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Wichita Alternative High

Public Grades 9-12

330^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 332 Kansas High Schools

Better than 1% of Kansas high schools

Summary

Wichita Alternative High is a public high school in Wichita, Kansas, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 266 students. The school is part of the Wichita school district, which is ranked 245 out of 264 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Wichita Alternative High has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing high schools in Kansas, with extremely low proficiency rates on state assessments, fluctuating graduation rates, and high dropout and chronic absenteeism rates. The school serves a high-need student population, with 84.21% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite higher per-student spending and a relatively low student-teacher ratio, the school has struggled to improve student outcomes, indicating the need for a comprehensive review of its educational strategies and resource allocation.

In comparison, the nearby high schools, such as Northwest High, Southeast High, and Northeast Magnet High School, generally outperform Wichita Alternative High across a range of metrics, including academic achievement, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism. These schools serve student populations with lower percentages of low-income students, which may contribute to their stronger performance.

133

Students ?

12.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,302

Per pupil spending ?

91%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1847 N Chautauqua
Wichita, KS 67214

(316) 973-0500

District: Wichita

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

35.3%

White:

30.8%

African American:

25.6%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 3rd percentile in 2012 → 1st in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Kansas average (6% vs 42% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!Graduation rate below the Kansas average (50% vs 90%)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school6%

District avg24%

Kansas avg42%

330^th of 332

Kansas public high schools ?

Bottom 1%▼ down 2 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Kansas High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

9^th of 9High Schools in the Wichita

245^th of 264Wichita among Kansas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2025	2.4	330 of 332	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	2.6	317 of 318	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.8	304 of 327	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	7.2	307 of 320	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	8.4	311 of 325	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	5.0	310 of 314	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	4.4	305 of 313	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	5.7	317 of 326	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	0.2	318 of 323	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	3.3	308 of 317	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	0.0	298 of 298	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	0.1	300 of 302	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	0.8	284 of 291	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	0.6	275 of 280	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2025	4.1	241 of 246	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.3	246 of 249	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	25.0	206 of 250	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.9	201 of 213	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	8.8	227 of 229	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.4	217 of 228	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2018	9.0	235 of 248	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2023	20.8	271 of 309	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2023)12th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2018)5th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)2nd percentile~ school

By subject vs Kansas (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts11%-33 vs state

Mathematics0%-39 vs state

4.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a student
Sunday, September 25, 2011

I went to Metro Boulevard HS from about 1996-1997. The school was the best thing for me when I was attending high school. At the time, I was able to work at my own pace, which was a great thing when I ended up in the hospital for a month, and I had the ability to not fall behind in my classes. I reflect back and realized I had teachers who enabled learning mechanisms, you would not find that at the regular high schools in Wichita.

After attending NE Magnet for the art program and Southeast (which was a complete and utter disaster for me), this school was the best high school for me. I loved the fact that I didn't have to go to a regular high school where I was in fear for my safety, Metro is and was a school I could go to where I felt safe, if you fought, you got kicked out of school. Metro also has a very low student to teacher ratio that really gives the student the ability to learn.

This type of school was a right fit for me, I still look back over 10+ years and think what a blessing it was for me to have an opportunity to go to attend a school like this. Amazing! Also, I have a bachelors in business now, and I am working on my masters in adult learning, I value education and I am very thankful that there is a school like this as an alternative to the "regular" high schools in Wichita. Close Quote

