Enrollment
528
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Savannah, GA
Southwest Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130102002243
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Georgia schools.
- #3 of 7
- middle schools in Savannah · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 72.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest Middle School has class sizes smaller than 94% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle School ranks #3 of 7 middle schools in Savannah, GA.
School address
District: Savannah-Chatham County · Georgia
NCES ID 130102002243 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.9%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest Middle School
Southwest Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Savannah, Georgia, enrolling 528 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10:1, Southwest Middle School is leaner than roughly 94% of Georgia schools and 31% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 528 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 303 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #22, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 176 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 153 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 528 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Savannah's middle schools, it stands alongside The Stem Academy at Bartlett (625 students): Southwest Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10:1 vs 12:1).
Savannah-Chatham County also operates Godley Station School (1,585 students) and Groves High School (1,469 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 Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10:1 | ▼ 31% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.9% | ▲ 20% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 528 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10:1
Leaner classes than 89% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
528
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 6% in Georgia - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
61.4%
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
$14,986
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 176 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
64
in-school suspensions + 89 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 57.8%
Hispanic or Latino 22.0%
White 11.2%
Asian 4.9%
Two or More 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 57.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.1, Southwest Middle School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Savannah-Chatham County, which includes Southwest Middle School.
$14,986
Per student
+8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.2%
State 24.5%
Federal 18.2%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Godley Station School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Groves High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jenkins High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pulaski Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Hampstead High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher 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
- 1,585
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,469
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,265
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,147
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,123
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar middle schools in Savannah
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
The Stem Academy at Bartlett
Standard public school
625 students 12:1 students per teacher
Oglethorpe Charter School
Standard public school
567 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Myers Middle School
Standard public school
503 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Coastal Middle School
Standard public school
486 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
Derenne Middle School
Standard public school
484 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Hubert Middle School
Standard public school
471 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~528 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Southwest Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Savannah-Chatham 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 Middle School
How many students attend Southwest Middle School?
Southwest Middle School has 528 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Savannah, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle School is 10:1, which is 31% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 36% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest Middle School?
72.9% of students at Southwest Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Middle School is African American at 57.8% of enrollment, in Savannah, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Middle School?
Southwest Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 middle schools in Savannah?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle School ranks #3 of 7 middle schools in Savannah, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Savannah on the city page.
Is Southwest Middle School a good school?
Southwest Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of 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 Savannah-Chatham County?
Besides Southwest Middle School, Savannah-Chatham County also operates Godley Station School (1,585 students), Groves High School (1,469 students), and Jenkins High School (1,265 students). See the Savannah-Chatham 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.