Enrollment
302
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grand Rapids, MI
Southwood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Southwood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 262034005718
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwood Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #23 of 24
- elementary schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.9:1
- students per teacher
- 77.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwood Elementary has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwood Elementary ranks #23 of 24 elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Kentwood Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262034005718 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwood Elementary compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwood Elementary
Southwood Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 302 students.
At 15.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Michigan median, within a few percentage points of the 17.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 77.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 302 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 450 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #393, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1510 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Grand Rapids's elementary schools, it stands alongside River City Scholars Charter Academy (286 students): Southwood Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.9:1 vs 10.2:1).
Kentwood Public Schools also operates East Kentwood High School (2,068 students) and Pinewood Middle School (842 students) alongside Southwood 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 Southwood Elementary compares
Southwood Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.1% | ▲ 42% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 302 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
302
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in Michigan - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
48.7%
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
$13,199
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 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 36.1%
Hispanic or Latino 25.8%
African American 22.5%
Two or More 10.9%
Asian 4.6%
Largest group: White at 36.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.8, Southwood Elementary is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kentwood Public Schools, which includes Southwood Elementary.
$13,199
Per student
-2%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.0%
State 50.9%
Federal 15.0%
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 Southwood Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Kentwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pinewood Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Kentwood Freshman Campus | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Crestwood Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Discovery Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwood Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,068
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 842
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 742
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 700
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 674
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Grand Rapids
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~302 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwood Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Southwood Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Kentwood 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 Southwood Elementary
How many students attend Southwood Elementary?
Southwood Elementary has 302 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwood Elementary is 15.9:1, which is 9% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 1% 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 Southwood Elementary?
77.1% of students at Southwood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Southwood Elementary is White at 36.1% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwood Elementary?
Southwood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (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 Southwood Elementary rank among elementary schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwood Elementary ranks #23 of 24 elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is Southwood Elementary a good school?
Southwood Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan 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 Kentwood Public Schools?
Besides Southwood Elementary, Kentwood Public Schools also operates East Kentwood High School (2,068 students), Pinewood Middle School (842 students), and East Kentwood Freshman Campus (742 students). See the Kentwood 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.