Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 22 schools in district

Westerville-South High School

303 S Otterbein Ave, Westerville, OH 43081Westerville City →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,512
Students
Total enrolled
85%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$17,511
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 22% vs nat'l
16.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 8% vs nat'l
41/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 18% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,512 students in grades 09–12 in Westerville, Ohio.
22% above average funding
District spends $17,511 per pupil, 22% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 41th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Westerville-South High School is a very large high in Westerville, Ohio, serving grades 09–12 with 1,512 students. The district invests $17,511 per student — 22% above the national average of $14,347, with a 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 38% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Westerville-South High School

1,512
Total Students
16.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
38%
Free Lunch
91
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 Distribution751 male · 761 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility38%
National avg 52% · 575 students
Student Composition
47%
9%
31%
9%
Asian4%
White47%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black31%
Multiracial9%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 390450401962

Academic Outcomes at Westerville-South High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
85
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
85%
State avg
82%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
41
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 41th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 35th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 43081

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$17,511Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$17,511
State avg
$17,120
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,705
Student Support$3,327
Administration$2,101
Operations$2,627
Other$1,751
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $17,511 spent per student, an estimated $7,758 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
23%
68%
State government
22.6%
Local (property tax)
68.1%
Federal programs
9.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 85% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Above-average funding — $17,511/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.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
McVay Elementary SchoolHawthorne Elementary SchoolAlcott Elementary SchoolFouse Elementary School
+10 more
↓
Middle
Walnut Springs Middle SchoolHeritage Middle SchoolGenoa Middle SchoolBlendon Middle School
↓
High School
Westerville Central High SchoolWesterville-North High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyFranklin County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWesterville City →
Phone: (614)797-6000
NCES ID: 390450401962
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Westerville 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 Westerville City
High
Westerville Central High School
1,558 students · 09–12
● 40 opp27% FRL
High
Westerville-North High School
1,524 students · 09–12
● 41 opp28% FRL
Mid
Walnut Springs Middle School
914 students · 06–08
● 41 opp39% FRL
Mid
Heritage Middle School
858 students · 06–08
● 40 opp48% FRL
Mid
Genoa Middle School
752 students · 06–08
● 40 opp25% FRL
Mid
Blendon Middle School
712 students · 06–08
● 41 opp32% FRL
Elem
McVay Elementary School
598 students · KG–05
● 41 opp28% FRL
Elem
Hawthorne Elementary School
543 students · KG–05
● 43 opp59% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
303 S Otterbein Ave, Westerville, OH 43081
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.