- Enrollment
- 1,372
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cedar City, UT
Southwest Educational Academy
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Educational Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 490039000872
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Educational Academy earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. It is also one of the largest schools in Utah.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Cedar City · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.6%
- free-lunch eligible
- 4,239
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Educational Academy ranks #1 of 3 schools in Cedar City, UT.
School address
District: Iron District · Utah
NCES ID 490039000872 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+2,184 students YoY
Southwest Educational Academy grew from 2,585 students in 2022-23 to 4,769 in 2023-24 (+84.5%).
Teacher FTE added 18.5 → 19.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+2,184 students YoY 490039000872 · Cedar City, UT Other · LARGE · TRAD
4,239 enr · 22.6% lunch · RII 34
Nearest enrollment peer: Cedar City High (1,372 students)
Southwest Educational Academy grew from 2,585 students in 2022-23 to 4,769 in 2023-24 (+84.5%). Teacher FTE added 18.5 → 19.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Utah schools → · Find another →
Southwest Educational Academy in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Southwest Educational Academy
4,239 students
- Cedar City Hig 1,372
Cedar City High
1,372 students
- Cedar Middle 1,139
Cedar Middle
1,139 students
- Canyon View Hi 1,021
Canyon View High
1,021 students
- Canyon View Mi 948
Canyon View Middle
948 students
- Three Peaks Sc 646
Three Peaks School
646 students
What this shows Southwest Educational Academy reports 4,239 students on the CCD universe file.
How Southwest Educational Academy compares
Southwest Educational Academy is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Utah and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Utah | Utah avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.6% | ▼ 19% | 28.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 4,239 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
4,239
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
22.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the Utah average of 28.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Engagement
11.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$8,643
per pupil, district-wide
- below Utah avg of $10,678
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 2120 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 88.8%
Hispanic or Latino 6.3%
Asian 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
African American 1.0%
Two or More 0.4%
Largest group: White at 88.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.7, Southwest Educational Academy is less mixed than the Utah school average of 40.9.
Programs
District finance for Iron District reports $8,643 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Southwest Educational Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar City High | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Cedar Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Canyon View High | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Canyon View Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Three Peaks School | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest Educational Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,139
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,021
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 948
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Frequently asked questions about Southwest Educational Academy
How many students attend Southwest Educational Academy?
Southwest Educational Academy has 4,239 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Cedar City, UT. CCD year-over-year: 2,585 (2022-23) → 4,769 (2023-24), up 2,184.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest Educational Academy?
22.6% of students at Southwest Educational Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Utah average of 28.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Educational Academy?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Educational Academy is White at 88.8% of enrollment, in Cedar City, UT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Educational Academy?
Southwest Educational Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Southwest Educational Academy rank among schools in Cedar City?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Educational Academy ranks #1 of 3 schools in Cedar City, UT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cedar City on the city page.
What other schools are in Iron District?
Besides Southwest Educational Academy, Iron District also operates Cedar City High (1,372 students), Cedar Middle (1,139 students), and Canyon View High (1,021 students). See the Iron District district page for the complete list.