Enrollment
579
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Suffolk, VA
Southwestern Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Southwestern Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510371001629
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwestern Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Virginia schools.
- #7 of 11
- schools in Suffolk · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 64.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwestern Elementary has class sizes larger than 83% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwestern Elementary ranks #7 of 11 schools in Suffolk, VA.
School address
District: Suffolk City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510371001629 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+11% 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 higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Suffolk, Virginia, enrolling 579 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.0% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 579 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.
Among 224 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #194, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 579 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Suffolk's public schools, it stands alongside Florence Bowser Elementary (926 students): Southwestern Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.1:1 vs 19.3:1).
Suffolk City Public Schools also operates King's Fork High (1,686 students) and Nansemond River High (1,683 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 | 16.1:1 | ▲ 16% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.0% | ▲ 11% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 579 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
579
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 83% in Virginia - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,163
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
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 579 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
25
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.6 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 56.0%
African American 26.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 56.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.3, Southwestern Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Suffolk City Public Schools, which includes Southwestern Elementary.
$13,163
Per student
-10%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.0%
State 47.5%
Federal 12.5%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| King's Fork High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nansemond River High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakeland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| King's Fork Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Florence Bowser Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher 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
- 1,686
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,683
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,045
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 986
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 926
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Suffolk
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Florence Bowser Elementary
Standard public school
926 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Northern Shores Elementary
Standard public school
798 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Hillpoint Elementary
Standard public school
780 students 17:1 students per teacher
Creekside Elementary
Standard public school
764 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Mack Benn Jr. Elementary
Standard public school
713 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Elephant's Fork Elementary
Standard public school
653 students 16.7:1 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 (~579 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwestern Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Southwestern Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Suffolk 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 579 students enrolled. It is a public school in Suffolk, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwestern Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwestern Elementary is 16.1:1, which is 16% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwestern Elementary?
64.0% 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 White at 56.0% of enrollment, in Suffolk, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwestern Elementary?
Southwestern Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Suffolk?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwestern Elementary ranks #7 of 11 schools in Suffolk, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Suffolk on the city page.
Is Southwestern Elementary a good school?
Southwestern Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Virginia 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 Suffolk City Public Schools?
Besides Southwestern Elementary, Suffolk City Public Schools also operates King's Fork High (1,686 students), Nansemond River High (1,683 students), and Lakeland High (1,045 students). See the Suffolk 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.