Enrollment
292
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hickory, NC
Southwest Primary
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Primary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370219000949
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Primary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 89% of North Carolina schools.
- #6 of 7
- schools in Hickory · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.7:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 99.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest Primary has class sizes smaller than 89% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Primary ranks #6 of 7 schools in Hickory, NC.
School address
District: Hickory City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370219000949 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest Primary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest Primary
Southwest Primary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hickory, North Carolina, enrolling 292 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.7:1, Southwest Primary is leaner than roughly 89% of North Carolina schools and 26% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 99.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 292 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 325 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #289, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (31%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 76/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 292 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hickory's public schools, it stands alongside Snow Creek Elementary (551 students): Southwest Primary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.7:1 vs 13.8:1).
Hickory City Schools also operates Hickory High (1,024 students) and Viewmont Elementary (509 students) alongside Southwest Primary.
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 Primary compares
Southwest Primary 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 | 11.7:1 | ▼ 26% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.0% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 292 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
292
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above 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
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 11% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
49.3%
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
$11,646
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 292 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 44 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.4 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 31.2%
African American 25.7%
Hispanic or Latino 25.0%
Two or More 9.2%
Asian 7.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 31.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.9, Southwest Primary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hickory City Schools, which includes Southwest Primary.
$11,646
Per student
-3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.9%
State 61.5%
Federal 19.6%
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 Primary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Viewmont Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northview Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grandview Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Oakwood Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest Primary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 481
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Hickory
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Snow Creek Elementary
Standard public school
551 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Viewmont Elementary
Standard public school
509 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Clyde Campbell Elementary
Standard public school
505 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Ray Childers Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Webb a Murray Elementary
Standard public school
380 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Oakwood Elementary
Standard public school
336 students 16:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~292 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest Primary's federal record.
- Compare Southwest Primary against another school. Compare schools
- Hickory City 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 Primary
How many students attend Southwest Primary?
Southwest Primary has 292 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hickory, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest Primary?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest Primary is 11.7:1, which is 26% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 25% 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 Primary?
99.0% of students at Southwest Primary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Primary?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Primary is White at 31.2% of enrollment, in Hickory, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Primary?
Southwest Primary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Primary rank among schools in Hickory?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Primary ranks #6 of 7 schools in Hickory, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hickory on the city page.
Is Southwest Primary a good school?
Southwest Primary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 89% 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 Hickory City Schools?
Besides Southwest Primary, Hickory City Schools also operates Hickory High (1,024 students), Viewmont Elementary (509 students), and Northview Middle (481 students). See the Hickory City 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.