WEST Academy Alternative School

Summary:

WEST Academy Alternative School is a public high school in Newton, Iowa, serving grades 10-12 with a total enrollment of 61 students. Unfortunately, this school consistently ranks among the lowest-performing high schools in the state, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger and significantly lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics compared to the state and district averages.

WEST Academy Alternative School faces significant challenges, with only 23.1% of 11th-grade students proficient in ELA and Math in 2023-2024, compared to 70.2% and 65.7% statewide, respectively. The school also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 59.42% to 80.33% over the past three years, indicating a high concentration of students from low-income families. Additionally, the school's student-teacher ratio has fluctuated, which may suggest instability in staffing or changes in the student population.

When compared to nearby high schools, such as Grinnell Community Senior High School, Lynnville-Sully High School, and Newton Senior High School, WEST Academy Alternative School significantly underperforms academically. These nearby schools have higher proficiency rates, better statewide rankings, and higher SchoolDigger ratings, indicating that WEST Academy Alternative School faces significant challenges in providing a quality education to its students.

Detail:

Public 10-12

1302 1st Avenue West
Newton, IA 50208

(641) 792-0335

District: Newton Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
332^nd of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,439

Student/teacher ratio: 11.0

Number of students: 65

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.6%

Hispanic:

6.2%

Two or more races:

6.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 76.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details WEST Academy Alternative School ranks worse than 98.2% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 0.3. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at WEST Academy Alternative School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84.6%), Hispanic (6.2%), two or more races (6.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 76.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at WEST Academy Alternative School is 11. (See more...)

Compare WEST Academy Alternative School employs 5.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at WEST Academy Alternative School is $15,439.

Schooldigger Rankings:

WEST Academy Alternative School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks WEST Academy Alternative School 332^nd of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See WEST Academy Alternative School in the ranking list.)

Newton Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Newton Community School District 240^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for WEST Academy Alternative School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	9.23	331^st	351	5.7%
2013	0.03	349^th	351	0.6%
2014	0.00	322^nd	322	0.0%
2015	1.78	314^th	324	3.1%
2017	0.00	324^th	325	0.3%
2018	0.09	316^th	320	1.3%
2019	0.09	324^th	327	0.9%
2021	0.04	325^th	327	0.6%
2022	14.19	302^nd	332	9.0%
2023	4.75	323^rd	336	3.9%
2024	0.30	332^nd	338	1.8%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for WEST Academy Alternative School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1991	52	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	52
1992	89	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	90
1993	131	2	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	135
1994	129	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	130
1995	180	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	181
1996	180	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	181
1997	147	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	148
1998	105	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	106
1999	141	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	144
2000	147	2	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	151
2001	123	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	124
2002	94	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	96
2003	94	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	96
2004	87	1	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	89
2005	66	2	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	71
2006	76	1	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	82
2007	75	0	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	79
2008	70	1	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	76
2009	73	0	2	4	1	n/a	n/a	80
2010	67	2	0	5	0	0	3	77
2011	70	1	1	1	0	0	1	74
2012	66	1	1	2	0	0	0	70
2013	49	0	1	5	0	0	1	56
2014	51	1	0	5	0	0	0	57
2015	49	1	0	2	0	0	0	52
2016	40	0	0	2	1	0	1	44
2017	56	1	0	5	0	1	5	68
2018	58	1	0	7	0	0	7	73
2019	75	3	0	5	0	0	2	85
2020	55	3	0	5	0	0	1	64
2021	60	3	1	4	0	0	1	69
2022	62	1	1	4	0	0	5	73
2023	50	2	0	5	0	0	4	61
2024	55	2	0	4	0	0	4	65

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at WEST Academy Alternative School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	52	3.0	17.3	51.9
1992	90	0.0	0.0	12.2
1993	135	8.0	16.9	13.3
1994	130	8.0	16.3	16.2
1995	181	9.0	20.1	12.7
1996	181	9.0	20.1	12.7
1997	148	8.0	18.5	18.9
1998	106	8.0	13.3	34
1999	144	7.0	20.6	16
2000	151	7.9	19.1	23.2
2001	124	7.0	17.7	14.5
2002	96	6.1	15.7	27.1
2003	96	6.1	15.7	27.1
2004	89	7.0	12.7	33.7
2005	71	7.0	10.1	38
2006	82	6.0	13.7	34.1
2007	79	6.0	13.2	53.2
2008	76	6.0	12.7	51.3
2009	80	6.9	11.6	61.3
2010	77	7.8	9.8	61
2011	74	6.6	11.0	67.6
2012	70	6.0	11.6	72.9
2013	56	6.0	9.3	75
2014	57	6.0	9.5	75.4
2015	52	6.0	8.6	75
2016	44	8.0	5.5	61.4
2017	68	8.0	8.5	51.5
2018	73	6.9	10.5	75.3
2019	85	5.9	14.4	83.5
2020	64	5.9	10.8	73.4
2021	69	5.9	11.6	59.4
2022	73	4.8	15.2	68.5
2023	61	6.9	8.8	80.3
2024	65	5.9	11.0	76.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio WEST Academy Alternative School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	52	3.0	17.3	51.9
1992	90	0.0	0.0	12.2
1993	135	8.0	16.9	13.3
1994	130	8.0	16.3	16.2
1995	181	9.0	20.1	12.7
1996	181	9.0	20.1	12.7
1997	148	8.0	18.5	18.9
1998	106	8.0	13.3	34
1999	144	7.0	20.6	16
2000	151	7.9	19.1	23.2
2001	124	7.0	17.7	14.5
2002	96	6.1	15.7	27.1
2003	96	6.1	15.7	27.1
2004	89	7.0	12.7	33.7
2005	71	7.0	10.1	38
2006	82	6.0	13.7	34.1
2007	79	6.0	13.2	53.2
2008	76	6.0	12.7	51.3
2009	80	6.9	11.6	61.3
2010	77	7.8	9.8	61
2011	74	6.6	11.0	67.6
2012	70	6.0	11.6	72.9
2013	56	6.0	9.3	75
2014	57	6.0	9.5	75.4
2015	52	6.0	8.6	75
2016	44	8.0	5.5	61.4
2017	68	8.0	8.5	51.5
2018	73	6.9	10.5	75.3
2019	85	5.9	14.4	83.5
2020	64	5.9	10.8	73.4
2021	69	5.9	11.6	59.4
2022	73	4.8	15.2	68.5
2023	61	6.9	8.8	80.3
2024	65	5.9	11.0	76.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for WEST Academy Alternative School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$174 (1.1%)	$15,265 (98.9%)	$15,439

