Enrollment
397
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · West Liberty, IA
West Liberty High School
Federal NCES profile for West Liberty High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 193099001805
👥 S:T ratio 36
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Liberty High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Iowa schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in West Liberty · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 45.1%
- free-lunch eligible
West Liberty High School has class sizes larger than 76% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Liberty High School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in West Liberty, IA.
School address
District: West Liberty Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193099001805 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Liberty High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Liberty High School
West Liberty High School is a mid-sized high school in West Liberty, Iowa, enrolling 397 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 45.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 397 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 342 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #319, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and White (41%) (diversity index 51/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 397 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
West Liberty Comm School District also operates West Liberty Elementary School (438 students) and West Liberty Middle School (367 students) alongside West Liberty High School.
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 Liberty High School compares
West Liberty High School on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.1% | ▲ 24% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 397 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
397
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 76% in Iowa - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
38.8%
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
$11,339
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $12,854
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 397 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 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
Hispanic or Latino 56.4%
White 41.3%
Asian 1.0%
Two or More 1.0%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.1, West Liberty High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Liberty Comm School District, which includes West Liberty High School.
$11,339
Per student
-12%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.8%
State 59.6%
Federal 11.6%
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 Liberty High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Liberty Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Liberty Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Early Childhood Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Liberty High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 367
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 89
- Students per teacher
- 8.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~397 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Liberty High School's federal record.
- Compare West Liberty High School against another school. Compare schools
- West Liberty Comm School District'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 Liberty High School
How many students attend West Liberty High School?
West Liberty High School has 397 students enrolled. It is a high school in West Liberty, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Liberty High School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Liberty High School is 15.9:1, which is 7% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Liberty High School?
45.1% of students at West Liberty High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Liberty High School?
The largest demographic group at West Liberty High School is Hispanic or Latino at 56.4% of enrollment, in West Liberty, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Liberty High School?
West Liberty High School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Liberty High School rank among public schools in West Liberty?
By Resource Investment Index, West Liberty High School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in West Liberty, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in West Liberty on the city page.
Is West Liberty High School a good school?
West Liberty High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Iowa 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 West Liberty Comm School District?
Besides West Liberty High School, West Liberty Comm School District also operates West Liberty Elementary School (438 students), West Liberty Middle School (367 students), and Early Childhood Center (89 students). See the West Liberty Comm School District 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.