Enrollment
491
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lafayette, IN
Southwestern Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Southwestern Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 181134001832
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 99
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwestern Middle School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Indiana schools.
- #1 of 5
- middle schools in Lafayette · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.5:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 34.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwestern Middle School has class sizes larger than 75% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwestern Middle School ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Lafayette, IN.
School address
District: Tippecanoe School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 181134001832 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.5%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwestern Middle School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwestern Middle School
Southwestern Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Lafayette, Indiana, enrolling 491 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 491 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 524 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #198.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 491 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 0.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Lafayette's middle schools, it stands alongside Lafayette Tecumseh Jr High School (999 students): Southwestern Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.5:1 vs 12.5:1).
Tippecanoe School Corp also operates William Henry Harrison High School (2,194 students) and Mccutcheon High School (1,835 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 Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.5:1 | ▲ 10% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.5% | ▼ 30% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 491 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
491
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in Indiana - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
0.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$10,353
per pupil, district-wide
- below Indiana avg of $12,079
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 491 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 52 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 74.7%
Hispanic or Latino 12.0%
African American 8.1%
Two or More 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 74.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.9, Southwestern Middle School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tippecanoe School Corp, which includes Southwestern Middle School.
$10,353
Per student
-14%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.4%
State 62.3%
Federal 6.3%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Henry Harrison High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mccutcheon High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Klondike Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Burnett Creek Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Battle Ground Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar 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
- 2,194
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,835
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 905
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 778
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 712
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle schools in Lafayette
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Lafayette Tecumseh Jr High School
Standard public school
999 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Wea Ridge Middle School
Standard public school
675 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
East Tipp Middle School
Standard public school
547 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Wainwright Middle School
Standard public school
320 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~491 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwestern Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Southwestern Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Tippecanoe School Corp'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 491 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lafayette, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwestern Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwestern Middle School is 17.5:1, which is 10% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwestern Middle School?
34.5% of students at Southwestern Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwestern Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Southwestern Middle School is White at 74.7% of enrollment, in Lafayette, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwestern Middle School?
Southwestern Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 middle schools in Lafayette?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwestern Middle School ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Lafayette, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Lafayette on the city page.
Is Southwestern Middle School a good school?
Southwestern Middle School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Indiana 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 Tippecanoe School Corp?
Besides Southwestern Middle School, Tippecanoe School Corp also operates William Henry Harrison High School (2,194 students), Mccutcheon High School (1,835 students), and Klondike Elementary School (905 students). See the Tippecanoe School Corp 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.