Southwest Elementary

Q: Is Southwest Elementary a good school?

Southwest Elementary ranks 325 th of 906 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Southwest Elementary is a public elementary school located in Lawson, Missouri, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 415 students. It is part of the Lawson R-XIV school district, which is ranked 85 out of 386 districts in Missouri and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southwest Elementary consistently performs above the state average in both Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) across grades 3 and 4. In the 2023-2024 school year, 48.2% of 3rd graders and 47.9% of 4th graders were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 40.8% and 44.4%, respectively. In ELA, 42.6% of 3rd graders and 51.9% of 4th graders were proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 41.6% and 46.2%. This strong academic performance is a key differentiator for Southwest Elementary compared to the surrounding schools, such as Polo Elementary, Lathrop Elementary School, and the Excelsior Springs schools (Elkhorn Elementary, Cornerstone Elementary, and Lewis Elementary).

Additionally, Southwest Elementary has consistently lower chronic absenteeism rates compared to the state average, ranging from 8.4% to 14.8% over the past few years. The school also has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 24.03% to 30.84% over the past few years, suggesting a lower proportion of economically disadvantaged students compared to some of the nearby schools. This stable and well-performing school has maintained a relatively consistent statewide ranking, ranging from 185 to 565 out of over 1,000 Missouri elementary schools, making it a desirable choice for families in the area.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

307 W Moss St
Lawson, MO 64062-0157

(816) 580-7272

District: Lawson R-XIV

SchoolDigger Rank:
325^th of 906 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,783

Students who attend Southwest Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Lawson Middle
High:	Lawson High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.7

Number of students: 393

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.4%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Two or more races:

1.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 28.2%

See top rated Missouri elementary schools

Compare Southwest Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Southwest Elementary ranks better than 64.1% of elementary schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 62.18. (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: White (94.4%), Hispanic (3.6%), two or more races (1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 28.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southwest Elementary is 12.7. (See more...)

Compare Southwest Elementary employs 30.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southwest Elementary is $9,783.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southwest Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Elementary 325^th of 906 Missouri public elementary schools. (See Southwest Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Lawson R-XIV:

SchoolDigger ranks Lawson R-XIV 85^th of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Southwest Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Southwest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	41.81	689^th	1074	35.8%
2007	44.17	660^th	1080	38.9%
2008	56.86	443^rd	1084	59.1%
2009	48.93	583^rd	1053	44.6%
2010	59.20	413^th	1066	61.3%
2011	76.40	192^nd	1088	82.4%
2012	76.92	176^th	1085	83.8%
2013	68.20	305^th	1108	72.5%
2014	65.66	331^st	1089	69.6%
2015	76.36	214^th	1058	79.8%
2016	76.57	185^th	865	78.6%
2017	75.32	222^nd	1032	78.5%
2018	66.19	333^rd	1045	68.1%
2019	46.69	565^th	1052	46.3%
2021	74.21	201^st	901	77.7%
2022	69.16	253^rd	908	72.1%
2023	53.10	418^th	898	53.5%
2024	62.18	325^th	906	64.1%

See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	69.09	196^th	887	77.9%
2019	39.49	603^rd	907	33.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Southwest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	48.95	453^rd	898	49.6%
2019	32.00	661^st	917	27.9%
2021	64.79	223^rd	691	67.7%
2022	54.58	294^th	675	56.4%
2023	36.42	439^th	673	34.8%
2024	48.15	339^th	668	49.3%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary 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: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Southwest Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	347	347
1992	357	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	357
1993	383	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	383
1994	395	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	395
1995	466	1	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	468
1996	466	1	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	468
1997	469	2	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	473
1998	477	2	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	481
1999	457	0	1	0	4	n/a	n/a	0	462
2000	469	0	1	1	3	n/a	n/a	0	474
2001	473	1	3	2	3	n/a	n/a	0	482
2002	506	0	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	510
2003	506	0	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	510
2004	503	3	4	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	513
2005	492	4	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	499
2006	514	1	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	518
2007	505	2	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	510
2008	477	2	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	481
2009	469	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	472
2010	455	3	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	460
2011	436	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	440
2012	388	2	0	5	1	0	0	0	396
2013	401	2	1	7	1	0	0	0	412
2014	383	2	0	6	0	0	0	0	391
2015	396	1	0	4	0	0	1	0	402
2016	417	1	0	7	0	0	2	0	427
2017	426	2	0	11	1	0	2	0	442
2018	398	1	0	11	1	0	0	0	411
2019	385	0	0	9	1	0	1	0	396
2020	396	2	0	7	1	1	2	0	409
2021	397	0	0	7	2	3	2	0	411
2022	378	2	0	4	3	0	0	0	387
2023	401	1	1	6	4	0	2	0	415
2024	371	1	1	14	2	0	4	0	393

