Western High

Q: Is Western High a good school?

Western High ranks 95 th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Western High is a public high school located in Baltimore, Maryland, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,262 students. The school is part of the Baltimore City Public Schools district, which is ranked 24th out of 25 districts in Maryland and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Western High has shown a mixed performance in academic assessments. While the school had 54% of students proficient or better in MCAP/English Language Arts for 10th grade, significantly higher than the district's 34.5% and the state's 55.3%, its performance in MCAP/Mathematics for All Grades and MCAP/Algebra I for End of Course was relatively low, with only 12.9% proficiency in both. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 35th out of 185 Maryland high schools in 2012-2013 to 95th out of 146 in 2023-2024, and its SchoolDigger rating has also varied, from a high of 4 stars out of 5 to a low of 2 stars.

Compared to nearby schools, Western High's academic performance is generally higher than some, such as Forest Park High, Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High, and Carver Vocational-Technical High, but it lags behind the highly-ranked Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, which is located just 0.09 miles away. Additionally, some nearby schools, such as Baltimore City College and Bard High School Early College, have more racially diverse student bodies compared to Western High's predominantly African American population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4600 Falls Road
Baltimore, MD 21209-4915

(410) 396-7040

District: Baltimore City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
95^th of 146 Maryland High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,463

Student/teacher ratio: 17.7

Number of students: 1,262

Racial breakdown:

African American:

87.0%

Hispanic:

9.2%

White:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Western High ranks worse than 65.1% of high schools in Maryland. It also ranks 5^th among 10 ranked high schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.03. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Western High 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 Racial makeup is: African American (87%), Hispanic (9.2%), White (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Western High is 17.7. 26 high schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Western High employs 71 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Western High is $18,463. 27 high schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Western High was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Western High 95^th of 146 Maryland public high schools. (See Western High in the ranking list.)

Baltimore City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Baltimore City Public Schools 24^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Western High.

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Rank History for Western High

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	74.32	1^st	201	99.5%
2005	68.56	34^th	204	83.3%
2006	79.93	14^th	204	93.1%
2007	67.64	58^th	209	72.2%
2008	84.90	6^th	214	97.2%
2009	84.15	6^th	213	97.2%
2010	84.79	13^th	220	94.1%
2011	84.96	16^th	183	91.3%
2012	82.17	17^th	187	90.9%
2013	77.88	35^th	185	81.1%
2014	78.91	47^th	231	79.7%
2015	64.61	64^th	233	72.5%
2016	49.77	118^th	233	49.4%
2017	41.80	94^th	180	47.8%
2018	29.48	128^th	197	35.0%
2019	35.41	94^th	138	31.9%
2022	54.75	56^th	225	75.1%
2023	48.89	59^th	127	53.5%
2024	37.03	95^th	146	34.9%

See the entire list of Maryland High School Rankings!

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

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student on FaceBook
Wednesday, June 10, 2015

I graduated back in 2001 and this school was awesome. It prepared me for college. I enjoyed the sisterhood. Because of the great education I received here, I was able to graduate from college and get a good job and buy a house. Western ONLY the best. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Wonderful school, high standards of academics as well as behavior. Long history as a women's only school, which is a great point of pride for students and staff alike. Extremely high college attendance percentage. This is listed as a "normal" school on this site, but it is a "citywide school" meaning that one must apply for admission. This is NOT a zoned school! But, if you flunk out, you will be sent back to your zoned school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Western High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	347	1126	19	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	1497
1990	306	1110	13	4	2	n/a	n/a	1	1436
1991	288	1180	18	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	1492
1992	271	1215	12	4	9	n/a	n/a	0	1511
1993	249	1099	17	3	7	n/a	n/a	0	1375
1994	249	1018	17	7	3	n/a	n/a	0	1294
1995	259	922	22	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	1212
1996	259	922	22	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	1212
1997	242	960	20	8	7	n/a	n/a	0	1237
1998	246	959	25	7	7	n/a	n/a	0	1244
1999	245	989	22	11	6	n/a	n/a	0	1273
2000	194	947	14	7	5	n/a	n/a	0	1167
2001	191	806	15	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	1024
2002	162	701	10	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	879
2003	162	701	10	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	879
2004	155	713	15	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	890
2005	129	712	22	8	4	n/a	n/a	0	875
2006	104	698	19	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	828
2007	100	714	20	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	843
2008	95	688	14	9	2	n/a	n/a	0	808
2009	92	721	10	16	3	n/a	n/a	0	842
2010	95	729	12	17	2	n/a	n/a	0	855
2011	78	814	13	19	3	3	1	0	931
2012	83	858	14	19	3	3	1	0	981
2013	96	898	21	28	3	4	0	0	1050
2014	85	952	21	25	2	4	0	0	1089
2015	98	947	24	34	3	3	1	0	1110
2016	62	916	22	29	2	2	1	0	1034
2017	51	884	18	35	4	1	1	0	994
2018	44	932	13	42	3	1	3	0	1038
2019	53	970	10	46	4	1	2	0	1086
2020	57	1016	10	48	5	4	2	0	1142
2021	56	1090	11	68	3	5	3	0	1236
2022	38	1097	11	104	3	5	3	0	1261
2023	31	1098	9	116	2	1	4	1	1262

