Enrollment
133
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Wichita, KS
Wichita Alternative High
Federal NCES profile for Wichita Alternative High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 201299000345
👥 S:T ratio 62
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wichita Alternative High earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Kansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools.
- #2 of 13
- high schools in Wichita · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.5:1
- small classes for Kansas
- 68.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Wichita Alternative High has class sizes smaller than 90% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wichita Alternative High ranks #2 of 13 high schools in Wichita, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.5:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
-31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.1%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wichita Alternative High compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wichita Alternative High
Wichita Alternative High is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Wichita, Kansas, enrolling 133 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.5:1, Wichita Alternative High is leaner than roughly 90% of Kansas schools and 31% under the state's 13.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 68.1% of students qualify for free meals, 59% above the Kansas average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 133 puts it in the smaller third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Among 46 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #5, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (35%) and White (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 266 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Discipline events run high: 39 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 133 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Wichita's high schools, it stands alongside East High (2,435 students): Wichita Alternative High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.5:1 vs 16.8:1).
Wichita also operates East High (2,435 students) and Southeast High (2,066 students) alongside Wichita Alternative 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 Wichita Alternative High compares
Wichita Alternative High on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 9.5:1 | ▼ 31% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.1% | ▲ 59% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 133 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.5:1
Leaner classes than 91% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
133
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
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
9.5:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 10% in Kansas - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$15,361
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 35.3%
White 30.8%
African American 25.6%
Two or More 6.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 35.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.0, Wichita Alternative High is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wichita, which includes Wichita Alternative High.
$15,361
Per student
-1%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.2%
State 70.9%
Federal 11.9%
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 Wichita Alternative High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southeast High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heights High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wichita Alternative High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,435
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,066
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,041
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,662
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,505
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar high schools in Wichita
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
East High
Standard public school
2,435 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Southeast High
Standard public school
2,066 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
North High
Standard public school
2,041 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Campus High Haysville
Standard public school
1,803 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
South High
Standard public school
1,662 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Heights High
Standard public school
1,505 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~133 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wichita Alternative High's federal record.
- Compare Wichita Alternative High against another school. Compare schools
- Wichita'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 Wichita Alternative High
How many students attend Wichita Alternative High?
Wichita Alternative High has 133 students enrolled. It is a high school in Wichita, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wichita Alternative High?
The student-teacher ratio at Wichita Alternative High is 9.5:1, which is 31% lower than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 39% 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 Wichita Alternative High?
68.1% of students at Wichita Alternative High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wichita Alternative High?
The largest demographic group at Wichita Alternative High is Hispanic or Latino at 35.3% of enrollment, in Wichita, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wichita Alternative High?
Wichita Alternative High has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Wichita Alternative High rank among high schools in Wichita?
By Resource Investment Index, Wichita Alternative High ranks #2 of 13 high schools in Wichita, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Wichita on the city page.
Is Wichita Alternative High a good school?
Wichita Alternative High earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Kansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas 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 Wichita?
Besides Wichita Alternative High, Wichita also operates East High (2,435 students), Southeast High (2,066 students), and North High (2,041 students). See the Wichita 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.