West High School

Summary:

West High School is a public high school located in Waterloo, Iowa, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,652 students. The school is part of the Waterloo Community School District, which is ranked 293 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West High School has a relatively diverse student population, with 49.52% White, 19.55% African American, 14.47% Hispanic, and smaller percentages of Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and students of two or more races. Academically, the school's performance, as measured by the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress), is generally higher than the Waterloo Community School District average but lower than the state average. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 68.7% of 10th-grade students at West High School were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 60.8% for the district and 73.8% for the state. Additionally, West High School has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 62.06% to 62.53% over the past three school years.

Compared to nearby schools, West High School generally performs better academically than the Expo Alternative Learning Center, which is also part of the Waterloo Community School District, but lags behind the higher-performing schools like Jesup High School, Janesville Junior-Senior High School, and Denver Senior High School. Additionally, West High School's statewide ranking has been declining over the past several years, from a high of 199 out of 320 Iowa high schools in the 2017-2018 school year to a low of 271 out of 338 in the 2023-2024 school year.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 425 E Ridgeway Ave
       Waterloo, IA  50702


(319) 433-2700

District: Waterloo Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
271st of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,055 Help


Feeder schools for West High School:

Elementary:    Fred Becker Elementary School
    Irving Elementary School
    Kingsley Elementary School
    Kittrell Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Central Middle School
    Hoover Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.1 Help
Number of students:  1,652

Racial breakdown:

White:
49.5%
African American:
19.6%
Hispanic:
14.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  62.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details West High School ranks worse than 80.2% of high schools in Iowa. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the Waterloo Community School District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.46. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details West High School has the largest high school student body size in the Waterloo Community School District. Student population at West High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (49.5%), African American (19.6%), Hispanic (14.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 62.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Waterloo Community School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West High School is 17.1, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Waterloo Community School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare West High School employs 96.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at West High School is $13,055, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Waterloo Community School District!
Schooldigger Rankings:

West High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks West High School 271st of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See West High School in the ranking list.)

Waterloo Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterloo Community School District 293rd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for West High School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 27.49 299th 351 14.8%
2013 47.56 229th 351 34.8%
2014 26.59 265th 322 17.7%
2015 20.82 278th 324 14.2%
2016 26.26 259th 320 19.1%
2017 26.04 274th 325 15.7%
2018 49.13 199th 320 37.8%
2019 27.26 265th 327 19.0%
2021 30.47 260th 327 20.5%
2022 40.36 219th 332 34.0%
2023 31.63 263rd 336 21.7%
2024 29.46 271st 338 19.8%
See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

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

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





Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for West High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1140 189 17 12 3 n/a n/a 0 1361
1989 1462 319 25 15 3 n/a n/a 0 1824
1990 1480 319 24 16 2 n/a n/a 0 1841
1991 1463 332 24 16 0 n/a n/a 0 1835
1992 1487 312 37 11 5 n/a n/a 0 1852
1993 1394 311 41 12 7 n/a n/a 0 1765
1994 1350 328 43 16 4 n/a n/a 0 1741
1995 1297 338 35 19 3 n/a n/a 0 1692
1996 1297 338 35 19 3 n/a n/a 0 1692
1997 1308 294 37 26 3 n/a n/a 0 1668
1998 1350 298 33 34 3 n/a n/a 0 1718
1999 1396 293 32 33 5 n/a n/a 0 1759
2000 1386 311 31 37 5 n/a n/a 0 1770
2001 1360 303 34 44 4 n/a n/a 0 1745
2002 1379 310 32 65 3 n/a n/a 0 1789
2003 1379 310 32 65 3 n/a n/a 0 1789
2004 1409 317 34 76 9 n/a n/a 0 1845
2005 1444 307 34 89 7 n/a n/a 0 1881
2006 1426 315 33 84 12 n/a n/a 0 1870
2007 1341 308 31 105 2 n/a n/a 0 1787
2008 1277 298 33 124 3 n/a n/a 0 1735
2009 1188 322 24 135 3 n/a n/a 0 1672
2010 1096 339 23 136 5 2 3 0 1604
2011 1083 310 27 145 7 2 25 0 1599
2012 1039 310 27 144 7 8 41 0 1576
2013 1055 289 32 155 8 6 55 0 1600
2014 1033 248 46 164 7 12 78 0 1588
2015 1034 308 63 157 7 19 79 0 1667
2016 992 304 74 166 6 24 76 0 1642
2017 961 306 76 185 7 38 75 0 1648
2018 948 339 114 205 4 43 72 0 1725
2019 942 313 105 213 3 42 68 0 1686
2020 917 318 105 224 2 54 78 0 1698
2021 902 346 93 201 4 66 109 0 1721
2022 838 316 83 217 3 67 120 0 1644
2023 818 323 93 239 3 65 111 0 1652

