Enrollment
572
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Houma, LA
Southdown Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Southdown Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 220174001366
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southdown Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Louisiana schools.
- #13 of 15
- schools in Houma · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22:1
- large classes for Louisiana
- 76.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Southdown Elementary School has class sizes larger than 92% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southdown Elementary School ranks #13 of 15 schools in Houma, LA.
School address
District: Terrebonne Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220174001366 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.2%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southdown Elementary School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southdown Elementary School
Southdown Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Houma, Louisiana, enrolling 572 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22:1 is larger than about 92% of Louisiana schools and 31% above the 16.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 76.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 572 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Among 317 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Louisiana schools statewide, it ranks #269, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (57%) and White (16%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 572 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Houma's public schools, it stands alongside Mulberry Elementary School (789 students): Southdown Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22:1 vs 21.3:1).
Terrebonne Parish also operates Terrebonne High School (1,346 students) and H. L. Bourgeois High School (1,289 students) alongside Southdown Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Southdown Elementary School compares
Southdown Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22:1 | ▲ 31% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.2% | ▲ 22% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 572 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
572
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% above the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 92% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
25.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,863
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 572 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 56.6%
White 15.9%
Hispanic or Latino 13.1%
Two or More 10.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
Asian 1.0%
Largest group: African American at 56.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.5, Southdown Elementary School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Terrebonne Parish, which includes Southdown Elementary School.
$15,863
Per student
-3%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.6%
State 39.0%
Federal 16.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Southdown Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrebonne High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| H. L. Bourgeois High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Terrebonne High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ellender Memorial High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mulberry Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southdown Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,346
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,289
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 868
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 819
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 789
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Houma
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mulberry Elementary School
Standard public school
789 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Acadian Elementary School
Standard public school
654 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Coteau-Bayou Blue Elementary School
Standard public school
627 students 19:1 students per teacher
Broadmoor Elementary School
Standard public school
587 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Oakshire Elementary School
Standard public school
576 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Lisa Park Elementary School
Standard public school
574 students 20.5:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~572 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southdown Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Southdown Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Terrebonne Parish's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Southdown Elementary School
How many students attend Southdown Elementary School?
Southdown Elementary School has 572 students enrolled. It is a public school in Houma, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southdown Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southdown Elementary School is 22:1, which is 31% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 40% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southdown Elementary School?
76.2% of students at Southdown Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southdown Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Southdown Elementary School is African American at 56.6% of enrollment, in Houma, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southdown Elementary School?
Southdown Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Southdown Elementary School rank among schools in Houma?
By Resource Investment Index, Southdown Elementary School ranks #13 of 15 schools in Houma, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Houma on the city page.
Is Southdown Elementary School a good school?
Southdown Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Louisiana schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Terrebonne Parish?
Besides Southdown Elementary School, Terrebonne Parish also operates Terrebonne High School (1,346 students), H. L. Bourgeois High School (1,289 students), and South Terrebonne High School (868 students). See the Terrebonne Parish district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.