Southwest Elementary

Summary:

Southwest Elementary is a public elementary school located in Jacksonville, North Carolina, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 742 students. The school is part of the Onslow County Schools district, which is ranked 135 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southwest Elementary has a higher percentage of White students (60.11%) compared to nearby schools, which have more diverse student populations. The school's performance ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 316 out of 1,390 elementary schools in 2013-2014 (4-star rating) to 913 out of 1,502 in 2022-2023 (2-star rating). Interestingly, Southwest Elementary performs relatively well for its African American and Hispanic student subgroups, ranking in the top 273 and 185 schools respectively in 2023-2024, but its White student subgroup ranks much lower, in the bottom 941 schools. The school has also seen a significant increase in its free and reduced lunch rate, from 45.61% in 2021-2022 to 57.68% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

Compared to the Onslow County Schools district average, Southwest Elementary generally performs on par or slightly above in terms of proficiency rates in mathematics, reading, and science, but lags behind the state average in several grade levels and subject areas. When comparing Southwest Elementary to nearby schools, such as Carolina Forest Elementary and Parkwood Elementary, it becomes evident that some schools consistently outperform Southwest Elementary in terms of proficiency rates and statewide rankings, which could provide valuable insights for areas of improvement.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 2601 Burgaw Hwy
       Jacksonville, NC  28540


(910) 347-0900

District: Onslow County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
671st of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,706 Help


Students who attend Southwest Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Dixon Middle
High:    Dixon High

Student/teacher ratio:  14.2 Help
Number of students:  742

Racial breakdown:

White:
60.1%
Hispanic:
17.4%
African American:
11.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  57.7% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Southwest Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Southwest Elementary ranks better than 55.4% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 8th among 20 ranked elementary schools in the Onslow County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.61. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (60.1%), Hispanic (17.4%), African American (11.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 57.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southwest Elementary is 14.2, which is the 5th best among 20 elementary schools in the Onslow County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Southwest Elementary employs 52 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southwest Elementary is $8,706. 14 elementary schools in the Onslow County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southwest Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Elementary 671st of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Southwest Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Onslow County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Onslow County Schools 135th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Southwest Elementary.

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Rank History for Southwest Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 51.73 692nd 1276 45.8%
2007 50.55 729th 1293 43.6%
2008 51.01 694th 1324 47.6%
2009 67.65 440th 1354 67.5%
2010 67.19 464th 1363 66.0%
2011 70.22 395th 1381 71.4%
2012 68.58 434th 1388 68.7%
2013 50.81 646th 1403 54.0%
2014 74.84 316th 1390 77.3%
2015 61.08 555th 1440 61.5%
2016 57.02 598th 1425 58.0%
2017 50.10 744th 1429 47.9%
2018 56.16 643rd 1434 55.2%
2019 43.24 871st 1473 40.9%
2021 60.68 559th 1489 62.5%
2022 42.46 873rd 1514 42.3%
2023 41.12 913th 1502 39.2%
2024 54.61 671st 1505 55.4%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.16 12th 86 86.0%
2021 42.05 54th 97 44.3%
2022 32.43 96th 133 27.8%
2023 51.78 70th 154 54.5%
2024 58.63 68th 159 57.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 34.17 531st 801 33.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.71 519th 1332 61.0%
2019 59.60 494th 1361 63.7%
2021 66.88 304th 1329 77.1%
2022 54.96 568th 1366 58.4%
2023 31.51 1058th 1437 26.4%
2024 55.07 601st 1450 58.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.27 617th 1405 56.1%
2019 34.68 999th 1424 29.8%
2021 63.86 453rd 1440 68.5%
2022 43.16 828th 1458 43.2%
2023 35.19 967th 1459 33.7%
2024 50.16 713th 1455 51.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.45 550th 897 38.7%
2019 39.08 540th 878 38.5%
2021 38.06 376th 646 41.8%
2022 26.38 518th 634 18.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 66.04 43rd 612 93.0%
2022 60.66 227th 500 54.6%
2023 36.53 523rd 582 10.1%
2024 41.24 572nd 669 14.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.20 26th 76 65.8%
2019 29.45 57th 72 20.8%
2021 56.59 32nd 76 57.9%
2022 31.56 63rd 85 25.9%
2023 40.02 54th 81 33.3%
2024 49.70 40th 75 46.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.47 679th 1413 51.9%
2019 52.52 697th 1430 51.3%
2021 54.24 627th 1444 56.6%
2022 41.94 865th 1464 40.9%
2023 48.85 773rd 1461 47.1%
2024 57.35 603rd 1464 58.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.25 522nd 927 43.7%
2019 50.44 432nd 949 54.5%
2021 62.77 218th 896 75.7%
2022 47.92 432nd 927 53.4%
2023 48.96 445th 933 52.3%
2024 61.16 273rd 924 70.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.46 195th 851 77.1%
2019 73.94 156th 865 82.0%
2021 72.57 148th 843 82.4%
2022 79.45 107th 893 88.0%
2023 55.79 350th 915 61.7%
2024 72.26 185th 951 80.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Southwest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.15 807th 1178 31.5%
2019 20.86 1052nd 1183 11.1%
2021 46.69 620th 1172 47.1%
2022 17.85 1074th 1194 10.1%
2023 19.60 1046th 1183 11.6%
2024 27.09 941st 1166 19.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, 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 Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.5)
0%

