Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 24 schools in district

West Caldwell High

300 W Caldwell Drive, Lenoir, NC 28645Caldwell County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
753
Students
Total enrolled
86%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$12,314
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 14% vs nat'l
15.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 27% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 753 students in grades 09–12 in Lenoir, North Carolina.
14% below average funding
District spends $12,314 per pupil, 14% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

West Caldwell High is a large high in Lenoir, North Carolina, serving grades 09–12 with 753 students. The district invests $12,314 per student — 14% below the national average of $14,347, with a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 68% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at West Caldwell High

753
Total Students
15.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
68%
Free Lunch
47
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 Distribution412 male · 341 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility68%
National avg 52% · 511 students
Student Composition
60%
21%
11%
Asian1%
White60%
Hispanic / Latino21%
Black11%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370058000241

Academic Outcomes at West Caldwell High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
86
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
86%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 14th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 28645

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,314Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,314
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,418
Student Support$2,340
Administration$1,478
Operations$1,847
Other$1,231
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,314 spent per student, an estimated $5,455 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
57%
16%
State government
57.4%
Local (property tax)
16.4%
Federal programs
26.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 86% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Hudson ElementaryGranite Falls ElementaryGamewell ElementaryDavenport A+ School
+10 more
↓
Middle
Hudson MiddleGranite Falls MiddleWilliam Lenoir MiddleGamewell Middle
↓
High School
South Caldwell HighHibriten HighCaldwell Early CollegeCaldwell Applied Sciences Academy
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyCaldwell County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCaldwell County Schools →
Phone: (828)758-5583
NCES ID: 370058000241
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Lenoir seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Caldwell County Schools
High
South Caldwell High
1,317 students · 09–12
● 36 opp50% FRL
High
Hibriten High
843 students · 09–12
● 36 opp62% FRL
Elem
Hudson Elementary
654 students · PK–05
● 36 opp72% FRL
Elem
Granite Falls Elementary
582 students · PK–05
57% FRL
Mid
Hudson Middle
581 students · 06–08
● 36 opp62% FRL
Mid
Granite Falls Middle
537 students · 06–08
53% FRL
Mid
William Lenoir Middle
509 students · 06–08
● 36 opp61% FRL
Mid
Gamewell Middle
506 students · 06–08
● 36 opp80% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
300 W Caldwell Drive, Lenoir, NC 28645
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.