Enrollment
769
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Savannah, GA
Southwest Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130102002302
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Georgia schools.
- #20 of 26
- schools in Savannah · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 65.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest Elementary School has class sizes larger than 80% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Elementary School ranks #20 of 26 schools in Savannah, GA.
School address
District: Savannah-Chatham County · Georgia
NCES ID 130102002302 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.7%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest Elementary School
Southwest Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Savannah, Georgia, enrolling 769 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 65.7% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 769 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 329 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #194.
Its student body is led by African American (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 385 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Savannah's public schools, it stands alongside Godley Station School (1,585 students): Southwest Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.4:1 vs 20.3:1).
Savannah-Chatham County also operates Godley Station School (1,585 students) and Groves High School (1,469 students) alongside Southwest 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 Southwest Elementary School compares
Southwest Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.4:1 | ▲ 14% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.7% | ▲ 8% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 769 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
769
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 80% in Georgia - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.2%
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
$14,986
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 385 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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 49.0%
Hispanic or Latino 26.7%
White 11.1%
Two or More 8.5%
Asian 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 49.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.8, Southwest Elementary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Savannah-Chatham County, which includes Southwest Elementary School.
$14,986
Per student
+8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.2%
State 24.5%
Federal 18.2%
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 Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Godley Station School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Groves High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jenkins High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pulaski Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Hampstead High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,585
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,469
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,265
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,147
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,123
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Savannah
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Godley Station School
Standard public school
1,585 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Pulaski Elementary School
Standard public school
1,147 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Hesse School
Standard public school
996 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts
Standard public school
770 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
White Bluff Elementary School
Standard public school
701 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Windsor Forest Elementary School
Standard public school
656 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~769 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Southwest Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Savannah-Chatham County'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 Elementary School
How many students attend Southwest Elementary School?
Southwest Elementary School has 769 students enrolled. It is a public school in Savannah, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest Elementary School is 16.4:1, which is 14% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest Elementary School?
65.7% of students at Southwest Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Elementary School is African American at 49.0% of enrollment, in Savannah, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Elementary School?
Southwest Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Elementary School rank among schools in Savannah?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Elementary School ranks #20 of 26 schools in Savannah, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Savannah on the city page.
Is Southwest Elementary School a good school?
Southwest Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Georgia 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 Savannah-Chatham County?
Besides Southwest Elementary School, Savannah-Chatham County also operates Godley Station School (1,585 students), Groves High School (1,469 students), and Jenkins High School (1,265 students). See the Savannah-Chatham County 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.