Southwest High

Summary:

Southwest High is a public high school located in El Centro, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,889 students. It is part of the Central Union High School District, which is ranked 808 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Southwest High has shown a mixed performance. While its English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rates are generally on par with or slightly above the state and district averages, its Mathematics proficiency rates are significantly lower, ranging from 17.78% to 25.56% proficient, compared to the state average of 27.9% to 35.54%. The school also has a relatively high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 86.6% to 91.3%, which is higher than the state average, but its dropout rate is also higher, ranging from 7% to 10.1%. Additionally, Southwest High has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 8.4% in 2018-2019 to 25.6% in 2021-2022, which is notably higher than the state and district averages.

When compared to other nearby schools, Southwest High generally performs better than the continuation and virtual schools in the Central Union High School District, such as Desert Oasis High and Mt. Signal Virtual Academy, but lags behind the performance of Calexico High and Imperial High, which are in neighboring Calexico Unified and Imperial Unified districts. The school's challenges may be partly attributed to its high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 75.33% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 2001 Ocotillo Dr.
       El Centro, CA  92243-9451


(760) 336-4100

District: Central Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
750th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,789 Help


Feeder schools for Southwest High:

Elementary:    Dogwood Elementary
    Lincoln Elementary
    Martin Luther King Junior Elementary
    McCabe Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Heber
    Kennedy Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  20.1 Help
Number of students:  1,842

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
95.5%
White:
2.8%
Asian:
1.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  75.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Southwest High ranks better than 67.7% of high schools in California. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the Central Union High School District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Southwest High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (95.5%), White (2.8%), Asian (1.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 75.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southwest High is 20.1. 1 high schools in the Central Union High School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Southwest High employs 91.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southwest High is $13,789, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Central Union High School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southwest High:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest High 750th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Southwest High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Migrant students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Central Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Union High 808th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Southwest High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 35.83 795th 1653 51.9%
2005 44.53 705th 1901 62.9%
2006 47.08 689th 1968 65.0%
2007 43.49 791st 2063 61.7%
2008 40.39 906th 2117 57.2%
2009 44.71 892nd 2238 60.1%
2010 49.49 777th 2281 65.9%
2011 51.48 752nd 2367 68.2%
2012 53.30 708th 2354 69.9%
2013 51.82 742nd 2426 69.4%
2015 52.05 935th 1994 53.1%
2016 58.51 816th 2039 60.0%
2017 63.51 714th 2021 64.7%
2018 56.45 877th 2017 56.5%
2019 56.48 824th 2133 61.4%
2021 58.35 488th 1290 62.2%
2022 64.71 625th 2123 70.6%
2023 56.86 717th 2348 69.5%
2024 55.00 750th 2323 67.7%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.51 200th 938 78.7%
2019 62.09 175th 941 81.4%
2021 36.41 278th 467 40.5%
2022 58.35 221st 1044 78.8%
2023 29.30 840th 1323 36.5%
2024 29.38 865th 1350 35.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.15 913th 1547 41.0%
2024 45.74 579th 1534 62.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.28 717th 1862 61.5%
2019 60.36 673rd 1937 65.3%
2021 53.54 489th 1126 56.6%
2022 66.37 516th 1943 73.4%
2023 60.97 613th 2247 72.7%
2024 56.99 680th 2235 69.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 63.02 27th 89 69.7%
2024 68.19 28th 100 72.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 55.95 182nd 451 59.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.09 900th 1760 48.9%
2019 52.83 782nd 1833 57.3%
2021 52.70 482nd 1054 54.3%
2022 60.55 607th 1858 67.3%
2023 57.00 666th 2118 68.6%
2024 49.97 825th 2098 60.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.50 803rd 1052 23.7%
2019 28.44 804th 1117 28.0%
2021 31.75 382nd 555 31.2%
2022 33.14 736th 1161 36.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.31 774th 1834 57.8%
2019 53.56 784th 1880 58.3%
2021 56.81 438th 1122 61.0%
2022 65.08 559th 1916 70.8%
2023 52.25 759th 2207 65.6%
2024 56.30 667th 2172 69.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.53 595th 1742 65.8%
2019 63.26 572nd 1814 68.5%
2022 77.11 313th 1861 83.2%
2023 68.30 446th 2142 79.2%
2024 63.71 516th 2125 75.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.80 562nd 1173 52.1%
2019 68.33 358th 1222 70.7%
2022 56.22 514th 1204 57.3%
2023 56.21 503rd 1434 64.9%
2024 77.08 198th 1406 85.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Southwest High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Southwest High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1995 234 28 8 956 0 n/a n/a 0 1226
1996 234 28 8 956 0 n/a n/a 0 1226
1997 310 29 25 1281 1 n/a n/a 0 1646
1998 329 24 29 1280 1 n/a n/a 0 1663
1999 304 17 32 1273 3 n/a n/a 0 1629
2000 276 23 39 1361 1 n/a n/a 0 1700
2001 274 24 42 1400 0 n/a n/a 0 1740
2002 242 34 42 1686 2 n/a n/a 1 2007
2003 242 34 42 1686 2 n/a n/a 1 2007
2004 248 34 50 1769 2 n/a n/a 15 2118
2005 248 24 38 1916 2 n/a n/a 15 2243
2006 238 24 38 1876 2 n/a n/a 8 2186
2007 216 17 43 1926 2 n/a n/a 10 2214
2008 202 22 42 1946 3 n/a n/a 0 2215
2009 205 25 42 1985 3 1 18 0 2279
2010 178 18 47 1883 9 4 18 0 2157
2011 153 20 40 1794 6 4 20 0 2037
2012 144 19 52 1851 6 3 13 0 2088
2013 145 15 44 1834 4 6 5 0 2053
2014 119 14 46 1808 5 4 9 0 2005
2015 125 7 46 1871 3 3 2 0 2057
2016 104 13 38 1901 2 2 3 0 2063
2017 102 12 33 1946 1 0 1 0 2095
2018 95 13 26 1987 0 1 39 0 2161
2019 102 12 21 1971 1 1 6 0 2114
2020 110 13 21 1986 1 0 6 0 2137
2021 79 8 19 1877 1 0 3 0 1987
2022 73 6 22 1796 1 1 2 1 1902
2023 63 5 24 1791 1 1 1 3 1889
2024 52 4 21 1759 1 2 1 2 1842

