West Side Leadership Academy
West Side Leadership Academy is a very large high in Gary, Indiana, serving grades 09–12 with 1,013 students. The district invests $22,286 per student — 55% above the national average of $14,347, with a 20.7:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 85% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 34/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.
- Above-average funding — $22,286/student vs $14,347 nationally
- Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
- 66% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
- Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (34/100) — national median is 50
- 85% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Student Body & Demographics at West Side Leadership Academy
Academic Outcomes at West Side Leadership Academy
Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 34th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 7th percentile nationally.
School Resources & Funding
Best suited for families in Gary 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
About this school and the data on this page
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.