Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 82 schools in district

West Ashley High

4060 West Wildcat Boulevard, Charleston, SC 29414Charleston 01 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,935
Students
Total enrolled
78%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 10% vs nat'l
$20,688
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 44% vs nat'l
17.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 12% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,935 students in grades 09–12 in Charleston, South Carolina.
44% above average funding
District spends $20,688 per pupil, 44% more than the national average of $14,347.
17.3 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

West Ashley High is a very large high in Charleston, South Carolina, serving grades 09–12 with 1,935 students. The district invests $20,688 per student — 44% above the national average of $14,347, with a 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The 78% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at West Ashley High

1,935
Total Students
17.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
112
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 Distribution1,015 male · 920 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 1,935 students
Student Composition
46%
8%
39%
Asian2%
White46%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black39%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450144000548

Academic Outcomes at West Ashley High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
78
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
78%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,688Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$20,688
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,103
Student Support$3,931
Administration$2,483
Operations$3,103
Other$2,069
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $20,688 spent per student, an estimated $9,165 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
28%
59%
State government
27.7%
Local (property tax)
59.0%
Federal programs
13.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $20,688/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 78% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 100% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Orange Grove Charter SchoolMeeting Street ElementaryJennie Moore ElementaryCarolina Park Elementary
+13 more
↓
Middle
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific ArtThomas C. Cario MiddleMoultrie MiddleLaing Middle
+2 more
↓
High School
Wando HighRB Stall HighLucy Garrett Beckham HighJames Island Charter High
+3 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyCharleston County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCharleston 01 →
Phone: (843)573-1201
NCES ID: 450144000548
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Charleston 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 Charleston 01
High
Wando High
2,596 students · 09–12
● 37 opp19% FRL
High
RB Stall High
1,952 students · 09–12
● 36 opp100% FRL
High
Lucy Garrett Beckham High
1,673 students · 09–12
● 42 opp20% FRL
High
James Island Charter High
1,589 students · 09–12
36% FRL
Mid
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art
1,172 students · 06–08
70% FRL
Elem
Orange Grove Charter School
1,167 students · PK–08
● 55 opp23% FRL
Elem
Meeting Street Elementary
1,133 students · PK–08
● 33 opp100% FRL
Mid
Thomas C. Cario Middle
1,125 students · 06–08
● 37 opp15% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
4060 West Wildcat Boulevard, Charleston, SC 29414
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.