Southwest High

Summary:

Southwest High is a public high school located in Jacksonville, North Carolina, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 702. It 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 High consistently underperforms compared to the Onslow County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in End-of-Course (EOC) test scores. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Southwest High had significantly lower proficiency rates than the district and state in Biology (37.6% vs. 55% and 53.4%), Math I (14.9% vs. 43.6% and 36.9%), and Math III (16.8% vs. 56.5% and 57.6%). However, the school has a more diverse student population, with 58.26% White, 17.38% African American, 13.25% Hispanic, and 9.83% two or more races. Additionally, Southwest High has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 54.13%, which is significantly higher than nearby schools like Swansboro High (38.39%) and Dixon High (33.25%).

Southwest High's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past several years, from 309 out of 514 North Carolina high schools in 2018-2019 to 512 out of 640 in 2023-2024. This suggests that the school is struggling to keep up with the academic performance of other high schools in the state, particularly for certain student subgroups. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school ranked 375 out of 437 North Carolina high schools for African American students and 393 out of 454 for Hispanic students, both receiving a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. While Southwest High serves a significant number of military-connected students, ranking 49 out of 49 North Carolina high schools in this category, it consistently underperforms nearby schools like Swansboro High and Dixon High in EOC test scores and statewide rankings.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1420 Burgaw Hwy
       Jacksonville, NC  28540-7910


(910) 455-4888

District: Onslow County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
512th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,201 Help


Feeder schools for Southwest High:

Elementary:    Blue Creek Elementary
Middle:    Southwest Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  17.8 Help
Number of students:  702

Racial breakdown:

White:
58.3%
African American:
17.4%
Hispanic:
13.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  54.1% Help


 See top rated North Carolina high schools

 Compare Southwest High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Southwest High ranks worse than 80% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 7 ranked high schools in the Onslow County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.77. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Southwest High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (58.3%), African American (17.4%), Hispanic (13.2%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 54.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southwest High is 17.8, which is the 2nd best among 7 high schools in the Onslow County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Southwest High employs 39.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southwest High is $10,201, which is the highest among 8 high schools in the Onslow County Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southwest High:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest High 512th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Southwest High in the ranking list.)

High 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.)


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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 NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 48.65 242nd 431 43.9%
2007 51.59 213th 453 53.0%
2008 57.63 175th 477 63.3%
2009 55.89 204th 490 58.4%
2010 52.63 262nd 499 47.5%
2011 42.57 343rd 506 32.2%
2012 35.57 341st 502 32.1%
2013 33.19 289th 505 42.8%
2014 32.28 259th 451 42.6%
2015 43.20 241st 531 54.6%
2016 34.55 277th 507 45.4%
2017 40.48 244th 476 48.7%
2018 39.14 276th 469 41.2%
2019 35.89 309th 514 39.9%
2021 28.96 408th 594 31.3%
2022 30.99 429th 621 30.9%
2023 17.77 525th 626 16.1%
2024 20.77 512th 640 20.0%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.60 139th 185 24.9%
2019 39.29 128th 195 34.4%
2021 28.13 152nd 199 23.6%
2022 35.05 149th 226 34.1%
2023 18.18 216th 249 13.3%
2024 31.84 194th 261 25.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 37.75 196th 349 43.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina 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 NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.43 238th 424 43.9%
2019 37.77 231st 446 48.2%
2021 24.11 327th 432 24.3%
2022 36.96 324th 544 40.4%
2023 18.06 520th 597 12.9%
2024 26.69 453rd 613 26.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.68 265th 449 41.0%
2019 40.30 263rd 475 44.6%
2021 35.01 273rd 475 42.5%
2022 33.22 398th 594 33.0%
2023 18.07 499th 588 15.1%
2024 19.41 494th 602 17.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.51 151st 349 56.7%
2019 14.16 353rd 364 3.0%
2021 37.20 194th 334 41.9%
2022 28.89 231st 330 30.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 55.37 154th 325 52.6%
2021 53.27 190th 337 43.6%
2022 40.27 302nd 398 24.1%
2023 2.18 397th 403 1.5%
2024 22.44 364th 403 9.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.52 23rd 32 28.1%
2019 36.24 20th 33 39.4%
2021 44.87 22nd 41 46.3%
2022 32.12 38th 47 19.1%
2023 7.44 48th 48 0.0%
2024 4.66 49th 49 0.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.62 304th 463 34.3%
2019 30.17 324th 488 33.6%
2021 22.75 361st 481 24.9%
2022 27.61 429th 585 26.7%
2023 17.23 513th 602 14.8%
2024 20.95 495th 607 18.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.80 258th 359 28.1%
2019 31.21 249th 369 32.5%
2021 27.64 257th 364 29.4%
2022 43.20 204th 430 52.6%
2023 27.89 322nd 434 25.8%
2024 21.86 375th 437 14.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.24 168th 340 50.6%
2019 38.08 194th 354 45.2%
2021 29.87 249th 370 32.7%
2022 24.21 350th 436 19.7%
2023 13.07 427th 449 4.9%
2024 19.76 393rd 454 13.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Southwest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.90 262nd 427 38.6%
2019 28.25 326th 444 26.6%
2021 24.61 325th 439 26.0%
2022 22.29 435th 534 18.5%
2023 9.60 504th 537 6.1%
2024 14.79 495th 553 10.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High 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 High 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: 1)
0%

