Is Southwest Baltimore Charter School a good school?

Southwest Baltimore Charter School ranks in the bottom 3.5% of Maryland elementary schools.

How many students attend Southwest Baltimore Charter School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 373 students attended Southwest Baltimore Charter School.

What is the racial makeup of Southwest Baltimore Charter School?

Students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School are 80% African American, 7% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 5% White, 2% Asian.

Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Summary:

Southwest Baltimore Charter School is an elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the Baltimore City Public Schools district, with a student population of 396 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school's student body is predominantly African American (80.05%), with smaller percentages of other racial groups.

Despite the school's relatively small class sizes and high per-student spending, Southwest Baltimore Charter School consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Maryland, with academic performance significantly below the Baltimore City and Maryland state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. The school's high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 80.56% to 82.83% over the past three school years, indicates a high concentration of economically disadvantaged students, which may be a contributing factor to the school's low academic performance.

When compared to nearby schools in the same district, such as Franklin Square Elementary/Middle, Southwest Baltimore Charter School's academic performance is consistently lower across all grade levels and subject areas. Despite the school's high per-student spending and small class sizes, its academic performance has not shown significant improvement over the past several years, suggesting a need for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the educational challenges faced by the school and its student population.

Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-8

1300 Herkimer Street
Baltimore, MD 21223

(443) 984-3385

District: Baltimore City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
829^th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $30,381

Student/teacher ratio: 13.8

Number of students: 373

Racial breakdown:

African American:

79.6%

Hispanic:

6.7%

Two or more races:

6.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 84.2%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Southwest Baltimore Charter School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Southwest Baltimore Charter School ranks worse than 96.5% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 82^nd among 101 ranked elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.22. (See more...)

Compare Details Southwest Baltimore Charter School ranks worse than 86.3% of middle schools in Maryland. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.86. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (79.6%), Hispanic (6.7%), two or more races (6.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 84.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southwest Baltimore Charter School is 13.8, which is the 42^nd best among 101 elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Southwest Baltimore Charter School employs 27 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southwest Baltimore Charter School is $30,381, which is the 6^th highest among 101 elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Southwest Baltimore Charter School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Baltimore Charter School 283^rd of 328 Maryland public middle schools. (See Southwest Baltimore Charter School in the ranking list.)

Baltimore City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Baltimore City Public Schools 24^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Southwest Baltimore Charter School.

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Rank History for Southwest Baltimore Charter School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2009	34.39	632^nd	850	25.6%
2010	23.32	737^th	855	13.8%
2011	9.52	801^st	853	6.1%
2012	9.38	796^th	857	7.1%
2013	11.30	794^th	847	6.3%
2014	20.44	739^th	867	14.8%
2015	16.77	735^th	859	14.4%
2016	12.72	769^th	845	9.0%
2017	10.87	785^th	847	7.3%
2018	17.39	711^th	857	17.0%
2019	8.99	808^th	853	5.3%
2021	8.96	797^th	802	0.6%
2022	10.30	825^th	862	4.3%
2023	5.68	848^th	855	0.8%
2024	9.22	829^th	859	3.5%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	8.96	786^th	796	1.3%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	11.37	769^th	788	2.4%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Male Students!

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

Rank History for Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile
2012	9.92	290^th	314	7.6%
2013	27.03	240^th	316	24.1%
2014	24.65	256^th	339	24.5%
2015	23.17	243^rd	315	22.9%
2016	12.49	281^st	314	10.5%
2017	14.33	281^st	317	11.4%
2018	20.30	256^th	328	22.0%
2019	20.73	243^rd	316	23.1%
2021	10.45	282^nd	303	6.9%
2022	25.20	251^st	333	24.6%
2023	21.14	249^th	322	22.7%
2024	14.86	283^rd	328	13.7%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	10.24	270^th	273	1.1%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	9.55	287^th	303	5.3%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	11.91	275^th	288	4.5%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	18.82	228^th	259	12.0%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Maryland State 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.

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.8)

75%

25%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, August 10, 2016

This school is one of the most amazing schools in Baltimore City. The staff are amazing and the administration are supportive and welcoming.