50%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Open Quote Three years ago when my daughter started school, I wasn't really impressed. My daughter will be evaluated for gifted next year. I was constantly having to make sure she was being challenged and that the teachers wasn't using her to help teach others. The teacher, her kindergarten year, was very open and responsive to her needs and my concerns. Her 1st grade teacher was the same way. The teacher listened to what I had to say and made sure my daughter was challenged. I talked to the principal about a nurturing program for the high learning students. That was eventually brought into the school. This year my daughter is in 2nd grade and the school has made great strides. There was an Odyssey of the MInd program this year which the children really enjoyed. They are being taught chess and they (the higher learning students) are being challenged more. I am very please with the direction that the school is moving and I have already heard about some of the programs they are trying to bring in: like gardening and extra recycling. The school gives the children the chance to serve as safety guards and they have program called Girls on the Run. The principal is leading this school in a good direction. The staff is friendly and supportive. We will miss this school when we move this summer. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Southwest Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1995 549 124 2 12 10 n/a n/a 0 697
1996 549 124 2 12 10 n/a n/a 0 697
1997 622 162 5 17 11 n/a n/a 0 817
1998 668 175 3 17 9 n/a n/a 14 886
1999 635 190 3 19 7 n/a n/a 0 854
2000 623 192 9 25 5 n/a n/a 0 854
2001 601 201 2 30 4 n/a n/a 0 838
2002 590 206 4 22 2 n/a n/a 0 824
2003 590 206 4 22 2 n/a n/a 0 824
2004 602 206 3 26 4 n/a n/a 0 841
2005 635 227 10 26 4 n/a n/a 0 902
2006 632 223 11 25 5 n/a n/a 0 896
2007 640 155 5 29 5 n/a n/a 85 919
2008 642 141 4 45 2 n/a n/a 88 922
2009 493 159 1 46 6 n/a n/a 0 705
2010 543 175 10 55 10 n/a n/a 0 793
2011 552 122 5 83 5 1 37 0 805
2012 641 123 4 117 5 2 44 0 936
2013 606 98 5 123 6 1 46 0 885
2014 533 92 4 107 5 2 45 0 788
2015 502 100 2 112 6 3 45 0 770
2016 514 73 2 134 5 2 52 0 782
2017 531 99 3 151 5 2 63 0 854
2018 528 94 2 159 3 2 74 0 862
2019 528 111 3 134 9 3 69 0 857
2020 528 118 6 140 10 1 79 0 882
2021 380 77 3 105 7 4 62 0 638
2022 458 89 4 129 11 3 80 0 774
2023 446 85 3 129 8 2 69 0 742