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0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Wednesday, June 9, 2021

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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
1988 572 191 12 14 4 n/a n/a 0 793
1989 612 183 12 15 3 n/a n/a 0 825
1990 590 194 12 13 2 n/a n/a 0 811
1991 361 144 12 8 3 n/a n/a 0 528
1992 378 124 12 7 2 n/a n/a 0 523
1993 359 135 10 13 1 n/a n/a 0 518
1994 391 149 9 17 1 n/a n/a 0 567
1995 465 173 16 23 4 n/a n/a 0 681
1996 465 173 16 23 4 n/a n/a 0 681
1997 469 181 18 25 6 n/a n/a 0 699
1998 493 201 18 22 5 n/a n/a 0 739
1999 463 186 15 24 3 n/a n/a 0 691
2000 461 205 18 21 7 n/a n/a 0 712
2001 470 193 17 21 9 n/a n/a 0 710
2002 494 211 18 25 14 n/a n/a 0 762
2003 494 211 18 25 14 n/a n/a 0 762
2004 510 216 16 28 12 n/a n/a 0 782
2005 464 242 18 36 7 n/a n/a 0 767
2006 426 264 14 54 8 n/a n/a 0 766
2007 435 216 13 57 10 n/a n/a 57 788
2008 386 201 8 39 7 n/a n/a 54 695
2009 417 262 11 28 7 n/a n/a 0 725
2010 431 252 12 33 5 n/a n/a 0 733
2011 437 181 5 53 4 2 28 0 710
2012 459 170 7 58 1 3 42 0 740
2013 425 172 7 66 2 5 39 0 716
2014 397 154 3 72 1 5 41 0 673
2015 393 158 5 66 2 5 35 0 664
2016 469 150 4 61 4 3 56 0 747
2017 455 164 2 71 1 2 62 0 757
2018 474 163 4 70 1 2 63 0 777
2019 434 140 3 81 2 0 69 0 729
2020 418 135 3 90 2 1 64 0 713
2021 363 113 1 77 4 3 59 0 620
2022 386 121 3 78 4 3 64 0 659
2023 409 122 3 93 4 2 69 0 702

