Enrollment
510
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Jacksonville, NC
Southwest Middle
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370345002273
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Middle earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools.
- #5 of 5
- middle schools in Jacksonville · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.6:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 57.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest Middle has class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Jacksonville, NC.
School address
District: Onslow County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370345002273 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest Middle
Southwest Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Jacksonville, North Carolina, enrolling 510 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.6:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 57.9% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 510 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 487 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #477, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 510 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 226 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 510 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Jacksonville's middle schools, it stands alongside Jacksonville Commons Middle (918 students): Southwest Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.6:1 vs 15.6:1).
Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students) and White Oak High (1,252 students) alongside Southwest Middle.
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 Middle compares
Southwest Middle on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.6:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.9% | ▼ 12% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 510 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
510
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 77% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
40.4%
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
$10,680
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
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 510 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
130
in-school suspensions + 96 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 25.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 44.3 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
White 53.5%
Hispanic or Latino 20.8%
African American 14.7%
Two or More 9.2%
Asian 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 53.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.0, Southwest Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Onslow County Schools, which includes Southwest Middle.
$10,680
Per student
-11%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.1%
State 57.2%
Federal 21.7%
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 Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| White Oak High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Swansboro High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dixon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northside High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,441
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,232
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle schools in Jacksonville
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Jacksonville Commons Middle
Standard public school
918 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Hunters Creek Middle
Standard public school
856 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Northwoods Park Middle
Standard public school
633 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
New Bridge Middle
Standard public school
482 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~510 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest Middle's federal record.
- Compare Southwest Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Onslow County 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 Middle
How many students attend Southwest Middle?
Southwest Middle has 510 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Jacksonville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle is 17.6:1, which is 11% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest Middle?
57.9% of students at Southwest Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Middle?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Middle is White at 53.5% of enrollment, in Jacksonville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Middle?
Southwest Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Middle rank among middle schools in Jacksonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Jacksonville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Jacksonville on the city page.
Is Southwest Middle a good school?
Southwest Middle earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina 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 Onslow County Schools?
Besides Southwest Middle, Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students), White Oak High (1,252 students), and Swansboro High (1,232 students). See the Onslow County 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.