Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 16 schools in district

West Senior High

5376 N LONG LAKE RD, TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49685Traverse City Area Public Schools
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0912Non-Charter
1,509
Students
Total enrolled
94%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
9% vs nat'l
$16,930
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
18% vs nat'l
24.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
61% vs nat'l
Large public school
Serves 1,509 students in grades 09–12 in TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan.
18% above average funding
District spends $16,930 per pupil, 18% more than the national average of $14,347.
24.9 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is above the national average — larger classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

West Senior High is a very large high in TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan, serving grades 09–12 with 1,509 students. The district invests $16,930 per student — 18% above the national average of $14,347, with a 24.9:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 34% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. The school's 94% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at West Senior High

1,509
Total Students
24.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
34%
Free Lunch
61
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0912) are served by this school
Gender Distribution742 male · 767 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility34%
National avg 52% · 519 students
Student Composition
89%
Asian2%
White89%
Hispanic / Latino4%
Black1%
Multiracial3%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 263387000838

Academic Outcomes at West Senior High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
94
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
94%
State avg
81%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,930Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,930
State avg
$37,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,449
Student Support$3,217
Administration$2,032
Operations$2,540
Other$1,693
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,930 spent per student, an estimated $7,500 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
41%
49%
State government
40.7%
Local (property tax)
48.6%
Federal programs
10.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 94% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Above-average funding — $16,930/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 24.9:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location
CountyGrand Traverse County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (231)933-7502
NCES ID: 263387000838
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in TRAVERSE CITY 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.

Location
5376 N LONG LAKE RD, TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49685
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.