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Southwest High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 1226 53.0 23.1 46.6
1996 1226 53.0 23.1 46.6
1997 1646 65.4 25.2 54.1
1998 1663 72.4 23.0 51.3
1999 1629 77.8 20.9 52.7
2000 1700 77.6 21.9 49.1
2001 1740 84.6 20.6 46.1
2002 2007 89.6 22.4 45.7
2003 2007 89.6 22.4 45.7
2004 2118 84.6 25.0 48.5
2005 2243 89.6 25.0 46.5
2006 2186 89.5 24.4 53.9
2007 2214 90.6 24.4 56.8
2008 2215 107.2 20.7 63.4
2009 2279 93.0 21.5 57.2
2010 2157 96.0 22.4 66.4
2011 2037 n/a n/a 63.3
2012 2088 88.5 23.5 n/a
2013 2053 85.1 24.1 61.8
2014 2005 90.6 22.1 70.7
2015 2057 88.0 23.3 68.8
2016 2063 88.0 23.4 71.4
2017 2095 86.4 24.2 69.1
2018 2161 90.3 23.9 72.5
2019 2114 92.8 22.7 72
2020 2137 n/a n/a 72.8
2021 1987 93.1 21.3 72.4
2022 1902 92.7 20.5 72.6
2023 1889 92.8 20.3 75.3
2024 1842 91.1 20.1 75.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Southwest High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 1226 53.0 23.1 46.6
1996 1226 53.0 23.1 46.6
1997 1646 65.4 25.2 54.1
1998 1663 72.4 23.0 51.3
1999 1629 77.8 20.9 52.7
2000 1700 77.6 21.9 49.1
2001 1740 84.6 20.6 46.1
2002 2007 89.6 22.4 45.7
2003 2007 89.6 22.4 45.7
2004 2118 84.6 25.0 48.5
2005 2243 89.6 25.0 46.5
2006 2186 89.5 24.4 53.9
2007 2214 90.6 24.4 56.8
2008 2215 107.2 20.7 63.4
2009 2279 93.0 21.5 57.2
2010 2157 96.0 22.4 66.4
2011 2037 n/a n/a 63.3
2012 2088 88.5 23.5 n/a
2013 2053 85.1 24.1 61.8
2014 2005 90.6 22.1 70.7
2015 2057 88.0 23.3 68.8
2016 2063 88.0 23.4 71.4
2017 2095 86.4 24.2 69.1
2018 2161 90.3 23.9 72.5
2019 2114 92.8 22.7 72
2020 2137 n/a n/a 72.8
2021 1987 93.1 21.3 72.4
2022 1902 92.7 20.5 72.6
2023 1889 92.8 20.3 75.3
2024 1842 91.1 20.1 75.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Southwest High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $13,789

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southwest High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 824th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 717th of 2348 High schools
 8.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Southwest High)62.654.6
 8%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Central Union High)61.654.9
 6.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Southwest High)24.825.6
 0.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Central Union High)22.620.9
 1.7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Southwest High)16.226.1
 9.8%
   12th Grade Science (Central Union High)16.923.2
 6.3%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students21141889
 10.6%
African American125
 58.3%
American Indian11
Asian2124
 14.3%
Hispanic19711791
 9.1%
Pacific Islander11
White10263
 38.2%
Two or More Races61
 83.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients72%75.3%
 3.3%


Schools Near Southwest High









Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest High

Southwest High ranks 750th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Southwest High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Dogwood Elementary
Elementary : Lincoln Elementary
Elementary : Martin Luther King Junior Elementary
Elementary : McCabe Elementary
Elementary : McKinley Elementary
Elementary : Seeley Elementary
Elementary : Sunflower Elementary
Middle : Heber
Middle : Kennedy Middle

Students at Southwest High are 95% Hispanic, 3% White, 1% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,842 students attended Southwest High.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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