Enrollment
1,290
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Baltimore, MD
Western High
Federal NCES profile for Western High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 240009000330
👥 S:T ratio 27
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Western High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Maryland schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #40 of 42
- high schools in Baltimore · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.2:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 68.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Western High has class sizes larger than 91% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Western High ranks #40 of 42 high schools in Baltimore, MD.
School address
District: Baltimore City Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240009000330 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
71.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.3%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Western High compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Western High
Western High is a higher-need, large high school in Baltimore, Maryland, enrolling 1,290 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.2:1 is larger than about 91% of Maryland schools and 26% above the 14.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Maryland, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,290 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,382 Maryland schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 94 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #84, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (85% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 26/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 430 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Baltimore's high schools, it stands alongside Dundalk High (2,087 students): Western High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.2:1 vs 15.5:1).
Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students) and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 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 Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.2:1 | ▲ 26% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.3% | ▲ 39% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,290 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,290
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% above the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 91% in Maryland - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
53.1%
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
$18,272
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 430 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 66 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 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 85.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%
White 2.2%
Asian 0.5%
Two or More 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 85.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.0, Western High is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Baltimore City Public Schools, which includes Western High.
$18,272
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.3%
State 51.4%
Federal 15.3%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Baltimore Polytechnic Institute | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baltimore City College | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kipp Harmony Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roland Park Elementary/Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar 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
- 1,714
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,632
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,399
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,371
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high schools in Baltimore
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Dundalk High
Standard public school
2,087 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Perry Hall High
Standard public school
2,012 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Woodlawn High
Standard public school
1,922 students 17:1 students per teacher
Kenwood High
Standard public school
1,900 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Parkville High
Standard public school
1,877 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Catonsville High
Standard public school
1,735 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Maryland, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,290 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Western High's federal record.
- Compare Western High against another school. Compare schools
- Baltimore City Public 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 Western High
How many students attend Western High?
Western High has 1,290 students enrolled. It is a high school in Baltimore, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Western High?
The student-teacher ratio at Western High is 18.2:1, which is 26% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Western High?
68.3% of students at Western High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Western High?
The largest demographic group at Western High is African American at 85.3% of enrollment, in Baltimore, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Western High?
Western High has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Western High rank among high schools in Baltimore?
By Resource Investment Index, Western High ranks #40 of 42 high schools in Baltimore, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Baltimore on the city page.
Is Western High a good school?
Western High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Maryland schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland 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 Baltimore City Public Schools?
Besides Western High, Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students), Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 students), and Baltimore City College (1,470 students). See the Baltimore City Public 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.