Enrollment
860
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Macon, GA
Southwest High School
Federal NCES profile for Southwest High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 130042001944
👥 S:T ratio 34
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Georgia schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia schools.
- #4 of 7
- high schools in Macon · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.5:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest High School has class sizes larger than 80% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest High School ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Macon, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest High School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest High School
Southwest High School is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Macon, Georgia, enrolling 860 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 100.0% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the Georgia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 860 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 320 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #154.
Its student body is predominantly African American (92% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 15/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 287 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 215 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 860 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 24 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Macon's high schools, it stands alongside Howard High School (1,145 students): Southwest High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.5:1 vs 16.4:1).
Bibb County also operates Howard High School (1,145 students) and Westside High School (1,013 students) alongside Southwest High 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 High School compares
Southwest High 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 | 16.5:1 | ▲ 15% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 65% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 860 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
860
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 15% 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
52.6%
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
$14,591
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 287 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
46
in-school suspensions + 169 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 24 expulsions.
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 92.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
White 1.6%
Two or More 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 92.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.9, Southwest High School is less mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bibb County, which includes Southwest High School.
$14,591
Per student
+5%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.9%
State 36.6%
Federal 24.5%
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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Westside High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Howard Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rutland High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Weaver Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,145
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 973
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 921
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 894
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar high schools in Macon
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Howard High School
Standard public school
1,145 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Westside High School
Standard public school
1,013 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Rutland High School
Standard public school
921 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Central High School
Standard public school
892 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Northeast High School
Standard public school
794 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Macon Youth Development Campus
Alternative education program
36 students 5.1:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~860 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest High School's federal record.
- Compare Southwest High School against another school. Compare schools
- Bibb 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 High School
How many students attend Southwest High School?
Southwest High School has 860 students enrolled. It is a high school in Macon, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest High School is 16.5:1, which is 15% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest High School?
100.0% of students at Southwest High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest High School?
The largest demographic group at Southwest High School is African American at 92.1% of enrollment, in Macon, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest High School?
Southwest High School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Southwest High School rank among high schools in Macon?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest High School ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Macon, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Macon on the city page.
Is Southwest High School a good school?
Southwest High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Georgia schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Bibb County?
Besides Southwest High School, Bibb County also operates Howard High School (1,145 students), Westside High School (1,013 students), and Howard Middle School (973 students). See the Bibb 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.