Enrollment
826
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sioux City, IA
West Middle School
Federal NCES profile for West Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 192640001534
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Sioux City · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- students per teacher
- 35.4%
- free-lunch eligible
West Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Sioux City, IA.
School address
District: Sioux City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192640001534 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.4%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Middle School
West Middle School is a large middle school in Sioux City, Iowa, enrolling 826 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 35.4% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 94% of state schools at 826 students.
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 121 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #108, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (46%) and White (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 417 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 674 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 826 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Sioux City's middle schools, it stands alongside North Middle School (1,136 students): West Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 15.4:1).
Sioux City Comm School District also operates North High School (1,529 students) and East High School (1,495 students) alongside West Middle 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 Middle School compares
West Middle 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 | 13.3:1 | ▼ 10% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.4% | ▼ 3% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 826 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
826
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 40% in Iowa - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
48.5%
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
$11,941
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 417 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
369
in-school suspensions + 305 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 44.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 81.6 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 45.6%
White 27.2%
Two or More 8.2%
African American 7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.4%
Asian 2.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.1, West Middle School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sioux City Comm School District, which includes West Middle School.
$11,941
Per student
-7%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.0%
State 66.5%
Federal 14.5%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,529
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,495
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,308
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,136
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools in Sioux City
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~826 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Middle School's federal record.
- Compare West Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Sioux City 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 Middle School
How many students attend West Middle School?
West Middle School has 826 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sioux City, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Middle School is 13.3:1, which is 10% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 15% 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 Middle School?
35.4% of students at West Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Middle School?
The largest demographic group at West Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.6% of enrollment, in Sioux City, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Middle School?
West Middle School 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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Sioux City?
By Resource Investment Index, West Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Sioux City, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Sioux City on the city page.
Is West Middle School a good school?
West Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Sioux City Comm School District?
Besides West Middle School, Sioux City Comm School District also operates North High School (1,529 students), East High School (1,495 students), and West High School (1,308 students). See the Sioux City 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.