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Southwest Elementary School

Summary:

Southwest Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Howell, Michigan, serving 551 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Howell Public Schools district, which is ranked 206 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southwest Elementary School consistently outperforms the Howell Public Schools district and the state of Michigan in academic proficiency, with 54.8% of 3rd-grade students proficient or better in M-Step Math compared to 48.4% for the district and 43.4% for the state. The school also has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic and Pacific Islander students compared to nearby schools like Ruahmah J Hutchings Elementary and Voyager Elementary School. However, Southwest Elementary has a higher percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 38.29% receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which is higher than the nearby schools.

While Southwest Elementary School has maintained a strong academic performance, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 5.1% in the 2019-2020 school year to 26.8% in the 2021-2022 school year. This is an area of concern that the school and Howell Public Schools district should address to ensure all students have the opportunity to succeed.


Detail:

Public K-5

 915 Gay St
       Howell, MI  48843-2064

(517) 548-6288

District: Howell Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
452nd of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,816 Help


Students who attend Southwest Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Parker Middle School
High:    Howell High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.7 Help
Number of students:  545

Racial breakdown:

White:
82.4%
Hispanic:
10.8%
Two or more races:
3.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  39.8% Help


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 Compare Southwest Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Southwest Elementary School ranks better than 69.6% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks first among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Howell Public Schools District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.31. (See more...)
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: White (82.4%), Hispanic (10.8%), two or more races (3.3%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 39.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Howell Public Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southwest Elementary School is 15.7. 3 elementary schools in the Howell Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Southwest Elementary School employs 34.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southwest Elementary School is $13,816. 4 elementary schools in the Howell Public Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southwest Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Elementary School 452nd of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Southwest Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Howell Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Howell Public Schools 206th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Southwest Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Southwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 78.15 219th 1545 85.8%
2007 75.73 293rd 1565 81.3%
2008 77.83 270th 1577 82.9%
2009 73.37 393rd 1589 75.3%
2010 69.09 556th 1552 64.2%
2011 71.34 454th 1552 70.7%
2012 69.66 446th 1566 71.5%
2013 73.87 363rd 1563 76.8%
2014 83.28 182nd 1533 88.1%
2015 78.20 302nd 1580 80.9%
2016 72.75 368th 1548 76.2%
2017 74.51 287th 1466 80.4%
2018 68.53 466th 1448 67.8%
2019 64.43 454th 1408 67.8%
2021 63.34 348th 1153 69.8%
2022 62.58 448th 1344 66.7%
2023 72.04 366th 1470 75.1%
2024 67.31 452nd 1486 69.6%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.96 466th 1397 66.6%
2019 44.76 631st 1134 44.4%
2021 56.88 270th 749 64.0%
2022 68.69 249th 1099 77.3%
2023 66.21 341st 1350 74.7%
2024 64.94 365th 1381 73.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.36 398th 1443 72.4%
2019 61.73 409th 1171 65.1%
2021 55.43 351st 902 61.1%
2022 50.37 523rd 1106 52.7%
2023 65.80 369th 1321 72.1%
2024 60.46 460th 1342 65.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.93 542nd 1446 62.5%
2019 56.12 491st 1196 58.9%
2021 56.64 355th 915 61.2%
2022 60.83 394th 1139 65.4%
2023 68.16 374th 1334 72.0%
2024 64.88 427th 1347 68.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Southwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 76.64 26th 188 86.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Southwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.17 451st 1253 64.0%
2019 59.38 433rd 1128 61.6%
2021 63.62 315th 1005 68.7%
2022 61.28 394th 1102 64.2%
2023 66.56 353rd 1198 70.5%
2024 62.12 415th 1204 65.5%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan 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 Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Southwest Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 474 1 2 2 16 n/a n/a 0 495
1989 457 3 0 2 12 n/a n/a 0 474
1990 506 0 0 4 18 n/a n/a 0 528
1991 520 0 0 0 3 n/a n/a 0 523
1992 519 1 5 4 1 n/a n/a 0 530
1993 581 2 2 3 6 n/a n/a 0 594
1994 588 1 6 5 11 n/a n/a 0 611
1995 599 3 9 0 8 n/a n/a 0 619
1996 599 3 9 0 8 n/a n/a 0 619
1997 609 4 10 5 3 n/a n/a 0 631
1998 604 3 8 4 7 n/a n/a 0 626
1999 532 4 8 4 3 n/a n/a 0 551
2000 540 6 6 5 4 n/a n/a 0 561
2001 557 9 5 3 4 n/a n/a 0 578
2002 555 5 4 12 4 n/a n/a 0 580
2003 555 5 4 12 4 n/a n/a 0 580
2004 525 8 14 12 9 n/a n/a 0 568
2005 571 8 6 17 13 n/a n/a 0 615
2006 568 5 7 23 18 n/a n/a 0 621
2007 525 7 7 21 11 n/a n/a 0 571
2008 508 4 7 20 13 n/a n/a 0 552
2009 502 1 12 24 10 n/a n/a 0 549
2010 509 6 14 32 6 n/a n/a 0 567
2011 462 6 11 32 4 4 2 0 521
2012 440 5 10 33 3 4 2 0 497
2013 432 5 15 37 2 4 5 0 500
2014 437 3 13 36 4 3 6 0 502
2015 428 3 13 44 5 2 7 0 502
2016 433 2 12 44 2 4 6 0 503
2017 436 0 14 45 1 7 8 0 511
2018 439 0 10 49 1 8 7 0 514
2019 429 1 8 50 1 10 11 0 510
2020 441 1 6 57 0 10 13 0 528
2021 416 0 6 54 0 12 10 0 498
2022 460 3 9 67 2 11 15 0 567
2023 451 0 6 63 2 14 15 0 551
2024 449 1 2 59 3 13 18 0 545

