West Senior High School

Q: Is West Senior High School a good school?

West Senior High School ranks 157 th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

West Senior High School is a public high school located in Iowa City, Iowa, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,503 students. The school is part of the Iowa City Community School District, which is ranked 221 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Senior High School stands out for its consistent academic performance, with a higher percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 82.6% of 9th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 79.1% in the district and 74.9% statewide. Additionally, the school has a more diverse student population, with 46.31% White, 26.41% African American, 11.64% Hispanic, and 10.58% Asian students in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than the nearby schools.

While West Senior High School's academic performance is strong, it is interesting to note the differences with some of the nearby schools. For instance, Solon High School, which is ranked 10th out of 338 Iowa high schools, has a significantly higher percentage of white students (93.47%) and lower free and reduced lunch rates (8.84%), yet still outperforms West Senior High School on ISASP tests. Additionally, West Senior High School's spending per student ($14,737 in 2018-2019) is lower than some of the nearby schools, such as Clear Creek Amana High School ($30,158) and West Branch High School ($18,875), yet it still maintains strong academic performance.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2901 Melrose Ave
Iowa City, IA 52246

(319) 688-1050

District: Iowa City Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
157^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,737

Feeder schools for West Senior High School:

Elementary:	Alexander Elementary
	Central Elementary School
	Ernest Horn Elementary School
	Hills Elementary School
	More...
	Norman Borlaug Elementary School
	Weber Elementary
	Wickham Elementary
Middle:	Northwest Junior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.6

Number of students: 1,503

Racial breakdown:

White:

46.3%

African American:

26.4%

Hispanic:

11.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 38.3%

See top rated Iowa high schools

Compare West Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details West Senior High School ranks better than 53.6% of high schools in Iowa. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked high schools in the Iowa City Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 57.64. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at West Senior High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details West Senior High School has the largest high school student body size in the Iowa City Community School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Senior High School is $14,737, which is the lowest among 4 high schools in the Iowa City Community School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

West Senior High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks West Senior High School 157^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See West Senior High School in the ranking list.)

Iowa City Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Iowa City Community School District 221^st of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for West Senior High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	73.28	70^th	351	80.1%
2013	72.33	73^rd	351	79.2%
2014	64.56	130^th	322	59.6%
2015	62.60	136^th	324	58.0%
2016	73.09	82^nd	320	74.4%
2017	68.62	97^th	325	70.2%
2018	70.92	89^th	320	72.2%
2019	67.89	101^st	327	69.1%
2021	68.00	90^th	327	72.5%
2022	67.20	93^rd	332	72.0%
2023	61.57	127^th	336	62.2%
2024	57.64	157^th	338	53.6%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

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

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for West Senior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	983	32	68	25	20	n/a	n/a	0	1128
1989	947	36	61	17	2	n/a	n/a	0	1063
1990	888	39	64	15	3	n/a	n/a	0	1009
1991	861	38	70	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	993
1992	947	38	80	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	1089
1993	986	42	70	24	1	n/a	n/a	0	1123
1994	1010	62	85	40	2	n/a	n/a	0	1199
1995	1145	72	86	37	6	n/a	n/a	0	1346
1996	1145	72	86	37	6	n/a	n/a	0	1346
1997	1193	75	81	40	9	n/a	n/a	0	1398
1998	1267	67	77	40	12	n/a	n/a	0	1463
1999	1331	76	99	31	6	n/a	n/a	0	1543
2000	1420	76	116	30	12	n/a	n/a	0	1654
2001	1338	93	129	44	14	n/a	n/a	0	1618
2002	1377	130	132	76	6	n/a	n/a	0	1721
2003	1377	130	132	76	6	n/a	n/a	0	1721
2004	1339	133	124	76	6	n/a	n/a	0	1678
2005	1338	138	153	80	8	n/a	n/a	0	1717
2006	1307	176	166	90	9	n/a	n/a	0	1748
2007	1356	225	156	91	6	n/a	n/a	0	1834
2008	1268	237	162	92	4	n/a	n/a	0	1763
2009	1256	225	161	98	1	n/a	n/a	0	1741
2010	1259	256	166	107	1	0	0	0	1789
2011	1299	278	172	100	3	0	0	0	1852
2012	1331	290	144	101	3	0	38	0	1907
2013	1300	314	148	106	5	2	69	0	1944
2014	1311	306	148	89	6	0	79	0	1939
2015	1313	328	137	103	6	2	84	0	1973
2016	1287	341	148	108	4	2	103	0	1993
2017	1313	371	149	131	4	5	110	0	2083
2018	939	269	168	127	0	6	78	0	1587
2019	829	293	171	133	0	2	87	0	1515
2020	730	335	181	137	3	3	71	0	1460
2021	719	353	168	146	4	2	74	0	1466
2022	709	337	161	172	3	1	68	4	1455
2023	696	397	159	175	3	2	67	4	1503

