Enrollment
594
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hialeah, FL
West Lakes Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for West Lakes Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120039008514
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Lakes Preparatory Academy earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida schools.
- #9 of 25
- schools in Hialeah · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 39.4%
- free-lunch eligible
West Lakes Preparatory Academy has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Lakes Preparatory Academy ranks #9 of 25 schools in Hialeah, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.4%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Lakes Preparatory Academy compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Lakes Preparatory Academy
West Lakes Preparatory Academy is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Hialeah, Florida, enrolling 594 students.
At 16.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 39.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 594 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 637 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #259.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (88% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 22/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 594 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 19.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students) and Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students) alongside West Lakes Preparatory Academy.
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 Lakes Preparatory Academy compares
West Lakes Preparatory Academy on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▼ 10% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.4% | ▼ 24% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 594 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
594
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 45% in Florida - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,258
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 594 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 88.2%
African American 5.7%
Asian 3.2%
White 2.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.7, West Lakes Preparatory Academy is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Miami-Dade, which includes West Lakes Preparatory Academy.
$12,258
Per student
+10%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.2%
State 23.3%
Federal 19.5%
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 Lakes Preparatory Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John a. Ferguson Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coral Reef Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Dade Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Miami Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hialeah Gardens Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Lakes Preparatory Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,291
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,399
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 3,382
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,100
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,009
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~594 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Lakes Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare West Lakes Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Miami-Dade'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 Lakes Preparatory Academy
How many students attend West Lakes Preparatory Academy?
West Lakes Preparatory Academy has 594 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hialeah, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Lakes Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at West Lakes Preparatory Academy is 16.1:1, which is 10% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 3% higher 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 Lakes Preparatory Academy?
39.4% of students at West Lakes Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Lakes Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at West Lakes Preparatory Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 88.2% of enrollment, in Hialeah, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Lakes Preparatory Academy?
West Lakes Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Lakes Preparatory Academy rank among schools in Hialeah?
By Resource Investment Index, West Lakes Preparatory Academy ranks #9 of 25 schools in Hialeah, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hialeah on the city page.
Is West Lakes Preparatory Academy a good school?
West Lakes Preparatory Academy earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida 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 Miami-Dade?
Besides West Lakes Preparatory Academy, Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students), Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students), and South Dade Senior High School (3,382 students). See the Miami-Dade 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.