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on WEST Academy Alternative School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 324^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 323^rd of 336 High schools	3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (WEST Academy Alternative School)	27.8	52.9	25.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Newton Community School District)	65.8	65.2	0.6%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (WEST Academy Alternative School)	22.2	17.6	4.6%
11th Grade Mathematics (Newton Community School District)	67.8	61.2	6.6%
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	66.9	67.3	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	85	61	28.2%
African American	3	2	33.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	5	5
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	75	50	33.3%
Two or More Races	2	4	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	83.5%	80.3%	3.2%

Schools Near WEST Academy Alternative School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)						ISASP Mathematics (2024)						ISASP Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
WEST Academy Alternative School	Public	10-12	1302 1st Avenue West	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 792-0335	65	6	11.0	76.9%	55 (84.6%)	2 (3.1%)	4 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (6.2%)	0.3	332^nd of 338 public high schools	1.8%		4.7	323^rd of 336 public high schools	3.9%	9						23.1						23.1			$15,439	$174	$15,265
Newton Senior High School	Public	9-12	800 E 4th St S	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 792-5797	798	50	16.0	45.9%	668 (83.7%)	22 (2.8%)	65 (8.1%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (4.8%)	35.5	258^th of 338 public high schools	23.7%		32.3	261^st of 336 public high schools	22.3%	3				64.5	71.4	61.5				58.1	65.1	64.9		58.3	$16,163	$234	$15,929
Colfax-Mingo Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	204 N League Rd	Colfax	50054	Jasper County	Colfax-Mingo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 674-4111	313	26	12.0	41.2%	268 (85.6%)	4 (1.3%)	19 (6.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	17 (5.4%)	39.5	241^st of 338 public high schools	28.7%		33.3	256^th of 336 public high schools	23.8%	15		90.9	80.8	73.7	71.7	72.7		77.3	63.5	60.5	66.0	50.0	67.3	56.6	$13,707	$447	$13,261
Baxter High School	Public	6-12	202 E State	Baxter	50028	Jasper County	Baxter Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 227-3103	261	10	26.2	23.4%	244 (93.5%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (1.9%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.1%)	50.6	190^th of 338 public high schools	43.8%		59.8	134^th of 336 public high schools	60.1%	56	76.7	90.6	86.0	92.6	80.6	71.1	60.5	75.0	74.4	70.4	66.7	47.4	72.1	58.3	$19,126	$217	$18,909
PCM High School	Public	9-12	400 East Highway 163	Monroe	50170	Jasper County	PCM Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 994-8222	344	25	13.7	27.3%	320 (93.0%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (5.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	61.1	141^st of 338 public high schools	58.3%		64.9	109^th of 336 public high schools	67.6%	32				80.2	83.0	68.8				65.4	73.9	71.3		70.5	$13,660	$359	$13,301
Lynnville-Sully High School	Public	9-12	12476 Hwy F62 E	Sully	50251	Jasper County	Lynnville-Sully Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 594-4445	156	11	14.3	19.2%	153 (98.1%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	81.9	26^th of 338 public high schools	92.3%		82	29^th of 336 public high schools	91.4%	3				97.5	80.5	77.4				87.5	85.4	80.6		78.0	$15,419	$151	$15,268
Grinnell Community Senior High School	Public	9-12	1333 Sunset St	Grinnell	50112	Poweshiek County	Grinnell-Newburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 236-2720	486	33	14.9	32.1%	433 (89.1%)	11 (2.3%)	26 (5.3%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.1%)	78.4	39^th of 338 public high schools	88.5%		69.8	86^th of 336 public high schools	74.4%	47				86.8	86.8	75.5				77.4	81.0	78.7		81.1	$14,271	$399	$13,871

Frequently Asked Questions about WEST Academy Alternative School

What district is WEST Academy Alternative School in?

Newton Community School District

What is the racial makeup of WEST Academy Alternative School?

Students at WEST Academy Alternative School are 85% White, 6% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Is WEST Academy Alternative School a good school?

WEST Academy Alternative School ranks in the bottom 1.8% of Iowa high schools.

How many students attend WEST Academy Alternative School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 65 students attended WEST Academy Alternative School.

Rate WEST Academy Alternative School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.