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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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 697 37.0 18.8 48.2
1996 697 37.0 18.8 48.2
1997 817 44.0 18.6 36.4
1998 886 52.0 17.0 38.1
1999 854 52.0 16.4 56
2000 854 52.0 16.4 56.9
2001 838 52.0 16.1 58.8
2002 824 60.0 13.7 61.2
2003 824 60.0 13.7 61.2
2004 841 60.0 14.0 59.2
2005 902 60.0 15.0 57.5
2006 896 60.0 14.9 54.7
2007 919 n/a n/a 54.2
2008 922 59.5 15.5 57.2
2009 705 47.6 14.8 50.1
2010 793 41.9 18.9 52
2011 805 44.3 18.1 47.8
2012 936 44.4 21.0 43.3
2013 885 50.5 17.5 49.7
2014 788 53.5 14.7 53.9
2015 770 52.0 14.8 49.1
2016 782 54.0 14.4 54.9
2017 854 53.5 15.9 52
2018 862 53.4 16.1 48.5
2019 857 52.3 16.3 52.7
2020 882 53.5 16.4 51.4
2021 638 44.5 14.3 47.3
2022 774 51.1 15.1 45.6
2023 742 52.0 14.2 57.7

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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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 697 37.0 18.8 48.2
1996 697 37.0 18.8 48.2
1997 817 44.0 18.6 36.4
1998 886 52.0 17.0 38.1
1999 854 52.0 16.4 56
2000 854 52.0 16.4 56.9
2001 838 52.0 16.1 58.8
2002 824 60.0 13.7 61.2
2003 824 60.0 13.7 61.2
2004 841 60.0 14.0 59.2
2005 902 60.0 15.0 57.5
2006 896 60.0 14.9 54.7
2007 919 n/a n/a 54.2
2008 922 59.5 15.5 57.2
2009 705 47.6 14.8 50.1
2010 793 41.9 18.9 52
2011 805 44.3 18.1 47.8
2012 936 44.4 21.0 43.3
2013 885 50.5 17.5 49.7
2014 788 53.5 14.7 53.9
2015 770 52.0 14.8 49.1
2016 782 54.0 14.4 54.9
2017 854 53.5 15.9 52
2018 862 53.4 16.1 48.5
2019 857 52.3 16.3 52.7
2020 882 53.5 16.4 51.4
2021 638 44.5 14.3 47.3
2022 774 51.1 15.1 45.6
2023 742 52.0 14.2 57.7

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

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $779 (8.9%) $7,927 (91.1%) $8,706

Data source: North Carolina 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 871st of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 913th of 1502 Elementary schools
 1.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Southwest Elementary)6561
 4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Onslow County Schools)60.157.1
 3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Southwest Elementary)45.348.5
 3.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Onslow County Schools)56.546.1
 10.4%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Southwest Elementary)5051.5
 1.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Onslow County Schools)52.550.1
 2.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Southwest Elementary)51.747
 4.7%
   4th Grade Reading (Onslow County Schools)56.952.8
 4.1%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Southwest Elementary)59.246.4
 12.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Onslow County Schools)55.351.9
 3.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Southwest Elementary)56.739.4
 17.3%
   5th Grade Reading (Onslow County Schools)54.246.5
 7.7%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Southwest Elementary)65.855.5
 10.3%
   5th Grade Science (Onslow County Schools)74.664.3
 10.3%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students857742
 13.4%
African American11185
 23.4%
American Indian98
 11.1%
Asian33
Hispanic134129
 3.7%
Pacific Islander32
 33.3%
White528446
 15.5%
Two or More Races6969
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients52.7%57.7%
 4.9%


Schools Near Southwest Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Elementary

Southwest Elementary ranks 671st of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 742 students attended Southwest Elementary.

Students at Southwest Elementary are 60% White, 17% Hispanic, 11% African American, 9% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

Students who attend Southwest Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Dixon Middle
High : Dixon 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 North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

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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