Enrollment
997
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Palm Bay, FL
Southwest Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120015002590
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Middle School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Florida schools.
- #20 of 20
- public schools in Palm Bay · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.7:1
- large classes for Florida
- 53.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest Middle School has class sizes larger than 84% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle School ranks #20 of 20 public schools in Palm Bay, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.7:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.0%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest Middle School
Southwest Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Palm Bay, Florida, enrolling 997 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 53.0% lands close to the Florida typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 997 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 802 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #594, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and African American (28%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 332 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 604 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 997 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 44 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Brevard also operates Viera High School (2,334 students) and Melbourne Senior High School (2,210 students) alongside Southwest Middle 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 Middle School compares
Southwest Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.7:1 | ▲ 22% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.0% | ▲ 2% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 997 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
997
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 84% in Florida - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
39.8%
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
$10,368
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 332 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
299
in-school suspensions + 305 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 30.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 60.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 44 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 42.1%
African American 28.0%
Hispanic or Latino 19.6%
Two or More 9.0%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 42.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, Southwest Middle School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Brevard, which includes Southwest Middle School.
$10,368
Per student
-7%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.1%
State 37.1%
Federal 17.8%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viera High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Melbourne Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bayside High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heritage High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Odyssey Charter School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,334
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,210
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,960
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,917
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~997 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Southwest Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Brevard'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 School
How many students attend Southwest Middle School?
Southwest Middle School has 997 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Palm Bay, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle School is 21.7:1, which is 22% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest Middle School?
53.0% of students at Southwest Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Middle School is White at 42.1% of enrollment, in Palm Bay, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Middle School?
Southwest Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 School rank among public schools in Palm Bay?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle School ranks #20 of 20 public schools in Palm Bay, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Palm Bay on the city page.
Is Southwest Middle School a good school?
Southwest Middle School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Florida 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 Brevard?
Besides Southwest Middle School, Brevard also operates Viera High School (2,334 students), Melbourne Senior High School (2,210 students), and Bayside High School (2,122 students). See the Brevard 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.