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

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	347	22.1	15.7	n/a
1992	357	21.9	16.3	n/a
1993	383	22.9	16.7	n/a
1994	395	24.6	16.1	0
1995	468	29.1	16.1	n/a
1996	468	29.1	16.1	n/a
1997	473	31.7	14.9	15.4
1998	481	31.1	15.5	13.1
1999	462	31.5	14.7	25.5
2000	474	35.5	13.4	25.9
2001	482	37.5	12.9	21.8
2002	510	36.5	14.0	16.3
2003	510	36.5	14.0	16.3
2004	513	36.9	13.9	19.7
2005	499	36.6	13.6	21.6
2006	518	36.4	14.2	19.5
2007	510	35.3	14.4	20.4
2008	481	37.2	12.9	22.7
2009	472	37.4	12.6	22.7
2010	460	35.3	13.0	27.2
2011	440	34.6	12.6	25.2
2012	396	32.7	12.1	33.1
2013	412	31.8	12.9	36.7
2014	391	32.2	12.1	33.5
2015	402	32.0	12.5	28.9
2016	427	31.0	13.7	28.6
2017	442	29.5	14.9	27.4
2018	411	30.4	13.4	28.7
2019	396	29.0	13.6	27.3
2020	409	28.9	14.1	29.6
2021	411	29.4	13.9	25.5
2022	387	29.1	13.2	24
2023	415	27.8	14.8	30.8
2024	393	30.7	12.7	28.2

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 Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	347	22.1	15.7	n/a
1992	357	21.9	16.3	n/a
1993	383	22.9	16.7	n/a
1994	395	24.6	16.1	0
1995	468	29.1	16.1	n/a
1996	468	29.1	16.1	n/a
1997	473	31.7	14.9	15.4
1998	481	31.1	15.5	13.1
1999	462	31.5	14.7	25.5
2000	474	35.5	13.4	25.9
2001	482	37.5	12.9	21.8
2002	510	36.5	14.0	16.3
2003	510	36.5	14.0	16.3
2004	513	36.9	13.9	19.7
2005	499	36.6	13.6	21.6
2006	518	36.4	14.2	19.5
2007	510	35.3	14.4	20.4
2008	481	37.2	12.9	22.7
2009	472	37.4	12.6	22.7
2010	460	35.3	13.0	27.2
2011	440	34.6	12.6	25.2
2012	396	32.7	12.1	33.1
2013	412	31.8	12.9	36.7
2014	391	32.2	12.1	33.5
2015	402	32.0	12.5	28.9
2016	427	31.0	13.7	28.6
2017	442	29.5	14.9	27.4
2018	411	30.4	13.4	28.7
2019	396	29.0	13.6	27.3
2020	409	28.9	14.1	29.6
2021	411	29.4	13.9	25.5
2022	387	29.1	13.2	24
2023	415	27.8	14.8	30.8
2024	393	30.7	12.7	28.2

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 Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$541 (6.5%)	$7,846 (93.5%)	$8,387
2020	$721 (9.2%)	$7,106 (90.8%)	$7,827
2021	$1,012 (12.0%)	$7,452 (88.0%)	$8,464
2022	$1,343 (13.7%)	$8,440 (86.3%)	$9,783

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southwest Elementary

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 565^th of 1052 Elementary schools	Ranks 418^th of 898 Elementary schools	7.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Southwest Elementary)	51.8	52.7	0.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lawson R-XIV)	51.8	52.7	0.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46	41.1	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Southwest Elementary)	38.8	41.9	3.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lawson R-XIV)	38.8	41.9	3.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	48.7	42.4	6.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Southwest Elementary)	44.1	40.6	3.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lawson R-XIV)	44.1	40.6	3.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46.8	43.8	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Southwest Elementary)	48.2	38.5	9.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson R-XIV)	48.2	38.5	9.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	49.3	45.9	3.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	396	415	4.8%
African American	0	1
American Indian	1	4	300%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	9	6	33.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	385	401	4.2%
Two or More Races	1	2	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	27.3%	30.8%	3.6%

