Enrollment
541
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Newark, NJ
West Side High School
Federal NCES profile for West Side High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 341134002208
👥 S:T ratio 53
📚 AP courses 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 73
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Side High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median.
- #3 of 7
- high schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.8:1
- students per teacher
- 70.9%
- free-lunch eligible
West Side High School has class sizes near the New Jersey median. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Side High School ranks #3 of 7 high schools in Newark, NJ.
School address
District: Newark Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341134002208 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.8:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.9%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+140% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Side High School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Side High School
West Side High School is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling 541 students.
At 11.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the New Jersey median, within a few percentage points of the 11.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 70.9% of students qualify for free meals, 140% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 541 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 220 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #51.
Its student body is predominantly African American (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 4 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 135 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 126 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 541 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Newark's high schools, it stands alongside Essex County Newark Tech (606 students): West Side High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (11.8:1 vs 11.4:1).
Newark Public School District also operates East Side High School (2,046 students) and Barringer High School (1,894 students) alongside West Side 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 Side High School compares
West Side High School on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.8:1 | ▼ 0% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.9% | ▲ 140% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 541 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.8:1
Leaner classes than 77% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
541
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 140% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.8:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 58% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
48.2%
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
$25,301
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 135 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 117 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.3 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
African American 80.6%
Hispanic or Latino 17.7%
Two or More 0.7%
White 0.4%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 80.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.9, West Side High School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newark Public School District, which includes West Side High School.
$25,301
Per student
+1%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+52%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.8%
State 79.3%
Federal 9.9%
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.
How West Side High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Side High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Barringer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ann Street School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lafayette Street School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| First Avenue School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Side High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,046
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,894
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,294
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,213
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,084
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Newark
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Essex County Newark Tech
Vocational / career-technical school
606 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Newark Sch of Data Science and Information Technology
Standard public school
414 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Newark School of Global Studies
Standard public school
377 students 14:1 students per teacher
Peoples Preparatory Charter School
Standard public school
340 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Lead Charter School
Standard public school
333 students 66.6:1 students per teacher
Newark School of Fashion & Design
Standard public school
275 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~541 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Side High School's federal record.
- Compare West Side High School against another school. Compare schools
- Newark Public 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 Side High School
How many students attend West Side High School?
West Side High School has 541 students enrolled. It is a high school in Newark, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Side High School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Side High School is 11.8:1, which is 0% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 25% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Side High School?
70.9% of students at West Side High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Side High School?
The largest demographic group at West Side High School is African American at 80.6% of enrollment, in Newark, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Side High School?
West Side High School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Side High School rank among high schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, West Side High School ranks #3 of 7 high schools in Newark, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Newark on the city page.
Is West Side High School a good school?
West Side High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median. 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 Newark Public School District?
Besides West Side High School, Newark Public School District also operates East Side High School (2,046 students), Barringer High School (1,894 students), and Ann Street School (1,294 students). See the Newark Public 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.