Enrollment
450
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Wilkesboro, NC
West Wilkes Middle School
Federal NCES profile for West Wilkes Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370495002658
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Wilkes Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Wilkesboro · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 99.4%
- free-lunch eligible
West Wilkes Middle School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Wilkes Middle School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Wilkesboro, NC.
School address
District: Wilkes County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370495002658 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Wilkes Middle School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Wilkes Middle School
West Wilkes Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, enrolling 450 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.4% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 450 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 542 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #205.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 38/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 450 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 109 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 450 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Wilkes County Schools also operates Wilkes Central High School (719 students) and Millers Creek Elementary School (699 students) alongside West Wilkes 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 Wilkes Middle School compares
West Wilkes Middle School on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.4% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 450 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
450
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 64% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
23.6%
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
$12,156
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 450 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
83
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.2 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 76.7%
Hispanic or Latino 17.3%
Two or More 5.3%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 76.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.9, West Wilkes Middle School is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wilkes County Schools, which includes West Wilkes Middle School.
$12,156
Per student
+1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.8%
State 59.5%
Federal 19.7%
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 Wilkes Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Millers Creek Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Wilkes High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Wilkes High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Wilkes Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Wilkes Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 719
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 699
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 582
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 578
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 564
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~450 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Wilkes Middle School's federal record.
- Compare West Wilkes Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Wilkes County 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 Wilkes Middle School
How many students attend West Wilkes Middle School?
West Wilkes Middle School has 450 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Wilkesboro, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Wilkes Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Wilkes Middle School is 16.1:1, which is 2% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Wilkes Middle School?
99.4% of students at West Wilkes Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Wilkes Middle School?
The largest demographic group at West Wilkes Middle School is White at 76.7% of enrollment, in Wilkesboro, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Wilkes Middle School?
West Wilkes Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Wilkes Middle School rank among public schools in Wilkesboro?
By Resource Investment Index, West Wilkes Middle School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Wilkesboro, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Wilkesboro on the city page.
Is West Wilkes Middle School a good school?
West Wilkes Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina 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 Wilkes County Schools?
Besides West Wilkes Middle School, Wilkes County Schools also operates Wilkes Central High School (719 students), Millers Creek Elementary School (699 students), and West Wilkes High School (582 students). See the Wilkes County 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.