Enrollment
884
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Charlotte, NC
Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370044603504Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of North Carolina schools.
- #55 of 59
- elementary schools in Charlotte · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.6:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 43.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy has class sizes larger than 89% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy ranks #55 of 59 elementary schools in Charlotte, NC.
School address
District: Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy · North Carolina
NCES ID 370044603504 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy
Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy is a large charter elementary school in Charlotte, North Carolina, enrolling 884 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.6:1 is larger than about 89% of North Carolina schools and 24% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 43.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 884 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 404 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #384, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 442 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy spends $9,534 per pupil, 21% below the North Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Charlotte's elementary schools, it stands alongside South Academy of International Languages (1,259 students): Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.6:1 vs 16.4:1).
Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy is a single-school charter district, so Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy compares
Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.6:1 | ▲ 24% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.8% | ▼ 34% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 884 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
884
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 89% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
23.6%
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
$9,534
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 442 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 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 62.7%
Hispanic or Latino 20.0%
Two or More 6.6%
White 5.8%
Asian 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 62.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.7, Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy, which includes Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy.
$9,534
Per student
-21%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.5%
State 58.4%
Federal 14.1%
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.
Similar elementary schools in Charlotte
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
South Academy of International Languages
Standard public school
1,259 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Rea Farms Steam Academy
Standard public school
1,098 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Mallard Creek Stem Academy
Standard public school
961 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Palisades Park Elementary
Standard public school
940 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Unity Classical Charter School
Standard public school
928 students 40.3:1 students per teacher
Collinswood Language Academy
Standard public school
893 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~884 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy's federal record.
- Compare Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy'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 Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy
How many students attend Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy?
Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy has 884 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Charlotte, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy is 19.6:1, which is 24% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy?
43.8% of students at Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy is African American at 62.7% of enrollment, in Charlotte, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy?
Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy rank among elementary schools in Charlotte?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy ranks #55 of 59 elementary schools in Charlotte, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Charlotte on the city page.
Is Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy a good school?
Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of North Carolina 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 Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy?
None; Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy is a single-school charter district, and Southwest Charlotte Stem Academy is its only campus.
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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.