Enrollment
1,997
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 483039003422
West Mesquite H S — Mesquite, TX
Federal NCES profile for West Mesquite H S, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 44/100.
👥 Class size 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: Mesquite Isd · Texas
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
148.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 14.6:1 Texas avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.1%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Mesquite H S compares with Texas and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
West Mesquite H S reports 1,997 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 148.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 1% above the Texas state mean of 14.6:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 8% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 83.1% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 34% above the Texas average and 60% above the national baseline. Counselor coverage works out to roughly 389 students per counselor, above the ASCA-recommended ceiling of 250:1.
On the finance side, the surrounding Mesquite Isd spends $14,391 per pupil district-wide, below the Texas average of $17,150 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 30.4% from local sources (property taxes), 54.7% from the state, and 14.9% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (D), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How West Mesquite H S compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Texas state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.6:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.1% | ▲ 34% | 61.9% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 1,997 | top 96% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
83.1%
free-lunch eligible
— 34% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
— 1% above state mean
Top 52% in Texas — lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Funding equity
$14,391
per pupil, district-wide
— below Texas avg of $17,150
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.1 FTE
Per 389 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
445
in-school suspensions + 203 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 22.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
Enrollment 1,997 Top 96% in Texas — larger than 4% of 9,061 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 148.0
Students per teacher 14.7:1 +1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 83.1% +34% vs state
NCES ID 483039003422
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 74.0%
African American 18.0%
White 5.7%
Two or More 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 74.0% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
AP courses offered 18
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 5.1
Students per counselor 389:1
Discipline & special education
In-school suspensions 445
Out-of-school suspensions 203
Expulsions 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mesquite Isd, which includes West Mesquite H S.
$14,391
Per student
-16%
vs Texas
Avg $17,150
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 30.4%
State 54.7%
Federal 14.9%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,757
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Enrollment
- 2,294
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Enrollment
- 2,099
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Enrollment
- 1,605
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Enrollment
- 1,523
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
Similar other schools in Mesquite
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Legacy Prep Charter Academy Mesquite West Campus
Standard public school
991 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Rutherford El
Standard public school
803 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Trinity Basin Preparatory Inc
Standard public school
800 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Hanby El
Standard public school
768 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Tisinger El
Standard public school
739 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Tosch El
Standard public school
625 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about West Mesquite H S
How many students attend West Mesquite H S?
West Mesquite H S has 1,997 students enrolled. It is a other school in MESQUITE, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Mesquite H S?
The student-teacher ratio at West Mesquite H S is 14.7:1, which is 1% higher than the Texas average of 14.6:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.9:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Mesquite H S?
83.1% of students at West Mesquite H S are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Mesquite H S?
The largest demographic group at West Mesquite H S is Hispanic or Latino at 74.0%. The school serves a diverse student body in MESQUITE, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Mesquite H S?
West Mesquite H S has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (D) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.