West Laurens High School

Summary:

West Laurens High School is a public high school located in Dexter, Georgia, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,271 students. The school is part of the Laurens County School District, which is ranked 42 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Laurens High School has consistently performed well on the Georgia Milestones Assessments, with higher proficiency rates compared to the Laurens County and state averages in several subjects, including Algebra I, Biology, and United States History. The school has also maintained strong four-year graduation rates, ranging from 88.4% to 91.3% over the past five years, which are higher than the state average. Additionally, West Laurens High School has a relatively high per-student spending of $8,320, compared to the state average.

While West Laurens High School generally outperforms the nearby East Laurens High School and Dodge County High School on academic metrics, it lags behind the higher-performing Bleckley County High School, which has a 4-star rating and higher proficiency rates in several subjects. Additionally, West Laurens High School has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, at around 85% in recent years, suggesting that the school serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged population, which may impact academic performance and resource allocation.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 3692 Ga Highway 257
       Dexter, GA  31019


(478) 875-1000

District: Laurens County

SchoolDigger Rank:
120th of 458 Georgia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,320 Help


Feeder schools for West Laurens High School:

Elementary:    East Laurens Elementary School
    East Laurens Primary School
    Northwest Laurens Elementary
    Southwest Laurens Elementary
Middle:    East Laurens Middle School
    West Laurens Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.4 Help
Number of students:  1,241

Racial breakdown:

White:
64.5%
African American:
26.0%
Hispanic:
4.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details West Laurens High School ranks better than 73.8% of high schools in Georgia. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 62.48. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at West Laurens High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (64.5%), African American (26%), Hispanic (4.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 44.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Laurens High School is 15.4. (See more...)
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Compare West Laurens High School employs 80.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Laurens High School is $8,320.
Schooldigger Rankings:

West Laurens High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks West Laurens High School 120th of 458 Georgia public high schools. (See West Laurens High School in the ranking list.)

Laurens County:

SchoolDigger ranks Laurens County 42nd of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for West Laurens High School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools GA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 59.34 150th 402 62.7%
2012 60.95 142nd 396 64.1%
2013 63.06 120th 425 71.8%
2014 69.31 83rd 425 80.5%
2015 63.99 83rd 435 80.9%
2016 60.92 97th 426 77.2%
2017 54.09 117th 420 72.1%
2018 64.19 101st 428 76.4%
2019 56.10 133rd 438 69.6%
2021 53.59 143rd 410 65.1%
2022 40.24 221st 429 48.5%
2023 72.43 68th 442 84.6%
2024 62.48 120th 458 73.8%
See the entire list of Georgia High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Georgia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

West Laurens High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    



Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for West Laurens High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 824 320 8 33 2 0 16 0 1203
2011 827 321 7 30 1 0 21 0 1207
2012 821 315 5 31 0 0 15 0 1187
2013 818 328 4 26 0 0 20 0 1196
2014 855 296 4 26 1 1 16 0 1199
2015 853 280 6 30 2 0 21 0 1192
2016 863 285 7 34 1 1 19 0 1210
2017 861 304 11 41 1 1 17 0 1236
2018 837 298 11 35 2 1 12 0 1196
2019 823 318 12 43 3 0 15 0 1214
2020 856 321 24 45 4 2 20 0 1272
2021 890 314 21 47 4 2 20 0 1298
2022 859 309 19 55 2 3 26 0 1273
2023 822 327 21 61 2 3 35 0 1271
2024 800 323 22 61 1 1 33 0 1241

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at West Laurens High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 1203 66.8 18.0 39.7
2011 1207 67.8 17.8 43.6
2012 1187 68.0 17.4 50.5
2013 1196 65.7 18.2 50.2
2014 1199 66.2 18.1 51.5
2015 1192 63.0 18.9 49.7
2016 1210 69.0 17.5 48.4
2017 1236 70.3 17.5 45.5
2018 1196 73.8 16.2 44.3
2019 1214 75.5 16.0 44.6
2020 1272 76.0 16.7 84.8
2021 1298 77.3 16.7 84.8
2022 1273 79.6 15.9 n/a
2023 1271 76.3 16.6 84.8
2024 1241 80.3 15.4 44.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio West Laurens High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 1203 66.8 18.0 39.7
2011 1207 67.8 17.8 43.6
2012 1187 68.0 17.4 50.5
2013 1196 65.7 18.2 50.2
2014 1199 66.2 18.1 51.5
2015 1192 63.0 18.9 49.7
2016 1210 69.0 17.5 48.4
2017 1236 70.3 17.5 45.5
2018 1196 73.8 16.2 44.3
2019 1214 75.5 16.0 44.6
2020 1272 76.0 16.7 84.8
2021 1298 77.3 16.7 84.8
2022 1273 79.6 15.9 n/a
2023 1271 76.3 16.6 84.8
2024 1241 80.3 15.4 44.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for West Laurens High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017 $204 (2.7%) $7,240 (97.3%) $7,443
2018 $274 (3.6%) $7,432 (96.5%) $7,705
2019 $370 (4.4%) $7,950 (95.6%) $8,320

Data source: Georgia Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Laurens High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 133rd of 438 High schoolsRanks 68th of 442 High schools
 15%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course American Literature and Composition (West Laurens High School)45.745.4
 0.3%
   End of Course American Literature and Composition (Laurens County)38.141.5
 3.4%
   End of Course American Literature and Composition (Georgia)47.338.9
 8.4%
End of Course Algebra I (West Laurens High School)45.954.5
 8.6%
   End of Course Algebra I (Laurens County)35.854
 18.2%
   End of Course Algebra I (Georgia)41.135.8
 5.3%
End of Course Biology (West Laurens High School)34.662.6
 28%
   End of Course Biology (Laurens County)47.555
 7.5%
   End of Course Biology (Georgia)4945.5
 3.5%
End of Course United States History (West Laurens High School)45.346.9
 1.6%
   End of Course United States History (Laurens County)53.846.3
 7.5%
   End of Course United States History (Georgia)48.337.1
 11.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students12141271
 4.7%
African American318327
 2.8%
American Indian32
 33.3%
Asian1221
 75%
Hispanic4361
 41.9%
Pacific Islander03
White823822
 0.1%
Two or More Races1535
 133.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients44.6%84.8%
 40.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about West Laurens High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,241 students attended West Laurens High School.

West Laurens High School ranks 120th of 458 Georgia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at West Laurens High School are 64% White, 26% African American, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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