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 Western High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1497	66.0	22.6	n/a
1990	1436	61.0	23.5	44.8
1991	1492	63.7	23.4	18.8
1992	1511	62.0	24.3	23.5
1993	1375	63.0	21.8	25.8
1994	1294	59.5	21.7	24.1
1995	1212	53.0	22.9	31.2
1996	1212	53.0	22.9	31.2
1997	1237	57.3	21.6	31.1
1998	1244	56.0	22.2	28.5
1999	1273	56.0	22.7	37.5
2000	1167	57.0	20.5	32.1
2001	1024	62.0	16.5	38
2002	879	58.0	15.2	38.3
2003	879	58.0	15.2	38.3
2004	890	48.0	18.5	41
2005	875	41.0	21.3	43.7
2006	828	40.0	20.7	43.1
2007	843	40.0	21.1	45.2
2008	808	41.0	19.7	43.9
2009	842	41.0	20.5	50.2
2010	855	42.0	20.3	61.5
2011	931	47.0	19.8	60.3
2012	981	47.0	20.8	62.8
2013	1050	50.5	20.7	65.3
2014	1089	57.5	18.9	69.2
2015	1110	56.0	19.8	68.1
2016	1034	58.0	17.8	63.4
2017	994	56.5	17.5	100
2018	1038	51.0	20.3	100
2019	1086	57.5	18.8	100
2020	1142	62.5	18.2	47.4
2021	1236	62.5	19.7	59.5
2022	1261	64.0	19.7	61.9
2023	1262	71.0	17.7	68.3

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 Western High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1497	66.0	22.6	n/a
1990	1436	61.0	23.5	44.8
1991	1492	63.7	23.4	18.8
1992	1511	62.0	24.3	23.5
1993	1375	63.0	21.8	25.8
1994	1294	59.5	21.7	24.1
1995	1212	53.0	22.9	31.2
1996	1212	53.0	22.9	31.2
1997	1237	57.3	21.6	31.1
1998	1244	56.0	22.2	28.5
1999	1273	56.0	22.7	37.5
2000	1167	57.0	20.5	32.1
2001	1024	62.0	16.5	38
2002	879	58.0	15.2	38.3
2003	879	58.0	15.2	38.3
2004	890	48.0	18.5	41
2005	875	41.0	21.3	43.7
2006	828	40.0	20.7	43.1
2007	843	40.0	21.1	45.2
2008	808	41.0	19.7	43.9
2009	842	41.0	20.5	50.2
2010	855	42.0	20.3	61.5
2011	931	47.0	19.8	60.3
2012	981	47.0	20.8	62.8
2013	1050	50.5	20.7	65.3
2014	1089	57.5	18.9	69.2
2015	1110	56.0	19.8	68.1
2016	1034	58.0	17.8	63.4
2017	994	56.5	17.5	100
2018	1038	51.0	20.3	100
2019	1086	57.5	18.8	100
2020	1142	62.5	18.2	47.4
2021	1236	62.5	19.7	59.5
2022	1261	64.0	19.7	61.9
2023	1262	71.0	17.7	68.3

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 Western High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,245 (10.0%)	$11,144 (90.0%)	$12,389
2020	$1,055 (8.6%)	$11,167 (91.4%)	$12,222
2021	$1,298 (10.4%)	$11,163 (89.6%)	$12,461
2022	$2,916 (20.7%)	$11,167 (79.3%)	$14,083
2023	$294 (1.6%)	$18,169 (98.4%)	$18,463

