Enrollment
762
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hemet, CA
Western Center Academy
Federal NCES profile for Western Center Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 061692012464Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Western Center Academy earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 23
- public schools in Hemet · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.3:1
- large classes for California
- 40.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Western Center Academy has class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Western Center Academy ranks #4 of 23 public schools in Hemet, CA.
School address
District: Hemet Unified · California
NCES ID 061692012464 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Western Center Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Western Center Academy
Western Center Academy is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Hemet, California, enrolling 762 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.3:1 is larger than about 86% of California schools and 22% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 762 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,203 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #876, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 762 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 15.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hemet's public schools, it stands alongside Academy of Innovation (545 students): Western Center Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (26.3:1 vs 27.3:1).
Hemet Unified also operates Hemet High (2,414 students) and West Valley High (1,857 students) alongside Western Center Academy.
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 Western Center Academy compares
Western Center Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 26.3:1 | ▲ 22% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.3% | ▼ 27% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 762 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.3:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
762
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
26.3:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 86% in California - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
17.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,767
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 762 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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
Hispanic or Latino 47.3%
White 31.9%
Asian 9.1%
African American 6.0%
Two or More 5.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.0, Western Center Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hemet Unified, which includes Western Center Academy.
$15,767
Per student
-4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.5%
State 60.2%
Federal 15.4%
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 Western Center Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hemet High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tahquitz High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Diamond Valley Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dartmouth Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Western Center Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,414
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 1,857
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,761
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,123
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
- Enrollment
- 1,113
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
Similar other schools in Hemet
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~762 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~26.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Western Center Academy's federal record.
- Compare Western Center Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Hemet Unified'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 Western Center Academy
How many students attend Western Center Academy?
Western Center Academy has 762 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hemet, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Western Center Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Western Center Academy is 26.3:1, which is 22% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 68% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Western Center Academy?
40.3% of students at Western Center Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Western Center Academy?
The largest demographic group at Western Center Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 47.3% of enrollment, in Hemet, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Western Center Academy?
Western Center Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 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 Western Center Academy rank among public schools in Hemet?
By Resource Investment Index, Western Center Academy ranks #4 of 23 public schools in Hemet, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Hemet on the city page.
Is Western Center Academy a good school?
Western Center Academy earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. 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 Hemet Unified?
Besides Western Center Academy, Hemet Unified also operates Hemet High (2,414 students), West Valley High (1,857 students), and Tahquitz High (1,761 students). See the Hemet Unified 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.