Southwest Public Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Bartley, Nebraska - 2 schools

An equity score of 79/100 ranks Southwest Public Schools #11 of 200 districts in Nebraska (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $19,588 per pupil, Southwest Public Schools ranks #67 of 244 Nebraska districts by per-pupil spending (Nebraska districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

294
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$19,588
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Southwest Public Schools operates 2 public schools serving 294 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Nebraska. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Red Willow County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,588 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 244 Nebraska districts by per-pupil spending. See how Nebraska compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 74.4% local, 12.0% state, and 13.7% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 79/100, ranked #11 of 200 in Nebraska against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 213.5:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 20.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 82.5% White, 11.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Southwest Elementary-Indianola, enrolling 172 students (67% of the district's total enrollment).

Southwest Elementary-Indianola accounts for 58.5% of all Southwest Public Schools student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Southwest Public Schools a distant remainder — means Southwest Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Southwest Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 214:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Southwest Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 20.9% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Southwest Public Schools is typically wider than the Southwest Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

13.7%
Federal
12.0%
State
74.4%
Local

Funding Equity

79
Equity Score
11 / 200
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Southwest Public Schools.

White 82.5%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
African American 1.2%
Multiracial 4.2%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

213.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
20.9%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Southwest Public Schools

School Enrollment
Southwest Elementary-Indianola
172
Southwest Jr/Sr High School
83

How Southwest Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Nebraska districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Burwell Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
East Butler Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Franklin Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dundy Co Stratton Public Schs Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Creighton Community Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Southwest Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Nebraska

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Omaha Public Schools
51,754 students · 111 schools · $14,202/pupil
Compare vs Southwest Public Schools →
Lincoln Public Schools
41,850 students · 76 schools · $12,831/pupil
Compare vs Southwest Public Schools →
Millard Public Schools
23,637 students · 36 schools · $11,075/pupil
Compare vs Southwest Public Schools →
Papillion La Vista Community Schools
12,031 students · 22 schools · $11,412/pupil
Compare vs Southwest Public Schools →
Elkhorn Public Schools
11,319 students · 20 schools · $11,003/pupil
Compare vs Southwest Public Schools →

Compare Southwest Public Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Omaha Public Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Southwest Public Schools?

Southwest Public Schools has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 294 students.

How much does Southwest Public Schools spend per student?

Southwest Public Schools spends $19,588 per student. The district has an equity score of 79/100, ranking #11 in Nebraska.

What is the demographic composition of Southwest Public Schools?

Southwest Public Schools students are 82.5% White, 11.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Southwest Public Schools?

Southwest Public Schools has an equity score of 79/100, ranking #11 out of 200 districts in Nebraska.