West Side Leadership Academy

1,013 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

West Side Leadership Academy (WSLA), located at 9th and Gerry Street in Gary, Indiana, is the flagship high school of the Gary Community School Corporation. Serving as the primary secondary institution for the city, the school operates with a mission to prepare students for success in college, careers, and the modern workforce. The campus is designed to provide a comprehensive educational experience, offering a blend of core academic curriculum, specialized vocational training, and extracurricular programming aimed at fostering leadership and community engagement among its diverse student body.

In recent years, WSLA has been a central focus of the district’s efforts to revitalize public education in Gary. The school emphasizes a structured learning environment that integrates technology and career-readiness initiatives, often collaborating with local partners to provide students with real-world exposure to various industries. By focusing on academic rigor and personal development, West Side Leadership Academy serves as a critical pillar for the youth of Gary, striving to overcome historical challenges by equipping the next generation of residents with the skills necessary to excel in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

1,013

Total Students

49.0

Full-Time Teachers

20.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

76.1%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for West Side Leadership Academy
Demographic	Student Count
White	12
Hispanic	44
Black	910
Two or More	47

Black
910 (89.8 %)
Two or More
47 (4.6 %)
Hispanic
44 (4.3 %)
White
12 (1.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Gary Community School Corp
Phone:	(219)413-9870
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	1,013
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	49.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	20.7
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	749
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	22

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 9 269

Grade 10 270

Grade 11 230

Grade 12 240

Ungraded 4