West Lake Preparatory Academy is 14.4:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% 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 Preparatory Academy?
30.1% of students at West Lake Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Lake Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at West Lake Preparatory Academy is White at 51.0% of enrollment, in Denver, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Lake Preparatory Academy?
West Lake Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Preparatory Academy rank among public schools in Denver?
By Resource Investment Index, West Lake Preparatory Academy ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Denver, 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 Denver on the city page.
Is West Lake Preparatory Academy a good school?
West Lake Preparatory Academy earns 42/100 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 West Lake Preparatory Academy?
None; West Lake Preparatory Academy is a single-school charter district, and West Lake Preparatory Academy is its only campus.
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.