Schools Near Wichita Alternative High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				KAP English Language Arts (2025)		KAP Mathematics (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	KAP English Language Arts All Grades	KAP Mathematics 10th Grade	KAP Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Wichita Alternative High	Public	9-12	1847 N Chautauqua	Wichita	67214	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	No	No	No	(316) 973-0500	133	11	12.6	91.0%	41 (30.8%)	34 (25.6%)	47 (35.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	1 (0.8%)	9 (6.8%)	2.4	330^th of 332 public high schools	0.6%		2.6	317^th of 318 public high schools	0.3%	13	11.1	11.1	0.0	0.0	$22,302	$3,796	$18,506
East High	Public	9-12	2301 E Douglas	Wichita	67211	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	No	No	No	(316) 973-7200	2,435	147	16.6	78.2%	549 (22.5%)	504 (20.7%)	924 (37.9%)	269 (11.0%)	9 (0.4%)	9 (0.4%)	171 (7.0%)	24.7	262^nd of 332 public high schools	21.1%		22.8	265^th of 318 public high schools	16.7%	3	30.7	30.7	19.4	19.4	$13,060	$1,612	$11,448
North High	Public	9-12	1437 Rochester	Wichita	67203	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	No	No	No	(316) 973-6300	2,041	127	16.0	86.2%	311 (15.2%)	128 (6.3%)	1,486 (72.8%)	34 (1.7%)	7 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	73 (3.6%)	13.6	300^th of 332 public high schools	9.6%		10.1	300^th of 318 public high schools	5.7%		22.1	22.1	16.4	16.4	$12,739	$1,227	$11,512
Chisholm Life Skills Center	Public	12	2515 E Osie	Wichita	67211	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	No	No	No	(316) 973-9500	96	10	9.6	85.4%	37 (38.5%)	11 (11.5%)	24 (25.0%)	5 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (19.8%)								(n/a)					$35,302	$7,596	$27,705
West High	Public	9-12	820 S Osage	Wichita	67213	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	No	No	No	(316) 973-3600	1,306	91	14.3	88.9%	376 (28.8%)	214 (16.4%)	581 (44.5%)	9 (0.7%)	14 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	111 (8.5%)	9.7	311^th of 332 public high schools	6.3%		7.1	307^th of 318 public high schools	3.5%	4	22.6	22.6	7.6	7.6	$14,448	$1,710	$12,738
Heights High	Public	9-12	5301 N Hillside	Wichita	67219	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	No	No	No	(316) 973-1400	1,505	88	17.1	74.9%	457 (30.4%)	557 (37.0%)	316 (21.0%)	41 (2.7%)	14 (0.9%)	5 (0.3%)	115 (7.6%)	13.2	302^nd of 332 public high schools	9.0%		8.7	304^th of 318 public high schools	4.4%	2	22.5	22.5	15.1	15.1	$14,262	$1,668	$12,594
Sowers Alternative High School	Public	9-12	2400 Wassall St	Wichita	67216	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	No	No	No	(316) 973-1600	60	15	4.0	95.0%	23 (38.3%)	19 (31.7%)	9 (15.0%)	1 (1.7%)	2 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (10.0%)								(n/a)					$55,972	$10,484	$45,487
Northeast Magnet High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	5550 N Lycee	Bel Aire	67226	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	Yes	No	No	(316) 973-2300	686	51	13.5	60.1%	256 (37.3%)	189 (27.6%)	137 (20.0%)	44 (6.4%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	52 (7.6%)	53.1	141^st of 332 public high schools	57.5%		41	199^th of 318 public high schools	37.4%	58	43.9	43.9	29.7	29.7	$16,030	$1,638	$14,392
South High	Public	9-12	701 W 33rd S	Wichita	67217	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	No	No	No	(316) 973-5450	1,662	116	14.3	87.5%	534 (32.1%)	325 (19.6%)	599 (36.0%)	47 (2.8%)	21 (1.3%)	6 (0.4%)	130 (7.8%)	11.9	305^th of 332 public high schools	8.1%		8.2	305^th of 318 public high schools	4.1%		24.6	24.6	8.8	8.8	$15,012	$1,699	$13,313
Northwest High	Public	9-12	1220 N Tyler Rd	Wichita	67212	Sedgwick County	Wichita	No	No	No	No	(316) 973-6000	1,424	88	16.1	61.7%	683 (48.0%)	220 (15.4%)	368 (25.8%)	24 (1.7%)	8 (0.6%)	2 (0.1%)	119 (8.4%)	41.1	200^th of 332 public high schools	39.8%		33.1	232^nd of 318 public high schools	27.0%	32	38.3	38.3	25.8	25.8	$13,962	$1,794	$12,168

Frequently Asked Questions about Wichita Alternative High

How many students attend Wichita Alternative High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 133 students attended Wichita Alternative High.

What is the racial makeup of Wichita Alternative High?

Students at Wichita Alternative High are 35% Hispanic, 31% White, 26% African American, 7% Two or more races.

What district is Wichita Alternative High in?

Wichita

Is Wichita Alternative High a good school?

Wichita Alternative High ranks in the bottom 0.6% of Kansas high schools.

What schools feed into Wichita Alternative High?

Rate Wichita Alternative High!

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