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 Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1128	63.0	17.9	11.6
1989	1063	58.6	18.1	8.7
1990	1009	56.5	17.8	8.3
1991	993	58.0	17.1	8.5
1992	1089	62.0	17.5	8.9
1993	1123	60.1	18.7	7.5
1994	1199	60.3	19.9	6.7
1995	1346	77.7	17.3	5.6
1996	1346	77.7	17.3	5.6
1997	1398	80.6	17.3	7.2
1998	1463	76.1	19.2	7
1999	1543	76.1	20.3	8.9
2000	1654	94.4	17.5	11
2001	1618	107.4	15.1	13.5
2002	1721	96.5	17.8	13.1
2003	1721	96.5	17.8	13.1
2004	1678	104.6	16.0	14.3
2005	1717	107.2	16.0	16.3
2006	1748	103.7	16.9	16.1
2007	1834	101.6	18.1	17.3
2008	1763	105.4	16.7	17.1
2009	1741	103.7	16.8	20.6
2010	1789	104.4	17.1	22
2011	1852	96.5	19.1	22.4
2012	1907	99.0	19.2	21.9
2013	1944	106.6	18.2	22.5
2014	1939	105.9	18.3	23.5
2015	1973	102.0	19.3	22.3
2016	1993	101.0	19.7	23.5
2017	2083	105.7	19.6	24.7
2018	1587	83.2	19.0	24.6
2019	1515	80.7	18.7	29.6
2020	1460	82.2	17.7	33.9
2021	1466	87.1	16.8	35.3
2022	1455	90.0	16.1	35.1
2023	1503	95.8	15.6	38.3

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 Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1128	63.0	17.9	11.6
1989	1063	58.6	18.1	8.7
1990	1009	56.5	17.8	8.3
1991	993	58.0	17.1	8.5
1992	1089	62.0	17.5	8.9
1993	1123	60.1	18.7	7.5
1994	1199	60.3	19.9	6.7
1995	1346	77.7	17.3	5.6
1996	1346	77.7	17.3	5.6
1997	1398	80.6	17.3	7.2
1998	1463	76.1	19.2	7
1999	1543	76.1	20.3	8.9
2000	1654	94.4	17.5	11
2001	1618	107.4	15.1	13.5
2002	1721	96.5	17.8	13.1
2003	1721	96.5	17.8	13.1
2004	1678	104.6	16.0	14.3
2005	1717	107.2	16.0	16.3
2006	1748	103.7	16.9	16.1
2007	1834	101.6	18.1	17.3
2008	1763	105.4	16.7	17.1
2009	1741	103.7	16.8	20.6
2010	1789	104.4	17.1	22
2011	1852	96.5	19.1	22.4
2012	1907	99.0	19.2	21.9
2013	1944	106.6	18.2	22.5
2014	1939	105.9	18.3	23.5
2015	1973	102.0	19.3	22.3
2016	1993	101.0	19.7	23.5
2017	2083	105.7	19.6	24.7
2018	1587	83.2	19.0	24.6
2019	1515	80.7	18.7	29.6
2020	1460	82.2	17.7	33.9
2021	1466	87.1	16.8	35.3
2022	1455	90.0	16.1	35.1
2023	1503	95.8	15.6	38.3

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 Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$345 (2.3%)	$14,391 (97.7%)	$14,737

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Senior 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 101^st of 327 High schools	Ranks 127^th of 336 High schools	6.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (West Senior High School)	80	77.2	2.8%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City Community School District)	77.2	74	3.2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (West Senior High School)	78.8	79.2	0.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa City Community School District)	73.1	71.2	1.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (West Senior High School)	73.4	70.9	2.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City Community School District)	67.7	69.9	2.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (West Senior High School)	75.4	76.3	0.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa City Community School District)	70.5	70.5
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	66.9	67.3	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1515	1503	0.8%
African American	293	397	35.5%
American Indian	0	3
Asian	171	159	7%
Hispanic	133	175	31.6%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	829	696	16%
Two or More Races	87	67	23%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.6%	38.3%	8.6%