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Western High

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 94^th of 138 High schools	Ranks 59^th of 127 High schools	21.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1086	1262	16.2%
African American	970	1098	13.2%
American Indian	4	2	50%
Asian	10	9	10%
Hispanic	46	116	152.2%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	53	31	41.5%
Two or More Races	2	4	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	68.3%	31.7%

Schools Near Western High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAP Mathematics (2024)		MCAP English Language Arts (2024)					MCAP Algebra I (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Western High	Public	9-12	4600 Falls Road	Baltimore	21209	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-7040	1,262	71	17.7	68.3%	31 (2.5%)	1,098 (87.0%)	116 (9.2%)	9 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.3%)	37	95^th of 146 public high schools	34.9%		48.9	59^th of 127 public high schools	53.5%	36		12.9				54.0	54.0	12.9	$18,463	$294	$18,169
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute	Public	9-12	1400 W Cold Spring Lane	Baltimore	21209	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 396-7026	1,555	78	20.0	43.2%	292 (18.8%)	938 (60.3%)	213 (13.7%)	80 (5.1%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.4%)	23 (1.5%)	84.5	4^th of 146 public high schools	97.3%		80.9	4^th of 127 public high schools	96.9%			30.2				89.7	89.7	30.2	$17,010	$294	$16,716
Academy for College and Career Exploration	Public	6-12	1300 W 36th Street	Baltimore	21211	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-7607	902	59	15.2	74.7%	62 (6.9%)	659 (73.1%)	153 (17.0%)	16 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	10 (1.1%)	10	144^th of 146 public high schools	1.4%					(n/a)		5.3	22.2	15.8	20.4	20.8	20.3	8.3	$21,758	$1,287	$20,471
ConneXions: A Community Based Arts School	Public, Charter	6-12	2801 N Dukeland Street	Baltimore	21216	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(443) 984-1418	548	36	15.2	85.9%	9 (1.6%)	518 (94.5%)	18 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)								(n/a)	5.7			19.4	21.6	28.0	19.5		$29,749	$1,398	$28,350
Frederick Douglass High	Public	9-12	2301 Gwynns Falls Parkway	Baltimore	21217	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-7821	663	43	15.6	81.3%	6 (0.9%)	589 (88.8%)	62 (9.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)								(n/a)						21.0	21.0		$26,649	$1,796	$24,853
Bard High School Early College	Public	9-12	2801 N Dukeland Street	Baltimore	21216	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(443) 642-5040	431	25	17.2	60.1%	38 (8.8%)	358 (83.1%)	26 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.9%)	34.8	106^th of 146 public high schools	27.4%		49.6	57^th of 127 public high schools	55.1%	49		9.8				53.1	53.1	9.8	$19,429	$257	$19,172
Coppin Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	2500 W North Avenue	Baltimore	21216	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(443) 642-5060	337	20	16.8	76.0%	1 (0.3%)	325 (96.4%)	10 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11.3	143^rd of 146 public high schools	2.1%					(n/a)		5.1				27.2	27.2	5.1	$23,101	$808	$22,293
Forest Park High	Public	9-12	3701 Eldorado Avenue	Baltimore	21207	Baltimore County	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0753	826	48	17.2	71.8%	14 (1.7%)	643 (77.8%)	161 (19.5%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	12.1	141^st of 146 public high schools	3.4%		9.6	125^th of 127 public high schools	1.6%	16		11.1				22.3	22.3	11.1	$21,063	$1,008	$20,055
Baltimore City College	Public	9-12	3220 The Alameda	Baltimore	21218	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 396-6557	1,497	83	18.0	46.2%	241 (16.1%)	974 (65.1%)	210 (14.0%)	27 (1.8%)	4 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	36 (2.4%)	60.4	31^st of 146 public high schools	78.8%		55.6	41^st of 127 public high schools	67.7%	10		24.4				70.4	70.4	24.4	$16,781	$291	$16,489
Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High	Public	9-12	3500 Hillen Road	Baltimore	21218	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-6496	1,677	105	16.0	74.4%	38 (2.3%)	1,490 (88.8%)	137 (8.2%)	7 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)								(n/a)						20.5	20.5		$21,001	$304	$20,697

Frequently Asked Questions about Western High

What schools feed into Western High?

How many students attend Western High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,262 students attended Western High.

Is Western High a good school?

Western High ranks 95^th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Western High in?

Baltimore City Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Western High?

Students at Western High are 87% African American, 9% Hispanic, 2% White.

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