Enrollment
390
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lebanon, PA
Southwest El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Southwest El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 421344002743
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest El Sch earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Lebanon · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 81.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest El Sch has class sizes larger than 81% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest El Sch ranks #1 of 5 schools in Lebanon, PA.
School address
District: Lebanon Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421344002743 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.2%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest El Sch
Southwest El Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, enrolling 390 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 81.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 390 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 115 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #75.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (75%) and White (18%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 390 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Lebanon Sd spends $13,191 per pupil, 27% below the Pennsylvania average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Lebanon's public schools, it stands alongside Northwest El Sch (557 students): Southwest El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.6:1 vs 13.3:1).
Lebanon Sd also operates Lebanon Shs (1,393 students) and Northwest El Sch (557 students) alongside Southwest El Sch.
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 El Sch compares
Southwest El Sch on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.6:1 | ▲ 15% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.2% | ▲ 40% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 390 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
390
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% above the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 81% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.7%
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
$13,191
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 390 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 74.6%
White 17.9%
Two or More 4.6%
African American 2.6%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 74.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.9, Southwest El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lebanon Sd, which includes Southwest El Sch.
$13,191
Per student
-27%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.2%
State 60.8%
Federal 13.0%
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 Southwest El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon Shs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harding El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southeast El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lebanon Ms | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,393
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 557
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 555
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 380
- Students per teacher
- 5.2:1
- Resource Index
- 75/100
Similar other schools in Lebanon
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Northwest El Sch
Standard public school
557 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Harding El Sch
Standard public school
555 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Southeast El Sch
Standard public school
438 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Houck El Sch
Standard public school
348 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Pennsylvania, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~390 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Southwest El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Lebanon Sd'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 El Sch
How many students attend Southwest El Sch?
Southwest El Sch has 390 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lebanon, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest El Sch is 15.6:1, which is 15% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest El Sch?
81.2% of students at Southwest El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Southwest El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 74.6% of enrollment, in Lebanon, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest El Sch?
Southwest El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical 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 El Sch rank among schools in Lebanon?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest El Sch ranks #1 of 5 schools in Lebanon, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lebanon on the city page.
Is Southwest El Sch a good school?
Southwest El Sch earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Pennsylvania 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 Lebanon Sd?
Besides Southwest El Sch, Lebanon Sd also operates Lebanon Shs (1,393 students), Northwest El Sch (557 students), and Harding El Sch (555 students). See the Lebanon Sd 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.