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Southwestern Elementary

Q: Is Southwestern Elementary a good school?

Southwestern Elementary ranks 514 th of 1110 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

514^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,110 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 54% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Southwestern Elementary is a public elementary school in Chesapeake, Virginia, serving around 550 students in grades PK-5. The school faces several challenges, including lower-than-average academic performance in English reading, high rates of chronic absenteeism, and a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

Academically, Southwestern Elementary has shown mixed performance, with its statewide ranking fluctuating over the years. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school performed better than the state average in mathematics for grades 3-5, but its English reading proficiency rates were lower than the state average. Compared to the Chesapeake City Public Schools district, Southwestern Elementary's mathematics proficiency rates were generally on par or slightly higher, while its English reading proficiency rates were lower. The school's performance on the SOL (Standards of Learning) tests for 5th-grade science and Virginia Studies was also lower than the district and state averages.

Southwestern Elementary has a diverse student population, with significant percentages of African American, Hispanic, and White students. Interestingly, the school's rankings for African American and Hispanic students are significantly higher than its overall school ranking, indicating that these subgroups are performing relatively well compared to their peers statewide. In contrast, the school's rankings for low socioeconomic status students and students with disabilities are lower than its overall ranking, suggesting that these subgroups may need additional support. Compared to nearby schools in the Chesapeake City Public Schools district, such as Western Branch Intermediate and Western Branch Primary, Southwestern Elementary generally has lower academic performance and higher rates of chronic absenteeism.

549

Students ?

13.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,018

Per pupil spending ?

74.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4410 Airline Blvd
Chesapeake, VA 23321

(757) 465-6310

District: Chesapeake City Public Schools

Students who attend Southwestern Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Jolliff Middle
High:	Western Branch High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

69.8%

White:

12.6%

Hispanic:

10.7%

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Compare Southwestern Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 25th percentile in 2015 → 54th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 29 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Virginia median (54th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school74%

District avg77%

Virginia avg71%

514^th of 1,110

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 46%▲ up 29 pts since 2015

From bottom 25% (2015) to top 46% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

13^th of 19Elementary Schools in the Chesapeake City Public Schools

31^st of 129Chesapeake City Public Schools among Virginia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	57.2	514 of 1110	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.6	515 of 1114	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.4	598 of 1114	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.8	715 of 1109	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	33.6	777 of 1103	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.8	867 of 1105	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.8	929 of 1097	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	16.6	1003 of 1099	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	45.0	704 of 1096	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2015	34.8	827 of 1100	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	20.9	999 of 1110	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	20.3	1001 of 1120	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	50.1	628 of 1117	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2011	40.8	790 of 1117	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	49.2	662 of 1113	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	36.0	847 of 1082	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	41.1	753 of 1081	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2007	36.9	805 of 1083	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	22.8	965 of 1071	9.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	28.7	883 of 1062	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	68.5	162 of 579	72.0%	★★★★☆
2024	70.0	156 of 588	73.5%	★★★★☆
2023	61.9	217 of 579	62.5%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2024	54.6	193 of 355	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.6	260 of 324	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	51.0	571 of 1096	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.9	603 of 1098	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.5	584 of 1100	46.9%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2024	56.9	252 of 580	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	70.0	156 of 564	72.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	51.2	539 of 1046	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	68.3	285 of 1036	72.5%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	60.2	456 of 1093	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.3	439 of 1101	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.2	608 of 1093	44.4%	★★☆☆☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	35.3	142 of 192	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.8	155 of 195	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	38.6	132 of 182	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	65.7	343 of 973	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.7	316 of 979	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.5	267 of 984	72.9%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2025)72nd percentile+18 vs school

White (2025)65th percentile+11 vs school

Male (2025)58th percentile+5 vs school

Hispanic (2024)57th percentile+3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)48th percentile-5 vs school

Female (2025)48th percentile-6 vs school

Disabled (2024)46th percentile-8 vs school

Military Connected (2025)26th percentile-28 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics83%+11 vs state

