Enrollment
2,110
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Lincoln, NE
Southwest High School
Federal NCES profile for Southwest High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 317284001033
👥 S:T ratio 22
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest High School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Nebraska schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Nebraska.
- #4 of 8
- high schools in Lincoln · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.4:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 20.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest High School has class sizes larger than 94% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest High School ranks #4 of 8 high schools in Lincoln, NE.
School address
District: Lincoln Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317284001033 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
109.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.4:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.1%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest High School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest High School
Southwest High School is a large high school in Lincoln, Nebraska, enrolling 2,110 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.4:1 is larger than about 94% of Nebraska schools and 44% above the 13.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Nebraska, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,110 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (11%) (diversity index 44/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 352 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Lincoln Public Schools spends $12,831 per pupil, 27% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 10 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Lincoln Public Schools also operates Lincoln High School (2,086 students) and Lincoln East High School (1,982 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 Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.4:1 | ▲ 44% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.1% | ▼ 35% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,110 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,110
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% below the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 94% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.1%
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
$12,831
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 352 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
164
in-school suspensions + 134 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 10 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
White 73.3%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
Two or More 7.4%
African American 4.8%
Asian 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 73.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.2, Southwest High School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lincoln Public Schools, which includes Southwest High School.
$12,831
Per student
-27%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.5%
State 30.0%
Federal 12.5%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln East High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Star High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Southeast High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Northeast High School | Similar size | Higher 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
- 2,086
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 1,982
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,927
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,848
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,819
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,110 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest High School's federal record.
- Compare Southwest High School against another school. Compare schools
- Lincoln Public Schools'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 2,110 students enrolled. It is a high school in Lincoln, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest High School is 19.4:1, which is 44% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest High School?
20.1% of students at Southwest High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest High School?
The largest demographic group at Southwest High School is White at 73.3% of enrollment, in Lincoln, NE.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest High School?
Southwest High School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Lincoln?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest High School ranks #4 of 8 high schools in Lincoln, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Lincoln on the city page.
Is Southwest High School a good school?
Southwest High School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Nebraska schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Nebraska. 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 Lincoln Public Schools?
Besides Southwest High School, Lincoln Public Schools also operates Lincoln High School (2,086 students), Lincoln East High School (1,982 students), and North Star High School (1,927 students). See the Lincoln Public Schools 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.