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 Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 495 n/a n/a n/a
1989 474 n/a n/a 5.9
1990 528 29.0 18.2 7
1991 523 n/a n/a n/a
1992 530 n/a n/a n/a
1993 594 n/a 0.0 12
1994 611 26.3 23.2 8.7
1995 619 26.5 23.4 6.9
1996 619 26.5 23.4 6.9
1997 631 28.0 22.5 5.9
1998 626 33.0 19.0 9.9
1999 551 28.0 19.7 12.9
2000 561 28.0 20.0 16.6
2001 578 32.5 17.8 15.1
2002 580 34.8 16.7 17.4
2003 580 34.8 16.7 17.4
2004 568 34.8 16.3 17.1
2005 615 37.3 16.5 19
2006 621 34.5 18.0 21.9
2007 571 35.0 16.3 22.1
2008 552 33.5 16.5 25.7
2009 549 35.5 15.5 27.9
2010 567 33.5 16.9 35.1
2011 521 31.0 16.8 33.6
2012 497 28.0 17.7 36.4
2013 500 27.5 18.1 35.4
2014 502 25.0 20.0 37.6
2015 502 26.0 19.3 38.8
2016 503 27.0 18.6 32.2
2017 511 27.0 18.9 29
2018 514 28.5 18.0 33.7
2019 510 27.0 18.8 31.8
2020 528 28.5 18.5 35.8
2021 498 28.0 17.7 33.1
2022 567 32.0 17.7 37.2
2023 551 35.6 15.4 38.3
2024 545 34.6 15.7 39.8

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 Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 495 n/a n/a n/a
1989 474 n/a n/a 5.9
1990 528 29.0 18.2 7
1991 523 n/a n/a n/a
1992 530 n/a n/a n/a
1993 594 n/a 0.0 12
1994 611 26.3 23.2 8.7
1995 619 26.5 23.4 6.9
1996 619 26.5 23.4 6.9
1997 631 28.0 22.5 5.9
1998 626 33.0 19.0 9.9
1999 551 28.0 19.7 12.9
2000 561 28.0 20.0 16.6
2001 578 32.5 17.8 15.1
2002 580 34.8 16.7 17.4
2003 580 34.8 16.7 17.4
2004 568 34.8 16.3 17.1
2005 615 37.3 16.5 19
2006 621 34.5 18.0 21.9
2007 571 35.0 16.3 22.1
2008 552 33.5 16.5 25.7
2009 549 35.5 15.5 27.9
2010 567 33.5 16.9 35.1
2011 521 31.0 16.8 33.6
2012 497 28.0 17.7 36.4
2013 500 27.5 18.1 35.4
2014 502 25.0 20.0 37.6
2015 502 26.0 19.3 38.8
2016 503 27.0 18.6 32.2
2017 511 27.0 18.9 29
2018 514 28.5 18.0 33.7
2019 510 27.0 18.8 31.8
2020 528 28.5 18.5 35.8
2021 498 28.0 17.7 33.1
2022 567 32.0 17.7 37.2
2023 551 35.6 15.4 38.3
2024 545 34.6 15.7 39.8

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 Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $569 (6.1%) $8,759 (93.9%) $9,328
2020 $549 (5.4%) $9,550 (94.6%) $10,098
2021 $931 (8.8%) $9,668 (91.2%) $10,599
2022 $610 (5.3%) $10,850 (94.7%) $11,459
2023 $1,437 (10.4%) $12,379 (89.6%) $13,816

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Southwest Elementary 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 454th of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 366th of 1470 Elementary schools
 7.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Southwest Elementary School)54.457.3
 2.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Howell Public Schools)55.146.4
 8.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.140.9
 4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Southwest Elementary School)47.863.2
 15.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Howell Public Schools)53.748.2
 5.5%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Southwest Elementary School)47.456.5
 9.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Howell Public Schools)50.749.4
 1.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (Southwest Elementary School)57.752.3
 5.4%
   4th Grade Math (Howell Public Schools)56.846.7
 10.1%
   4th Grade Math (Michigan)41.838.6
 3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Southwest Elementary School)5557.1
 2.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Howell Public Schools)57.850.1
 7.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)46.243.9
 2.3%
5th Grade Math (Southwest Elementary School)43.836.7
 7.1%
   5th Grade Math (Howell Public Schools)53.441.9
 11.5%
   5th Grade Math (Michigan)34.831.5
 3.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Southwest Elementary School)3027.3
 2.7%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Howell Public Schools)24.622
 2.6%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)17.418.6
 1.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students510551
 8%
African American10
 100%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian86
 25%
Hispanic5063
 26%
Pacific Islander1014
 40%
White429451
 5.1%
Two or More Races1115
 36.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients31.8%38.3%
 6.5%

Schools Near Southwest Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Elementary School

Students at Southwest Elementary School are 82% White, 11% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Pacific Islander.

Southwest Elementary School ranks 452nd of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 545 students attended Southwest Elementary School.

Students who attend Southwest Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Parker Middle School
High : Howell High School


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