West Lake Middle

Summary:

West Lake Middle is a public middle school located in Apex, North Carolina, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 877. The school is part of the Wake County Schools district, which is ranked 59th out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Lake Middle has a relatively diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 50.86% White, 16.53% African American, 27.25% Hispanic, and 2.51% Asian. The school has shown strong academic performance, with proficiency rates in EOG (End-of-Grade) tests that are generally higher than the state averages, though lower than the Wake County Schools district averages. West Lake Middle has consistently ranked in the top half of North Carolina middle schools, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. However, the school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with particularly strong performance for White students but relatively lower performance for Hispanic and English Language Learner students.

While West Lake Middle has maintained a strong statewide ranking, its position has declined over the years, from a high of 86th out of 627 schools in 2013-2014 to 238th out of 793 schools in 2023-2024. The school's percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients has also increased, indicating a growing population of students from lower-income families. When compared to nearby schools in the Wake County Schools district, West Lake Middle generally performs better than Centennial Campus Middle, but lags behind higher-performing schools like East Cary Middle, Holly Grove Middle, and Lufkin Road Middle.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 4600 West Lake Rd
       Apex, NC  27539-7657


(919) 662-2900

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
238th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,884 Help


Students who attend West Lake Middle usually attend:

High:    Middle Creek High
    Wake Early College of Health and Science
    Wake STEM Early College High School
    Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
    More...

Feeder schools for West Lake Middle:

Elementary:    West Lake Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  15.7 Help
Number of students:  766

Racial breakdown:

White:
49.7%
Hispanic:
26.2%
African American:
17.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  38.9% Help


 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare West Lake Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details West Lake Middle ranks better than 70% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 23rd among 38 ranked middle schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.14. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at West Lake Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (49.7%), Hispanic (26.2%), African American (17.5%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 38.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Lake Middle is 15.7. 20 middle schools in the Wake County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare West Lake Middle employs 48.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Lake Middle is $8,884. 22 middle schools in the Wake County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

West Lake Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks West Lake Middle 238th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See West Lake Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Wake County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wake County Schools 59th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for West Lake Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 88.90 18th 598 97.0%
2007 86.93 28th 606 95.4%
2008 88.22 37th 620 94.0%
2009 80.83 90th 630 85.7%
2010 75.75 132nd 640 79.4%
2011 79.77 91st 648 86.0%
2012 77.40 118th 662 82.2%
2013 82.25 93rd 673 86.2%
2014 82.77 86th 627 86.3%
2015 82.60 102nd 705 85.5%
2016 79.97 112th 692 83.8%
2017 82.47 96th 694 86.2%
2018 80.83 104th 691 84.9%
2019 76.04 150th 737 79.6%
2021 70.17 198th 741 73.3%
2022 57.46 319th 786 59.4%
2023 61.08 281st 784 64.2%
2024 66.14 238th 793 70.0%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.80 41st 221 81.4%
2019 69.04 50th 237 78.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.12 61st 151 59.6%
2019 28.76 168th 211 20.4%
2021 44.62 100th 236 57.6%
2022 25.12 275th 312 11.9%
2023 31.00 239th 318 24.8%
2024 28.53 275th 356 22.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 53.62 146th 473 69.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.29 252nd 604 58.3%
2019 43.16 379th 639 40.7%
2021 39.92 370th 633 41.5%
2022 29.98 506th 689 26.6%
2023 25.75 586th 735 20.3%
2024 33.37 527th 743 29.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 37.66 37th 50 26.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.23 118th 656 82.0%
2019 73.92 162nd 684 76.3%
2021 67.46 207th 706 70.7%
2022 50.50 355th 733 51.6%
2023 58.02 290th 731 60.3%
2024 65.94 224th 738 69.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.94 46th 475 90.3%
2019 68.29 91st 504 81.9%
2021 59.45 107th 478 77.6%
2022 32.29 296th 449 34.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 64.21 145th 416 65.1%
2021 69.11 126th 448 71.9%
2022 55.19 250th 450 44.4%
2023 47.72 305th 452 32.5%
2024 67.96 112th 461 75.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.55 80th 665 88.0%
2019 75.96 139th 697 80.1%
2021 70.83 180th 711 74.7%
2022 61.86 259th 748 65.4%
2023 61.37 259th 747 65.3%
2024 63.21 247th 751 67.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 68.09 37th 102 63.7%
2024 39.06 73rd 110 33.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.45 204th 494 58.7%
2019 53.59 199th 519 61.7%
2021 50.30 207th 533 61.2%
2022 40.68 300th 550 45.5%
2023 44.20 291st 559 47.9%
2024 54.57 200th 560 64.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.79 187th 472 60.4%
2019 47.93 253rd 493 48.7%
2021 28.77 401st 522 23.2%
2022 23.88 449th 541 17.0%
2023 24.48 458th 553 17.2%
2024 26.89 451st 564 20.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at West Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.94 59th 596 90.1%
2019 81.28 94th 624 84.9%
2021 81.25 93rd 632 85.3%
2022 73.07 164th 658 75.1%
2023 74.79 152nd 656 76.8%
2024 81.25 117th 652 82.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