This is a place where kids thrive and grow trough the support and hard work of the entire SBCS team. Close Quote

by a citizen on FaceBook
Monday, July 18, 2016

Southwest may not be outperforming other schools yet, but it has a deeply committed staff, a caring community, and engaged, happy students who are taught not just to perform on tests but to think for themselves, to be good people, and to make a difference in their communities. Learning is built around long term projects that make learning skills feel important and relevant to students' lives. Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The rankings don't do this charter school justice. Just recently, SBCS assumed a failing school, which helps to account for how it's doing. They've got a lot of work to do to help even out the playing field. The teachers and staff are excellent though, and I've been impressed by the amount of progress they've made in procuring grants and funds to improve the school, connecting themselves to other fantastic programs, and also impressed by the rigor of their expeditionary learning.

I've got two kids with very different needs - one is a hyperlexic learning sponge, who was doing fourth grade math and reading in first grade. The second is very much-so a typical student who gets frustrated easily. Both children, despite their very different needs, are being well taken care of.

The PTO is doing well. They're also hosting more and more afterschool activities, which my kids participate in.

I'm a happy parent. I love SBCS. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2006	8	55	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	64
2007	12	105	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	120
2008	12	145	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	161
2009	13	185	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	201
2010	18	234	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	258
2011	46	368	4	1	1	2	0	422
2012	46	364	2	4	1	2	1	420
2013	38	383	2	4	0	1	0	428
2014	43	371	3	5	0	1	2	425
2015	45	359	1	5	2	1	3	416
2016	43	354	1	5	2	0	2	407
2017	34	367	1	7	1	0	3	413
2018	34	346	2	10	1	0	5	398
2019	32	368	2	15	1	1	8	427
2020	29	363	3	22	4	0	11	432
2021	27	372	4	13	2	0	13	431
2022	30	339	5	19	3	2	20	418
2023	29	317	7	20	2	0	21	396
2024	20	297	6	25	0	0	25	373

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 Baltimore Charter School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	64	5.0	12.8	76.6
2007	120	10.0	12.0	63.3
2008	161	12.0	13.4	67.7
2009	201	15.0	13.4	69.7
2010	258	19.5	13.2	81
2011	422	30.0	14.0	84.8
2012	420	31.0	13.5	83.6
2013	428	30.0	14.2	83.9
2014	425	31.0	13.7	81.2
2015	416	30.0	13.8	84.1
2016	407	30.0	13.5	91.2
2017	413	27.0	15.2	100
2018	398	28.0	14.2	100
2019	427	29.5	14.4	100
2020	432	30.0	14.4	65.5
2021	431	30.0	14.3	82.8
2022	418	29.0	14.4	81.1
2023	396	29.0	13.6	80.6
2024	373	27.0	13.8	84.2

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 Baltimore Charter School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	64	5.0	12.8	76.6
2007	120	10.0	12.0	63.3
2008	161	12.0	13.4	67.7
2009	201	15.0	13.4	69.7
2010	258	19.5	13.2	81
2011	422	30.0	14.0	84.8
2012	420	31.0	13.5	83.6
2013	428	30.0	14.2	83.9
2014	425	31.0	13.7	81.2
2015	416	30.0	13.8	84.1
2016	407	30.0	13.5	91.2
2017	413	27.0	15.2	100
2018	398	28.0	14.2	100
2019	427	29.5	14.4	100
2020	432	30.0	14.4	65.5
2021	431	30.0	14.3	82.8
2022	418	29.0	14.4	81.1
2023	396	29.0	13.6	80.6
2024	373	27.0	13.8	84.2

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 Baltimore Charter School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,339 (13.5%)	$15,043 (86.5%)	$17,382
2020	$2,226 (12.7%)	$15,327 (87.3%)	$17,552
2021	$3,123 (15.1%)	$17,508 (84.9%)	$20,631
2022	$7,014 (30.1%)	$16,293 (69.9%)	$23,307
2023	$2,658 (8.7%)	$27,724 (91.3%)	$30,381

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southwest Baltimore Charter School

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 808^th of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 848^th of 855 Elementary schools	4.5%
Ranks 243^rd of 316 Middle schools	Ranks 249^th of 322 Middle schools	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	427	396	7.3%
African American	368	317	13.9%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	2	7	250%
Hispanic	15	20	33.3%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	32	29	9.4%
Two or More Races	8	21	162.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	80.6%	19.4%