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 High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1361 79.5 17.1 14
1989 1824 12.4 147.0 16.2
1990 1841 124.0 14.8 16.1
1991 1835 116.5 15.7 15.5
1992 1852 123.0 15.0 14.4
1993 1765 121.2 14.6 13.1
1994 1741 108.2 16.1 16.9
1995 1692 100.1 16.9 18.3
1996 1692 100.1 16.9 18.3
1997 1668 90.0 18.5 17.1
1998 1718 84.0 20.5 27.5
1999 1759 106.3 16.5 32.1
2000 1770 110.0 16.1 25.1
2001 1745 82.0 21.3 34
2002 1789 96.4 18.6 35
2003 1789 96.4 18.6 35
2004 1845 108.4 17.0 36
2005 1881 105.2 17.9 26.1
2006 1870 114.3 16.4 28.1
2007 1787 104.4 17.1 33.1
2008 1735 101.6 17.1 32.4
2009 1672 100.0 16.7 37
2010 1604 103.7 15.4 38.3
2011 1599 92.5 17.2 50.8
2012 1576 94.8 16.6 51.1
2013 1600 99.9 16.0 53.2
2014 1588 97.2 16.3 46
2015 1667 102.0 16.3 54.8
2016 1642 103.0 15.9 49.1
2017 1648 103.9 15.8 55.5
2018 1725 103.4 16.6 49.9
2019 1686 107.1 15.7 57.1
2020 1698 100.3 16.9 58
2021 1721 100.4 17.1 62.1
2022 1644 100.2 16.3 62.5
2023 1652 96.5 17.1 62.4

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 High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1361 79.5 17.1 14
1989 1824 12.4 147.0 16.2
1990 1841 124.0 14.8 16.1
1991 1835 116.5 15.7 15.5
1992 1852 123.0 15.0 14.4
1993 1765 121.2 14.6 13.1
1994 1741 108.2 16.1 16.9
1995 1692 100.1 16.9 18.3
1996 1692 100.1 16.9 18.3
1997 1668 90.0 18.5 17.1
1998 1718 84.0 20.5 27.5
1999 1759 106.3 16.5 32.1
2000 1770 110.0 16.1 25.1
2001 1745 82.0 21.3 34
2002 1789 96.4 18.6 35
2003 1789 96.4 18.6 35
2004 1845 108.4 17.0 36
2005 1881 105.2 17.9 26.1
2006 1870 114.3 16.4 28.1
2007 1787 104.4 17.1 33.1
2008 1735 101.6 17.1 32.4
2009 1672 100.0 16.7 37
2010 1604 103.7 15.4 38.3
2011 1599 92.5 17.2 50.8
2012 1576 94.8 16.6 51.1
2013 1600 99.9 16.0 53.2
2014 1588 97.2 16.3 46
2015 1667 102.0 16.3 54.8
2016 1642 103.0 15.9 49.1
2017 1648 103.9 15.8 55.5
2018 1725 103.4 16.6 49.9
2019 1686 107.1 15.7 57.1
2020 1698 100.3 16.9 58
2021 1721 100.4 17.1 62.1
2022 1644 100.2 16.3 62.5
2023 1652 96.5 17.1 62.4

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 High School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $432 (3.3%) $12,622 (96.7%) $13,055

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

Impact of COVID-19 on West 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 265th of 327 High schoolsRanks 263rd of 336 High schools
 2.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (West High School)65.966.7
 0.8%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)58.259.3
 1.1%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)74.372.9
 1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (West High School)60.659.5
 1.1%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)54.152
 2.1%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)67.167
 0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (West High School)64.164.6
 0.5%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)59.358.6
 0.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)71.468.7
 2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (West High School)56.262.5
 6.3%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)49.355.5
 6.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)66.967.3
 0.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students16861652
 2%
African American313323
 3.2%
American Indian33
Asian10593
 11.4%
Hispanic213239
 12.2%
Pacific Islander4265
 54.8%
White942818
 13.2%
Two or More Races68111
 63.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients57.1%62.4%
 5.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about West High School

West High School ranks in the bottom 19.8% of Iowa high schools.

Students at West High School are 50% White, 20% African American, 14% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 6% Asian, 4% Pacific Islander.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,652 students attended West High School.


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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.





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