Enrollment
1,479
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Seattle, WA
West Seattle High School
Federal NCES profile for West Seattle High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530771001262
👥 S:T ratio 2
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 69
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Seattle High School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington.
- #14 of 14
- high schools in Seattle · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.6:1
- large classes for Washington
- 14.3%
- free-lunch eligible
West Seattle High School has class sizes larger than 93% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Seattle High School ranks #14 of 14 high schools in Seattle, WA.
School address
District: Seattle School District No. 1 · Washington
NCES ID 530771001262 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.6:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.3%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Seattle High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Seattle High School
West Seattle High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Seattle, Washington, enrolling 1,479 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.6:1 is larger than about 93% of Washington schools and 40% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.3% free-meal eligibility runs 68% below the Washington average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,479 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 84 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #74, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Two or More (13%) (diversity index 55/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 493 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
12.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Seattle's high schools, it stands alongside Lincoln High School (1,770 students): West Seattle High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.6:1 vs 24.6:1).
Seattle School District No. 1 also operates Lincoln High School (1,770 students) and Ballard High School (1,697 students) alongside West Seattle 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 Seattle High School compares
West Seattle High School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.6:1 | ▲ 40% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.3% | ▼ 68% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,479 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.6:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,479
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.6:1
students per teacher
- 40% above state mean
Top 93% in Washington - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
12.5%
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
$20,430
per pupil, district-wide
- above Washington avg of $19,487
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 493 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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 64.7%
Two or More 12.9%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
African American 4.7%
Asian 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 64.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.5, West Seattle High School is about as mixed as the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Seattle School District No. 1, which includes West Seattle High School.
$20,430
Per student
+5%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.0%
State 50.6%
Federal 9.3%
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 Seattle High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ballard High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Garfield High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ingraham High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Seattle High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,770
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,697
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,542
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,507
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,391
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar high schools in Seattle
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Lincoln High School
Standard public school
1,770 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Evergreen High School
Standard public school
1,080 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Summit Public School: Sierra
Standard public school
214 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
New Start
Alternative education program
142 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Interagency Open Doors
Alternative education program
132 students
Puget Sound Skills Center
Vocational / career-technical school
3 students
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,479 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Seattle High School's federal record.
- Compare West Seattle High School against another school. Compare schools
- Seattle School District No. 1'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 Seattle High School
How many students attend West Seattle High School?
West Seattle High School has 1,479 students enrolled. It is a high school in Seattle, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Seattle High School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Seattle High School is 24.6:1, which is 40% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 57% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Seattle High School?
14.3% of students at West Seattle High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Seattle High School?
The largest demographic group at West Seattle High School is White at 64.7% of enrollment, in Seattle, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Seattle High School?
West Seattle High School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Seattle High School rank among high schools in Seattle?
By Resource Investment Index, West Seattle High School ranks #14 of 14 high schools in Seattle, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Seattle on the city page.
Is West Seattle High School a good school?
West Seattle High School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington. 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 Seattle School District No. 1?
Besides West Seattle High School, Seattle School District No. 1 also operates Lincoln High School (1,770 students), Ballard High School (1,697 students), and Roosevelt High School (1,542 students). See the Seattle School District No. 1 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.