VA Studies73%+3 vs state

Science68%~ state avg

English Reading66%-5 vs state

★

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Schools Near Southwestern Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SOL Mathematics (2025)				SOL Science (2025)	SOL English Reading (2025)				SOL VA Studies (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	SOL VA Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwestern Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4410 Airline Blvd	Chesapeake	23321	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 465-6310	549	40	13.5	74.1%	69 (12.6%)	383 (69.8%)	59 (10.7%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (6.0%)	57.2	514^th of 1110 public elementary schools	53.7%		57.6	515^th of 1114 public elementary schools	53.8%	1	82.2	92.3	75.3		68.0	52.2	79.5	68.0			73.0	$11,018	$1,447	$9,570
Edwin W. Chittum Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2008 Dock Landing Rd	Chesapeake	23321	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 465-6300	762	51	15.0	20.1%	470 (61.7%)	128 (16.8%)	64 (8.4%)	13 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	85 (11.2%)	83	163^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	85.3%		80.6	211^th of 1114 public elementary schools	81.1%	48	93.2	94.4	84.4		83.1	78.0	88.8	81.8			87.1	$11,008	$1,307	$9,701
Lakeview Elementary	Public	K-6	1300 Horne Ave	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 465-2901	439	32	13.7	100.2%	25 (5.7%)	353 (80.4%)	27 (6.2%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (6.4%)	7	1054^th of 1110 public elementary schools	5.0%		15	981^st of 1114 public elementary schools	11.9%	73	41.7	47.3	46.3	47.5	32.8	45.0	52.7	42.4	55.9	36.4		$12,417	$3,144	$9,273
Hodges Manor Elementary	Public	K-6	1201 Cherokee Rd	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 465-2921	466	31	15.0	101.3%	68 (14.6%)	315 (67.6%)	39 (8.4%)	3 (0.6%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (7.3%)	15.6	976^th of 1110 public elementary schools	12.1%		11.9	1006^th of 1114 public elementary schools	9.7%	30	57.8	48.5	62.5	44.4	63.1	49.3	43.1	54.7	50.8	49.2		$11,018	$2,750	$8,268
Camelot Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2901 Guenevere Dr	Chesapeake	23323	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 558-5347	491	38	12.9	77.4%	58 (11.8%)	260 (53.0%)	118 (24.0%)	11 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	41 (8.4%)	47.3	635^th of 1110 public elementary schools	42.8%		40.4	722^nd of 1114 public elementary schools	35.2%	87	75.3	71.6	80.8		71.6	60.0	64.6	72.9			51.4	$11,927	$1,427	$10,500
Simonsdale Elementary	Public	K-6	4841 Clifford Street	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 465-2917	613	40	15.3	99.5%	250 (40.8%)	258 (42.1%)	46 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.7%)	53 (8.6%)	21.9	902^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	18.7%		31.3	819^th of 1114 public elementary schools	26.5%	83	50.6	56.0	48.3	51.8	43.3	63.9	62.7	65.0	60.2	60.0		$8,887	$1,900	$6,987
Western Branch Intermediate	Public	3-5	4013 Terry Dr	Chesapeake	23321	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 638-7941	795	46	17.2	73.7%	306 (38.5%)	286 (36.0%)	78 (9.8%)	33 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	88 (11.1%)	59.2	485^th of 1110 public elementary schools	56.3%		59.3	497^th of 1114 public elementary schools	55.4%	12	77.8	73.9	81.8		68.9	66.8	76.5	70.9			79.1	$9,546	$684	$8,862
Western Branch Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	4122 Terry Dr	Chesapeake	23321	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 638-7951	801	48	16.6	73.7%	272 (34.0%)	305 (38.1%)	99 (12.4%)	29 (3.6%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	92 (11.5%)								(n/a)												$9,100	$499	$8,602
Victory Elementary	Public	K-6	2828 Greenwood Drive	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 393-8806	586	37	15.8	100.5%	107 (18.3%)	360 (61.4%)	49 (8.4%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	63 (10.8%)	17.7	953^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	14.1%		28.1	863^rd of 1114 public elementary schools	22.5%	90	66.7	46.9	48.8	60.3	38.6	54.3	63.0	48.8	58.9	49.4		$10,658	$2,577	$8,081
G.A. Treakle Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2500 Gilmerton Rd	Chesapeake	23323	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 558-5361	440	36	12.0	72.3%	103 (23.4%)	189 (43.0%)	89 (20.2%)	3 (0.7%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (11.4%)	76.4	271^st of 1110 public elementary schools	75.6%		65.7	417^th of 1114 public elementary schools	62.6%	146	83.1	93.3	86.4		78.8	78.0	85.3	76.6			74.6	$14,861	$1,555	$13,307

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwestern Elementary

What schools do graduates of Southwestern Elementary attend?

Students who attend Southwestern Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Jolliff Middle
High : Western Branch High

What district is Southwestern Elementary in?

Chesapeake City Public Schools

How many students attend Southwestern Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 549 students attended Southwestern Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Southwestern Elementary?

Students at Southwestern Elementary are 70% African American, 13% White, 11% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

Is Southwestern Elementary a good school?

Southwestern Elementary ranks 514^th of 1110 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Southwestern Elementary!

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Schools in Chesapeake, VA

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