Enrollment
409
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Louisville, KY
Western High
Federal NCES profile for Western High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210299000677
👥 S:T ratio 67
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Western High earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #1 of 18
- high schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 8.2:1
- small classes for Kentucky
- 74.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Western High has class sizes smaller than 94% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Western High ranks #1 of 18 high schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000677 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.2:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-46% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.3%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Western High compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Western High
Western High is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 409 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.2:1, Western High is leaner than roughly 94% of Kentucky schools and 46% under the state's 15.2:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 74.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 409 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 1,389 Kentucky schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 361 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (59%) and White (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 205 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
The surrounding Jefferson County spends $17,376 per pupil, 32% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 652 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 409 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 11 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Louisville's high schools, it stands alongside Ballard High (2,148 students): Western High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.2:1 vs 19.9:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Western High.
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 High compares
Western High on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.2:1 | ▼ 46% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.3% | ▲ 26% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 409 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.2:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
409
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.2:1
students per teacher
- 46% below state mean
Top 6% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$17,376
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 205 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
415
in-school suspensions + 237 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 101.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 159.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 11 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
African American 59.2%
White 18.8%
Hispanic or Latino 16.1%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 59.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.5, Western High is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Western High.
$17,376
Per student
+32%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.8%
State 30.9%
Federal 22.3%
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 Western High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Western High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,892
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,790
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar high schools in Louisville
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Ballard High
Standard public school
2,148 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Dupont Manual High
Standard public school
1,899 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Pleasure Ridge Park High
Standard public school
1,777 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Louisville Male High
Standard public school
1,763 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Southern High
Standard public school
1,725 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Fern Creek High
Standard public school
1,525 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~409 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Western High's federal record.
- Compare Western High against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson County'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 High
How many students attend Western High?
Western High has 409 students enrolled. It is a high school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Western High?
The student-teacher ratio at Western High is 8.2:1, which is 46% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 48% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Western High?
74.3% of students at Western High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Western High?
The largest demographic group at Western High is African American at 59.2% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Western High?
Western High has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Western High rank among high schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Western High ranks #1 of 18 high schools in Louisville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Louisville on the city page.
Is Western High a good school?
Western High earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Western High, Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students), Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students). See the Jefferson County 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.