Schools Near Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAP Mathematics (2024)						MCAP English Language Arts (2024)							MCAP Algebra I (2024)	MCAP Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Science 5th Grade	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwest Baltimore Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	1300 Herkimer Street	Baltimore	21223	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(443) 984-3385	373	27	13.8	84.2%	20 (5.4%)	297 (79.6%)	25 (6.7%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.7%)	9.2	829^th of 859 public elementary schools	3.5%		5.7	848^th of 855 public elementary schools	0.8%	19							23.1	17.9	5.3	21.4	26.3	25.0	19.8			9.1	$30,381	$2,658	$27,724
Charles Carroll Barrister Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1327 Washington Boulevard	Baltimore	21230	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-5973	287	27	10.6	67.9%	35 (12.2%)	96 (33.4%)	146 (50.9%)	6 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	20.2	649^th of 859 public elementary schools	24.4%		24.4	601^st of 855 public elementary schools	29.7%	48	14.9	19.0	27.3			20.3	20.9	22.0	27.9				23.6		7.1		$23,228	$1,533	$21,695
James McHenry Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-8	31 S Schroeder Street	Baltimore	21223	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-1621	610	42	14.5	87.9%	18 (3.0%)	551 (90.3%)	28 (4.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.6%)	12.1	784^th of 859 public elementary schools	8.7%					(n/a)	8.9			5.7	5.1	5.6	7.1	6.0	7.0	37.1	32.3	39.2	24.3	12.5		9.9	$19,041	$1,221	$17,821
George Washington Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	800 Scott Street	Baltimore	21230	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-1445	165	11	15.0	87.9%	12 (7.3%)	136 (82.4%)	10 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.2%)	13.8	747^th of 859 public elementary schools	13.0%		18.3	676^th of 855 public elementary schools	20.9%	71	21.7	8.3	6.3			11.4	26.1	33.3	9.4				21.5		6.1		$27,072	$3,004	$24,068
Franklin Square Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-8	1400 W Lexington Street	Baltimore	21223	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0795	460	26	18.0	90.7%	11 (2.4%)	412 (89.6%)	25 (5.4%)	3 (0.7%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.1%)	10.1	818^th of 859 public elementary schools	4.8%		6.4	844^th of 855 public elementary schools	1.3%	26	6.1	6.3	5.1				8.9	23.4	7.7	30.0	23.2	29.1	21.3				$22,429	$1,660	$20,770
Frederick Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	2501 Frederick Avenue	Baltimore	21223	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0830	329	24	13.7	91.2%	20 (6.1%)	250 (76.0%)	39 (11.9%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.2%)	7.4	843^rd of 859 public elementary schools	1.9%					(n/a)			7.5				8.8		12.5				8.1				$25,211	$1,551	$23,660
Mary Ann Winterling Elementary at Bentalou	Public	PK, KG-5	220 N Bentalou Street	Baltimore	21223	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-1385	315	21	15.0	91.1%	1 (0.3%)	305 (96.8%)	6 (1.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	9.5	826^th of 859 public elementary schools	3.8%		6.6	842^nd of 855 public elementary schools	1.5%	16	16.2		10.0			8.6	13.5	14.6	10.0				12.5				$24,444	$1,727	$22,718
Harlem Park Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-8	1401 W Lafayette Avenue	Baltimore	21217	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0633	443	27	16.4	92.1%	4 (0.9%)	428 (96.6%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.9%)	5	858^th of 859 public elementary schools	0.1%		5.8	846^th of 855 public elementary schools	1.1%	12	8.3						8.3	10.8		10.9	15.4	20.5	11.2				$20,675	$1,517	$19,158
Furman Templeton Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	1200 Pennsylvania Avenue	Baltimore	21217	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0882	431	23	18.7	91.0%	3 (0.7%)	414 (96.1%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.4%)	10.7	809^th of 859 public elementary schools	5.8%		14.2	745^th of 855 public elementary schools	12.9%	64	5.7						11.4	29.7	19.6				20.0		5.4		$28,654	$2,520	$26,134
The Historic Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	507 W Preston Street	Baltimore	21201	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0783	245	15	16.3	93.1%	4 (1.6%)	235 (95.9%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	11.8	789^th of 859 public elementary schools	8.1%		7	839^th of 855 public elementary schools	1.9%	50	6.8	7.7				5.2		33.3	9.4				15.7				$27,269	$2,549	$24,719

Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Baltimore City Public Schools:

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Rank History for Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rank History for all elementary school students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rank History for Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rank History for all middle school students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rank History for middle school Female students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rank History for middle school Male students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rank History for middle school African American students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Student/Teacher Ratio Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Impact of COVID-19 on Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Southwest Baltimore Charter School

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Baltimore Charter School

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