Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 4 schools in district

Joliet West High School

401 N Larkin Ave, Joliet, IL 60435Joliet Twp HSD 204 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
3,541
Students
Total enrolled
$18,682
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 30% vs nat'l
21.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 36% vs nat'l
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 3,541 students in grades 09–12 in Joliet, Illinois.
30% above average funding
District spends $18,682 per pupil, 30% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 47th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Joliet West High School is a very large high in Joliet, Illinois, serving grades 09–12 with 3,541 students. The district invests $18,682 per student — 30% above the national average of $14,347, with a 21.0:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 56% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Joliet West High School

3,541
Total Students
21.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
56%
Free Lunch
169
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution1,744 male · 1,796 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility56%
National avg 52% · 1,972 students
Student Composition
29%
45%
21%
Asian1%
White29%
Hispanic / Latino45%
Black21%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 172061002352

Academic Outcomes at Joliet West High School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
47
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 47th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 68th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 60435

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,682Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,682
State avg
$20,102
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,220
Student Support$3,550
Administration$2,242
Operations$2,802
Other$1,868
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,682 spent per student, an estimated $8,276 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
29%
64%
State government
28.6%
Local (property tax)
63.7%
Federal programs
7.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $18,682/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyWill County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictJoliet Twp HSD 204 →
Phone: (815)727-6940
NCES ID: 172061002352
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Joliet seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Joliet Twp HSD 204
High
Joliet Central High School
3,377 students · 09–12
● 51 opp75% FRL
High
Pathways Academy
0 students · 09–12
● 51 opp
High
Will Co Detention Center 9-12
0 students · 09–12
● 39 opp
District School Rankings
Location
401 N Larkin Ave, Joliet, IL 60435
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.