- Enrollment
- 2,334
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
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
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-21 students YoY
Southwest Middle School held near 899 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-21 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 46.0 → 52.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-21 students YoY 120015002590 · Palm Bay, FL Middle · MID · TRAD
997 enr · 21.7:1 · 53.0% lunch · RII 29
Nearest enrollment peer: Viera High School (2,334 students)
Southwest Middle School held near 899 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-21 headcount). Teacher FTE added 46.0 → 52.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Southwest Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Viera High Sch
Viera High School
2,334 students
- Melbourne Seni
Melbourne Senior High School
2,210 students
- Bayside High S
Bayside High School
2,122 students
- Heritage High
Heritage High School
1,960 students
- Odyssey Charte
Odyssey Charter School
1,917 students
- This school
Southwest Middle School
997 students
What this shows Southwest Middle School reports 997 students on the CCD universe file.
How Southwest Middle School compares
Southwest Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology
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
$11,100
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $12,081
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.
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
District finance for Brevard reports $11,100 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 2,210
- 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
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~997 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 920 (2022-23) → 899 (2023-24), nearly flat (-21).
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, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.