Enrollment
1,514
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Iowa City, IA
West Senior High School
Federal NCES profile for West Senior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 191470000902
👥 S:T ratio 36
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Senior High School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Iowa City · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 33.9%
- free-lunch eligible
West Senior High School has class sizes larger than 76% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Senior High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Iowa City, IA.
School address
District: Iowa City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191470000902 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
95.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Senior High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Senior High School
West Senior High School is a large high school in Iowa City, Iowa, enrolling 1,514 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 33.9% 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 99% of state schools at 1,514 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 45 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #37, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and African American (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 20 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 379 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Iowa City's high schools, it stands alongside Iowa City High School (1,666 students): West Senior High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.9:1 vs 15.9:1).
Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students) and Liberty High School (1,286 students) alongside West Senior 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 Senior High School compares
West Senior High 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 | 15.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.9% | ▼ 7% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,514 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,514
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 76% in Iowa - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
39.5%
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
$13,920
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 379 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
37
in-school suspensions + 54 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.0 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 45.2%
African American 28.1%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Asian 10.0%
Two or More 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 45.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.1, West Senior High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 20
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Iowa City Comm School District, which includes West Senior High School.
$13,920
Per student
+8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.7%
State 41.5%
Federal 12.8%
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 Senior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Liberty High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southeast Junior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Central Junior High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Senior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,666
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,286
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,269
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,113
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 925
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools in Iowa City
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~1,514 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Senior High School's federal record.
- Compare West Senior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Iowa 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 Senior High School
How many students attend West Senior High School?
West Senior High School has 1,514 students enrolled. It is a high school in Iowa City, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Senior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Senior High School is 15.9:1, which is 7% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Senior High School?
33.9% of students at West Senior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Senior High School?
The largest demographic group at West Senior High School is White at 45.2% of enrollment, in Iowa City, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Senior High School?
West Senior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Senior High School rank among high schools in Iowa City?
By Resource Investment Index, West Senior High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Iowa City, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Iowa City on the city page.
Is West Senior High School a good school?
West Senior High School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa. 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 Iowa City Comm School District?
Besides West Senior High School, Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students), Liberty High School (1,286 students), and Southeast Junior High School (1,269 students). See the Iowa 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.