Enrollment
1,081
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Traverse City, MI
West Middle School
Federal NCES profile for West Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 263387006948
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan.
- #5 of 23
- public schools in Traverse City · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.4:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 33.6%
- free-lunch eligible
West Middle School has class sizes larger than 83% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Middle School ranks #5 of 23 public schools in Traverse City, MI.
School address
District: Traverse City Area Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263387006948 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.6%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Middle School
West Middle School is a large middle school in Traverse City, Michigan, enrolling 1,081 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,081 students.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 205 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 360 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
12.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Traverse City Area Public Schools also operates West Senior High (1,384 students) and Central High School (1,326 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 Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.4:1 | ▲ 17% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.6% | ▼ 38% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,081 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,081
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 83% in Michigan - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
12.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,932
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 360 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
75
in-school suspensions + 106 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.7 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
White 91.1%
Hispanic or Latino 2.7%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
African American 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 91.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.8, West Middle School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Traverse City Area Public Schools, which includes West Middle School.
$12,932
Per student
-4%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.6%
State 40.7%
Federal 10.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Grade School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern Elementary School | Smaller | Similar 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
- 1,384
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,326
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 829
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 475
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,081 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Middle School's federal record.
- Compare West Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Traverse City Area Public Schools'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 1,081 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Traverse City, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Middle School is 20.4:1, which is 17% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 30% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Middle School?
33.6% of students at West Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Middle School?
The largest demographic group at West Middle School is White at 91.1% of enrollment, in Traverse City, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Middle School?
West Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 public schools in Traverse City?
By Resource Investment Index, West Middle School ranks #5 of 23 public schools in Traverse City, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Traverse City on the city page.
Is West Middle School a good school?
West Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan. 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 Traverse City Area Public Schools?
Besides West Middle School, Traverse City Area Public Schools also operates West Senior High (1,384 students), Central High School (1,326 students), and East Middle School (829 students). See the Traverse City Area Public Schools 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.