West Lake Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for West Lake Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1993 457 68 0 4 3 n/a n/a 0 532
1994 723 99 2 4 3 n/a n/a 0 831
1995 1090 115 17 9 3 n/a n/a 0 1234
1996 1090 115 17 9 3 n/a n/a 0 1234
1997 1178 118 19 9 2 n/a n/a 0 1326
1998 1218 142 21 11 2 n/a n/a 0 1394
1999 1249 161 24 12 3 n/a n/a 0 1449
2000 1218 153 25 12 3 n/a n/a 0 1411
2001 1178 157 22 16 4 n/a n/a 0 1377
2002 1130 222 17 47 4 n/a n/a 0 1420
2003 1130 222 17 47 4 n/a n/a 0 1420
2004 1072 256 18 63 3 n/a n/a 0 1412
2005 1025 279 22 75 2 n/a n/a 0 1403
2006 1000 268 27 70 3 n/a n/a 0 1368
2007 947 223 31 94 5 n/a n/a 29 1329
2008 960 200 30 142 2 n/a n/a 38 1372
2009 965 279 31 141 4 n/a n/a 0 1420
2010 930 317 28 167 6 n/a n/a 0 1448
2011 816 191 27 150 12 0 55 0 1251
2012 860 167 20 165 5 0 52 0 1269
2013 916 169 29 167 6 0 50 0 1337
2014 883 154 25 173 8 0 64 0 1307
2015 916 152 24 191 4 0 57 0 1344
2016 890 149 19 194 2 0 55 0 1309
2017 843 171 21 186 3 0 35 0 1259
2018 791 178 18 192 3 1 36 0 1219
2019 713 196 28 193 4 1 46 0 1181
2020 612 179 24 188 3 3 36 0 1045
2021 589 183 27 252 4 2 31 0 1088
2022 497 189 20 248 1 3 23 0 981
2023 446 145 22 239 2 0 23 0 877
2024 381 134 20 201 0 1 29 0 766

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 Lake Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 532 42.0 12.7 15.2
1994 831 59.0 14.1 1.7
1995 1234 73.0 16.9 4.3
1996 1234 73.0 16.9 4.3
1997 1326 74.0 17.9 2.5
1998 1394 88.0 15.8 3
1999 1449 96.0 15.1 4.5
2000 1411 96.0 14.7 3.8
2001 1377 87.0 15.8 4.7
2002 1420 91.0 15.6 8.6
2003 1420 91.0 15.6 8.6
2004 1412 91.0 15.5 14.9
2005 1403 83.0 16.9 16.8
2006 1368 90.0 15.2 16.9
2007 1329 78.3 17.0 16.6
2008 1372 80.4 17.1 n/a
2009 1420 83.4 17.0 n/a
2010 1448 82.0 17.6 25.7
2011 1251 74.0 16.9 21.7
2012 1269 73.0 17.3 22.9
2013 1337 77.5 17.2 23.5
2014 1307 74.0 17.6 21.9
2015 1344 77.0 17.4 21.5
2016 1309 78.0 16.7 20.4
2017 1259 77.4 16.2 22
2018 1219 73.0 16.6 23.2
2019 1181 69.4 16.9 24.1
2020 1045 63.4 16.4 25.6
2021 1088 65.0 16.7 27.8
2022 981 70.1 13.9 23.9
2023 877 48.3 18.1 40.3
2024 766 48.5 15.7 38.9

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 Lake Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 532 42.0 12.7 15.2
1994 831 59.0 14.1 1.7
1995 1234 73.0 16.9 4.3
1996 1234 73.0 16.9 4.3
1997 1326 74.0 17.9 2.5
1998 1394 88.0 15.8 3
1999 1449 96.0 15.1 4.5
2000 1411 96.0 14.7 3.8
2001 1377 87.0 15.8 4.7
2002 1420 91.0 15.6 8.6
2003 1420 91.0 15.6 8.6
2004 1412 91.0 15.5 14.9
2005 1403 83.0 16.9 16.8
2006 1368 90.0 15.2 16.9
2007 1329 78.3 17.0 16.6
2008 1372 80.4 17.1 n/a
2009 1420 83.4 17.0 n/a
2010 1448 82.0 17.6 25.7
2011 1251 74.0 16.9 21.7
2012 1269 73.0 17.3 22.9
2013 1337 77.5 17.2 23.5
2014 1307 74.0 17.6 21.9
2015 1344 77.0 17.4 21.5
2016 1309 78.0 16.7 20.4
2017 1259 77.4 16.2 22
2018 1219 73.0 16.6 23.2
2019 1181 69.4 16.9 24.1
2020 1045 63.4 16.4 25.6
2021 1088 65.0 16.7 27.8
2022 981 70.1 13.9 23.9
2023 877 48.3 18.1 40.3
2024 766 48.5 15.7 38.9

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 Lake Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $574 (6.5%) $8,310 (93.5%) $8,884

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Lake Middle

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 150th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 281st of 784 Middle schools
 15.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (West Lake Middle)66.658.8
 7.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)66.163.8
 2.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (West Lake Middle)69.252.4
 16.8%
   6th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)67.861.6
 6.2%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (West Lake Middle)69.151.4
 17.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6662.3
 3.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (West Lake Middle)70.253.7
 16.5%
   7th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)67.361.6
 5.7%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (West Lake Middle)61.647.6
 14%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)59.657
 2.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (West Lake Middle)69.152.4
 16.7%
   8th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)64.860.9
 3.9%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (West Lake Middle)92.277.3
 14.9%
   8th Grade Science (Wake County Schools)82.476.3
 6.1%
   8th Grade Science (North Carolina)78.670.3
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students1181877
 25.7%
African American196145
 26%
American Indian42
 50%
Asian2822
 21.4%
Hispanic193239
 23.8%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White713446
 37.4%
Two or More Races4623
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients24.1%40.3%
 16.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about West Lake Middle

Students at West Lake Middle are 50% White, 26% Hispanic, 17% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

West Lake Middle ranks 238th of 793 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend West Lake Middle usually go on to attend Middle Creek High

In the 2023-24 school year, 766 students attended West Lake Middle.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

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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