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
1988 793 47.0 16.8 19.3
1989 825 47.0 17.5 24.1
1990 811 51.0 15.9 23.6
1991 528 32.0 16.5 36.2
1992 523 29.0 18.0 18.7
1993 518 32.0 16.2 18.3
1994 567 32.0 17.7 23.5
1995 681 38.0 17.9 18.9
1996 681 38.0 17.9 18.9
1997 699 41.0 17.0 17.9
1998 739 48.0 15.4 17.5
1999 691 48.0 14.4 26.8
2000 712 48.0 14.8 24.7
2001 710 48.0 14.8 33
2002 762 48.0 15.9 29.9
2003 762 48.0 15.9 29.9
2004 782 48.0 16.3 29.5
2005 767 48.0 16.0 32.1
2006 766 48.0 16.0 36
2007 788 52.9 14.9 41
2008 695 55.0 12.6 44
2009 725 53.0 13.7 33.5
2010 733 48.9 14.9 43
2011 710 48.7 14.5 40.3
2012 740 41.2 17.9 40.4
2013 716 45.5 15.7 40.9
2014 673 44.0 15.2 44.1
2015 664 42.0 15.8 39.5
2016 747 43.0 17.3 38.3
2017 757 43.0 17.6 44.5
2018 777 48.0 16.1 43.8
2019 729 46.0 15.8 51.9
2020 713 43.9 16.2 43.9
2021 620 40.0 15.5 39.7
2022 659 40.0 16.4 36.1
2023 702 39.2 17.8 54.1

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
1988 793 47.0 16.8 19.3
1989 825 47.0 17.5 24.1
1990 811 51.0 15.9 23.6
1991 528 32.0 16.5 36.2
1992 523 29.0 18.0 18.7
1993 518 32.0 16.2 18.3
1994 567 32.0 17.7 23.5
1995 681 38.0 17.9 18.9
1996 681 38.0 17.9 18.9
1997 699 41.0 17.0 17.9
1998 739 48.0 15.4 17.5
1999 691 48.0 14.4 26.8
2000 712 48.0 14.8 24.7
2001 710 48.0 14.8 33
2002 762 48.0 15.9 29.9
2003 762 48.0 15.9 29.9
2004 782 48.0 16.3 29.5
2005 767 48.0 16.0 32.1
2006 766 48.0 16.0 36
2007 788 52.9 14.9 41
2008 695 55.0 12.6 44
2009 725 53.0 13.7 33.5
2010 733 48.9 14.9 43
2011 710 48.7 14.5 40.3
2012 740 41.2 17.9 40.4
2013 716 45.5 15.7 40.9
2014 673 44.0 15.2 44.1
2015 664 42.0 15.8 39.5
2016 747 43.0 17.3 38.3
2017 757 43.0 17.6 44.5
2018 777 48.0 16.1 43.8
2019 729 46.0 15.8 51.9
2020 713 43.9 16.2 43.9
2021 620 40.0 15.5 39.7
2022 659 40.0 16.4 36.1
2023 702 39.2 17.8 54.1

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

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $909 (8.9%) $9,291 (91.1%) $10,201

Data source: North Carolina 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 309th of 514 High schoolsRanks 525th of 626 High schools
 23.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Southwest High)51.737.9
 13.8%
   End of Course Biology (Onslow County Schools)68.657.9
 10.7%
   End of Course Biology (North Carolina)59.654.1
 5.5%
End of Course English II (Southwest High)45.640.5
 5.1%
   End of Course English II (Onslow County Schools)55.359.1
 3.8%
   End of Course English II (North Carolina)59.758.5
 1.2%
End of Course Math I (Southwest High)46.218.6
 27.6%
   End of Course Math I (Onslow County Schools)50.845.8
 5%
   End of Course Math I (North Carolina)41.235.9
 5.3%
End of Course Math III (Southwest High)35.230.1
 5.1%
   End of Course Math III (Onslow County Schools)39.553.5
 14%
   End of Course Math III (North Carolina)46.858.3
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students729702
 3.7%
African American140122
 12.9%
American Indian24
 100%
Asian33
Hispanic8193
 14.8%
Pacific Islander02
White434409
 5.8%
Two or More Races6969
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients51.9%54.1%
 2.3%


Schools Near Southwest High









Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest High

Southwest High ranks in the bottom 20.0% of North Carolina high schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 702 students attended Southwest High.

Southwest High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Blue Creek Elementary
Middle : Southwest Middle

Students at Southwest High are 58% White, 17% African American, 13% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races.


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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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