Enrollment
664
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Deland, FL
Southwestern Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Southwestern 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 120192002009
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwestern Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #4 of 11
- public schools in Deland · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17:1
- students per teacher
- 61.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwestern Middle School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwestern Middle School ranks #4 of 11 public schools in Deland, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.7%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwestern Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwestern Middle School
Southwestern Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Deland, Florida, enrolling 664 students.
At 17:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 61.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 664 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 1,063 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #466.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 332 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 270 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 664 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Volusia also operates Deland High School (2,936 students) and University High School (2,855 students) alongside Southwestern 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 Southwestern Middle School compares
Southwestern Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17:1 | ▼ 4% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.7% | ▲ 19% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 664 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
664
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 55% in Florida - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.4%
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
$9,863
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 332 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
101
in-school suspensions + 169 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 40.7 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 45.3%
Hispanic or Latino 25.6%
African American 21.4%
Two or More 4.1%
Asian 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 45.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, Southwestern Middle School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Volusia, which includes Southwestern Middle School.
$9,863
Per student
-12%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.1%
State 34.5%
Federal 18.5%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deland High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| University High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spruce Creek High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mainland High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Deltona High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwestern Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,936
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,855
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,576
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,964
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,716
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~664 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwestern Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Southwestern Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Volusia'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 Middle School
How many students attend Southwestern Middle School?
Southwestern Middle School has 664 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Deland, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwestern Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwestern Middle School is 17:1, which is 4% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 8% higher 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 Middle School?
61.7% of students at Southwestern Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwestern Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Southwestern Middle School is White at 45.3% of enrollment, in Deland, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwestern Middle School?
Southwestern 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 Southwestern Middle School rank among public schools in Deland?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwestern Middle School ranks #4 of 11 public schools in Deland, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Deland on the city page.
Is Southwestern Middle School a good school?
Southwestern Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida 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 Volusia?
Besides Southwestern Middle School, Volusia also operates Deland High School (2,936 students), University High School (2,855 students), and Spruce Creek High School (2,576 students). See the Volusia 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.