Enrollment
549
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chesapeake, VA
Southwestern Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Southwestern Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510081000308
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwestern Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #7 of 20
- schools in Chesapeake · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 90.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwestern Elementary has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwestern Elementary ranks #7 of 20 schools in Chesapeake, VA.
School address
District: Chesapeake City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510081000308 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
90.8%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwestern Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwestern Elementary
Southwestern Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Chesapeake, Virginia, enrolling 549 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Virginia median, within a few percentage points of the 13.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 90.8% of students qualify for free meals, 58% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 549 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 379 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #240.
Its student body is led by African American (70%) and White (13%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 343 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Chesapeake's public schools, it stands alongside Grassfield Elementary (1,306 students): Southwestern Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.4:1 vs 18.1:1).
Chesapeake City Public Schools also operates Grassfield High (2,345 students) and Oscar F. Smith High (2,264 students) alongside Southwestern Elementary.
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 Southwestern Elementary compares
Southwestern Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.4:1 | ▼ 4% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 90.8% | ▲ 58% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 549 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
549
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
90.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 44% in Virginia - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.0%
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
$13,740
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.6 FTE
Per 343 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 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 69.8%
White 12.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.7%
Two or More 6.0%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 69.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.2, Southwestern Elementary is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chesapeake City Public Schools, which includes Southwestern Elementary.
$13,740
Per student
-6%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.1%
State 42.6%
Federal 10.3%
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 Southwestern Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grassfield High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Oscar F. Smith High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Western Branch High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Deep Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indian River High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwestern Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,345
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 2,264
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,138
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,691
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 1,634
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar other schools in Chesapeake
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Grassfield Elementary
Standard public school
1,306 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Cedar Road Elementary
Standard public school
988 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Deep Creek Central Elementary
Standard public school
888 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Southeastern Elementary
Standard public school
828 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
B.M. Williams Primary
Standard public school
825 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Georgetown Primary
Standard public school
804 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~549 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwestern Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Southwestern Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chesapeake City Public 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 Southwestern Elementary
How many students attend Southwestern Elementary?
Southwestern Elementary has 549 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chesapeake, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwestern Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwestern Elementary is 13.4:1, which is 4% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 15% 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 Southwestern Elementary?
90.8% of students at Southwestern Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwestern Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Southwestern Elementary is African American at 69.8% of enrollment, in Chesapeake, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwestern Elementary?
Southwestern Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Southwestern Elementary rank among schools in Chesapeake?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwestern Elementary ranks #7 of 20 schools in Chesapeake, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chesapeake on the city page.
Is Southwestern Elementary a good school?
Southwestern Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median. 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 Chesapeake City Public Schools?
Besides Southwestern Elementary, Chesapeake City Public Schools also operates Grassfield High (2,345 students), Oscar F. Smith High (2,264 students), and Western Branch High (2,138 students). See the Chesapeake City Public 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.