Schools Near West Senior High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)						ISASP Mathematics (2024)						ISASP Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
West Senior High School	Public	9-12	2901 Melrose Ave	Iowa City	52246	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1050	1,503	96	15.6	38.3%	696 (46.3%)	397 (26.4%)	175 (11.6%)	159 (10.6%)	3 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	67 (4.5%)	57.6	157^th of 338 public high schools	53.6%		61.6	127^th of 336 public high schools	62.2%	30				82.6	72.4	76.0				70.5	68.2	77.2		59.3	$14,737	$345	$14,391
Iowa City High School	Public	9-12	1900 Morningside Dr	Iowa City	52245	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1040	1,599	105	15.1	39.5%	820 (51.3%)	306 (19.1%)	309 (19.3%)	40 (2.5%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	93 (5.8%)	43.7	230^th of 338 public high schools	32.0%		49.5	190^th of 336 public high schools	43.5%	40				72.5	67.9	68.2				58.7	66.1	66.9		66.7	$15,356	$511	$14,845
Elizabeth Tate Alternative High School	Public	9-12	1528 Mall Drive	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1080	164	18	9.2	70.1%	49 (29.9%)	73 (44.5%)	27 (16.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (6.7%)	0.2	333^rd of 338 public high schools	1.5%		0.1	334^th of 336 public high schools	0.6%	1					7.7	22.9					7.7	21.6		15.4	$18,143	$196	$17,947
Liberty High School	Public	9-12	1400 S. Dubuque Street	North Liberty	52317	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1210	1,167	78	15.0	24.7%	807 (69.2%)	143 (12.3%)	103 (8.8%)	35 (3.0%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (5.7%)	69.1	97^th of 338 public high schools	71.3%		69.6	89^th of 336 public high schools	73.5%	8				84.7	82.3	68.5				77.3	79.1	72.2		73.8	$16,180	$374	$15,807
Clear Creek Amana High School	Public	9-12	551 W Marengo Rd	Tiffin	52340	Johnson County	Clear Creek Amana Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 545-2361	728	53	13.8	23.1%	593 (81.5%)	37 (5.1%)	51 (7.0%)	7 (1.0%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.9%)	63.7	125^th of 338 public high schools	63.0%		62.3	125^th of 336 public high schools	62.8%					81.0	79.5	66.5				77.2	80.5	70.0		67.9	$30,158	$269	$29,889
Solon High School	Public	9-12	600 W. 5th Street	Solon	52333	Johnson County	Solon Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 624-3401	475	32	15.0	8.8%	444 (93.5%)	3 (0.6%)	9 (1.9%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.7%)	87.7	10^th of 338 public high schools	97.0%		90.3	11^th of 336 public high schools	96.7%	1				89.5	88.5	88.1				86.3	88.5	87.1		81.1	$13,687	$243	$13,443
West Branch High School	Public	9-12	900 W Main	West Branch	52358	Cedar County	West Branch Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 643-7216	244	19	13.1	23.8%	211 (86.5%)	4 (1.6%)	19 (7.8%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	56.2	167^th of 338 public high schools	50.6%		61.1	128^th of 336 public high schools	61.9%	39				74.0	83.8	84.7				60.3	67.6	72.9		60.3	$18,875	$99	$18,775
Lone Tree Middle-Senior High School	Public	6-12	303 S Devoe St	Lone Tree	52755	Johnson County	Lone Tree Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 629-4610	214	18	12.2	25.2%	191 (89.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	37.1	249^th of 338 public high schools	26.3%		40.8	228^th of 336 public high schools	32.1%	21	57.7	77.1	45.5	64.0	73.0	73.3	76.9	62.9	45.5	36.0	64.9	70.0	40.9	52.8	$13,078	$319	$12,759
West Liberty High School	Public	9-12	310 West Maxson Ave.	West Liberty	52776	Muscatine County	West Liberty Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 627-2115	364	26	14.1	53.3%	142 (39.0%)	3 (0.8%)	210 (57.7%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.6%)	22.6	289^th of 338 public high schools	14.5%		28	274^th of 336 public high schools	18.5%	15				63.9	63.2	66.7				52.8	55.2	58.0		43.0	$14,944	$401	$14,543
Highland High School	Public	9-12	1715 Vine Avenue	Riverside	52327	Washington County	Highland Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 648-2891	171	15	11.2	24.0%	153 (89.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (9.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56	168^th of 338 public high schools	50.3%		59.1	139^th of 336 public high schools	58.6%	29				74.4	81.1	72.7				61.5	73.0	68.2		70.3	$15,774	$112	$15,662

Frequently Asked Questions about West Senior High School

How many students attend West Senior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,503 students attended West Senior High School.

What is the racial makeup of West Senior High School?

Students at West Senior High School are 46% White, 26% African American, 12% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

What schools feed into West Senior High School?

West Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Alexander Elementary
Elementary : Central Elementary School
Elementary : Ernest Horn Elementary School
Elementary : Hills Elementary School
Elementary : Norman Borlaug Elementary School
Elementary : Weber Elementary
Elementary : Wickham Elementary
Middle : Northwest Junior High School

What district is West Senior High School in?

Iowa City Community School District

Is West Senior High School a good school?

West Senior High School ranks 157^th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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