Schools Near Southwest Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAP Mathematics (2024)			MAP Science (2024)	MAP English Language Arts (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	MAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	307 W Moss St	Lawson	64062	Ray County	Lawson R-XIV	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 580-7272	393	31	12.7	28.2%	371 (94.4%)	1 (0.3%)	14 (3.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	62.2	325^th of 906 public elementary schools	64.1%		53.1	418^th of 898 public elementary schools	53.5%	93	48.2	47.9			42.6	51.9		$9,783	$1,343	$8,440
Excelsior Springs Ear Children Center	Public	PK	500 North Jesse James Road	Excelsior Springs	64024	Clay County	Excelsior Springs 40	No	No	No	No	(816) 630-9297	171	9	19.0	51.5%	147 (86.0%)	3 (1.8%)	11 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.1%)								(n/a)
Cornerstone Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1901 Wornall Road	Excelsior Springs	64024	Clay County	Excelsior Springs 40	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 630-9260	459	33	13.9	47.3%	384 (83.7%)	15 (3.3%)	29 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (6.5%)	48.3	471^st of 906 public elementary schools	48.0%		51.2	444^th of 898 public elementary schools	50.6%	27	34.2	51.3	31.9	41.3	41.4		31.9	$11,880	$483	$11,397
Lewis Elementary	Public	K-5	500 N Jesse James Road	Excelsior Springs	64024	Clay County	Excelsior Springs 40	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 630-9290	372	28	13.4	62.4%	314 (84.4%)	5 (1.3%)	33 (8.9%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.6%)	47.6	475^th of 906 public elementary schools	47.6%		32.4	638^th of 898 public elementary schools	29.0%	163	52.2	25.3	34.3	40.9	43.0	37.2	34.4	$12,404	$1,077	$11,328
Elkhorn Elementary	Public	K-5	34684 Hwy 10	Excelsior Springs	64024	Clay County	Excelsior Springs 40	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 630-9270	192	19	10.2	46.9%	168 (87.5%)	2 (1.0%)	13 (6.8%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.6%)	47	481^st of 906 public elementary schools	46.9%		59.6	359^th of 898 public elementary schools	60.0%	122		55.7	33.4	26.2	30.1			$12,898	$794	$12,104
Southview Elementary	Public	K-5	7 S Campus Dr	Kearney	64060	Clay County	Kearney R-I	No	No	No	No	(816) 628-4652	458	31	14.9	15.7%	417 (91.0%)	3 (0.7%)	23 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.3%)	82.5	132^nd of 906 public elementary schools	85.4%		82.9	120^th of 898 public elementary schools	86.6%	12	38.6	69.7	64.3	72.5	43.9	76.6	73.9	$10,172	$273	$9,900
Kearney Early Education Center	Public	PK	150 W State Route 92	Kearney	64060	Clay County	Kearney R-I	No	No	No	No	(816) 628-4650	77	8	10.2	27.3%	58 (75.3%)	2 (2.6%)	11 (14.3%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (6.5%)								(n/a)
Kearney Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	902 S Jefferson	Kearney	64060	Clay County	Kearney R-I	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 628-4113	240	19	12.5	30.4%	209 (87.1%)	4 (1.7%)	13 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.4%)	51	444^th of 906 public elementary schools	51.0%		65.3	300^th of 898 public elementary schools	66.6%	144	53.7	46.3	33.3	24.2	58.9		33.2	$12,453	$405	$12,048
Lens	Public	3-5	2215 South Campus Drive	Kearney	64060	Clay County	Kearney R-I	No	No	No	No	(816) 628-4798	127	8	15.8	26.0%	114 (89.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.5%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.9%)	75.5	191^st of 906 public elementary schools	78.9%		69.2	255^th of 898 public elementary schools	71.6%	64		28.9		75.5	61.7		68.8	$8,064	$112	$7,952
Hawthorne Elementary	Public	K-5	1815 S Jefferson	Kearney	64060	Clay County	Kearney R-I	No	No	No	No	(816) 628-4114	265	22	12.2	13.6%	237 (89.4%)	2 (0.8%)	13 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.9%)	73.1	218^th of 906 public elementary schools	75.9%		86.4	91^st of 898 public elementary schools	89.9%	127	44.6	57.7	62.7	44.1				$11,758	$332	$11,425

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Elementary

What district is Southwest Elementary in?

Lawson R-XIV

What is the racial makeup of Southwest Elementary?

Students at Southwest Elementary are 94% White, 4% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

Is Southwest Elementary a good school?

Southwest Elementary ranks 325^th of 906 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Southwest Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 393 students attended Southwest Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Southwest Elementary attend?

Students who attend Southwest Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lawson Middle
High : Lawson 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 Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary 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.