Enrollment
1,205
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Charlotte, NC
Southwest Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370297002678
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of North Carolina schools.
- #18 of 22
- middle schools in Charlotte · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 40.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest Middle School has class sizes larger than 85% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle School ranks #18 of 22 middle schools in Charlotte, NC.
School address
District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370297002678 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest Middle School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest Middle School
Southwest Middle School is a large middle school in Charlotte, North Carolina, enrolling 1,205 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,205 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 237 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #173, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (40%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 301 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 288 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,205 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 Charlotte's middle schools, it stands alongside Community House Middle (1,425 students): Southwest Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.8:1 vs 20.4:1).
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students) and Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 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 North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.8:1 | ▲ 19% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.4% | ▼ 39% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,205 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,205
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 85% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.6%
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
$11,853
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 301 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
96
in-school suspensions + 192 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.9 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 43.5%
Hispanic or Latino 40.2%
White 9.2%
Asian 3.7%
Two or More 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 43.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, Southwest Middle School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which includes Southwest Middle School.
$11,853
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 52.1%
Federal 15.6%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myers Park High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ardrey Kell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| William Amos Hough High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Similar 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
- 3,225
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 3,036
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,534
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,518
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools in Charlotte
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Community House Middle
Standard public school
1,425 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Jay M. Robinson Middle
Standard public school
1,333 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Randolph Middle
Standard public school
1,215 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Alexander Graham Middle
Standard public school
1,187 students 18:1 students per teacher
Piedmont Middle School
Standard public school
1,108 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Quail Hollow Middle
Standard public school
1,090 students 16.5:1 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 (~1,205 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Southwest Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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 School
How many students attend Southwest Middle School?
Southwest Middle School has 1,205 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Charlotte, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle School is 18.8:1, which is 19% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest Middle School?
40.4% of students at Southwest Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Middle School is African American at 43.5% of enrollment, in Charlotte, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Middle School?
Southwest Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical 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 Charlotte?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle School ranks #18 of 22 middle schools in Charlotte, 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 Charlotte on the city page.
Is Southwest Middle School a good school?
Southwest Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools?
Besides Southwest Middle School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students), Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students), and South Mecklenburg High School (2,534 students). See the Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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.