Enrollment
601
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lancaster, TX
West Main El
Federal NCES profile for West Main El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 482667003006
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Main El earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 84.2%
- free-lunch eligible
West Main El has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Main El ranks #5 of 6 schools in Lancaster, TX.
School address
District: Lancaster Isd · Texas
NCES ID 482667003006 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.2%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Main El compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Main El
West Main El is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lancaster, Texas, enrolling 601 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 84.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 601 students, its enrollment sits close to the Texas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Among 2,265 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Texas schools statewide, it ranks #1,605, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 601 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Lancaster Isd also operates Lancaster H S (2,255 students) and Lancaster Middle (908 students) alongside West Main El.
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 Main El compares
West Main El on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.2% | ▲ 36% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 601 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
601
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 64% in Texas - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.9%
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
$11,560
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
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 601 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
African American 65.4%
Hispanic or Latino 27.8%
White 3.3%
Two or More 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 65.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.3, West Main El is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lancaster Isd, which includes West Main El.
$11,560
Per student
-15%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.3%
State 29.2%
Federal 19.6%
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 Main El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lancaster Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Houston El | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pleasant Run El | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Belt Line El | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Main El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,255
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 908
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 597
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~601 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Main El's federal record.
- Compare West Main El against another school. Compare schools
- Lancaster Isd'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 Main El
How many students attend West Main El?
West Main El has 601 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lancaster, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Main El?
The student-teacher ratio at West Main El is 15.4:1, which is 5% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Main El?
84.2% of students at West Main El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Main El?
The largest demographic group at West Main El is African American at 65.4% of enrollment, in Lancaster, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Main El?
West Main El has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Main El rank among schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, West Main El ranks #5 of 6 schools in Lancaster, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lancaster on the city page.
Is West Main El a good school?
West Main El earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas 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 Lancaster Isd?
Besides West Main El, Lancaster Isd also operates Lancaster H S (2,255 students), Lancaster Middle (908 students), and Houston El (613 students). See the Lancaster Isd 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.