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Southwest Elementary School

Q: Is Southwest Elementary School a good school?

Southwest Elementary School ranks 1547 th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1547^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 31% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Southwest Elementary School in Lakeland, FL, is a mid-sized school serving 376 students in grades PK-5 within the Polk district, where nearly 78% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This school stands out as a stable, average option in a neighborhood with extreme academic disparities, ranking in the 31st percentile—a middle ground between nearby top-tier magnet schools like South McKeel Academy and struggling schools like Philip O'Brien Elementary School.

Southwest Elementary shines in specific areas, particularly 5th-grade math and science. In the most recent school year, 59% of 5th graders were proficient in math, outperforming the district average by 8 points, and 62% were proficient in science, matching the state average and beating the district by 13 points. This science performance is a consistent strength, often doubling the proficiency rates of nearby schools like Dixieland Elementary School (29%) and Jesse Keen Elementary School (32%). However, the school faces a "math gap," with only 42% of 3rd graders and 47% of 4th graders proficient in math, suggesting foundational skills need attention. Chronic absenteeism is also a persistent issue, with a rate of 33.8% in 2023-2024, much higher than the near-zero rates at high-performing magnet schools in the area.

An interesting paradox is that Southwest Elementary has the highest per-pupil spending ($14,321) and one of the lowest student-teacher ratios (12.1:1) among nearby schools, yet its academic outcomes are mediocre. For comparison, McKeel Academy Central spends only $10,138 per student with a higher ratio of 16.4:1 but achieves dramatically better results. The most striking comparison is with Cleveland Court Elementary School, located just 0.38 miles away, which serves a similar demographic but is a 4-star school outperforming Southwest in every subject and grade level. This suggests that factors like school leadership and culture may play a decisive role in student success beyond just spending and class size.

376

Students ?

12.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,321

Per pupil spending ?

77.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2650 Southwest Ave
Lakeland, FL 33803

(863) 499-2830

District: Polk

Students who attend Southwest Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Sleepy Hill Middle School
High:	George W. Jenkins Senior High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

38.8%

White:

32.7%

African American:

21.0%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 52nd percentile in 2016 → 31st in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (52% vs 62% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 21 percentile points since 2016

!Math scores 15 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school52%

District avg53%

Florida avg62%

1,547^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 31%▼ down 21 pts since 2016

From top 48% (2016) to bottom 31% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

36^th of 86Elementary Schools in the Polk

61^st of 70Polk among Florida 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	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	34.4	1547 of 2240	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.7	1255 of 2258	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.4	1161 of 2256	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	55.0	969 of 2240	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.3	1152 of 2219	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	36.8	1397 of 2247	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.9	1245 of 2182	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.8	1350 of 2118	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	45.3	1161 of 2112	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	52.3	995 of 2087	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2014	47.9	1066 of 2064	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	36.3	1324 of 2029	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2012	46.4	1074 of 1984	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	57.2	902 of 1985	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	46.2	1112 of 1919	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2009	46.6	1052 of 1847	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2008	64.4	659 of 1789	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2007	64.0	677 of 1786	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2006	31.4	1200 of 1688	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Science62%~ state avg

English Language Arts53%-8 vs state

Math49%-15 vs state

★

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Schools Near Southwest Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)						FAST Math (2026)						Statewide Science Science (2026)		EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2650 Southwest Ave	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2830	376	31	12.1	77.7%	123 (32.7%)	79 (21.0%)	146 (38.8%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.6%)	34.4	1547^th of 2240 public elementary schools	30.9%		43.7	1255^th of 2258 public elementary schools	44.4%	292	52.0	54.0	52.0				42.0	47.0	59.0				62.0				$14,321	$2,064	$12,257
Cleveland Court Elementary School	Public	K-5	328 Edgewood Dr E	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2929	374	27	13.8	54.0%	153 (40.9%)	90 (24.1%)	109 (29.1%)	12 (3.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)	82.6	320^th of 2240 public elementary schools	85.7%		76	495^th of 2258 public elementary schools	78.1%	175	71.0	86.0	75.0				74.0	78.0	83.0				75.0				$13,187	$1,655	$11,533
Dixieland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	416 Ariana St	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2930	344	20	17.2	81.7%	85 (24.7%)	91 (26.5%)	148 (43.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.2%)	20.4	1917^th of 2240 public elementary schools	14.4%		13.8	2063^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	8.6%	146	56.0	49.0	45.0				47.0	43.0	43.0				29.0				$11,420	$1,627	$9,792
Carlton Palmore Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3725 Clevelnd Hts Blvd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3510	402	26	15.4	66.7%	173 (43.0%)	89 (22.1%)	112 (27.9%)	5 (1.2%)	4 (1.0%)	3 (0.7%)	16 (4.0%)	34.7	1536^th of 2240 public elementary schools	31.4%		34.2	1520^th of 2258 public elementary schools	32.7%	16	55.0	68.0	44.0				59.0	55.0	44.0				31.0				$12,914	$1,902	$11,011
Magnolia Montessori Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	815 S Central Ave	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 797-4991	182	16	11.3	7.1%	121 (66.5%)	11 (6.0%)	34 (18.7%)	4 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	11 (6.0%)	90.1	134^th of 2240 public elementary schools	94.0%		93.5	71^st of 2258 public elementary schools	96.9%	63	75.0	88.0	85.0	91.0	100.0	100.0	90.0	88.0	74.0	100.0	100.0		75.0	87.0		100.0	$10,753	$222	$10,531
Rosabelle W. Blake Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	510 Hartsell Ave	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 499-2870	562	31	18.1	74.9%	141 (25.1%)	229 (40.7%)	161 (28.6%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.8%)	31.8	1624^th of 2240 public elementary schools	27.5%		29.3	1668^th of 2258 public elementary schools	26.1%	44	51.0	54.0	40.0	59.0	60.0	65.0	62.0	64.0	28.0	51.0	42.0	57.0	33.0	40.0	73.0	100.0	$11,299	$2,174	$9,125
Philip O'Brien Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1225 Lime St E	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2950	625	31	20.1	80.3%	193 (30.9%)	165 (26.4%)	233 (37.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	29 (4.6%)	7.7	2176^th of 2240 public elementary schools	2.9%		9	2166^th of 2258 public elementary schools	4.1%	10	35.0	37.0	43.0				34.0	38.0	23.0				33.0				$11,604	$1,709	$9,895
Jesse Keen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	815 Plateau Ave	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2880	621	29	21.4	81.8%	78 (12.6%)	101 (16.3%)	432 (69.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.3%)	20.1	1921^st of 2240 public elementary schools	14.2%		14.1	2060^th of 2258 public elementary schools	8.8%	139	35.0	42.0	44.0				62.0	56.0	40.0				32.0				$10,337	$1,403	$8,934
McKeel Academy Central	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	411 Florida Ave N	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 499-1287	610	37	16.4	36.4%	354 (58.0%)	84 (13.8%)	129 (21.1%)	14 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	26 (4.3%)	92.3	87^th of 2240 public elementary schools	96.1%		90.7	150^th of 2258 public elementary schools	93.4%	63	92.0	78.0	78.0	85.0			93.0	93.0	93.0	90.0			86.0				$10,138	$649	$9,489
Mi Escuela Montessori	Public, Charter	PK, KG-7	2130 E Edgewood Dr	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 934-2780	275	22	12.6	48.4%	89 (32.4%)	9 (3.3%)	160 (58.2%)	5 (1.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.0%)	33	1587^th of 2240 public elementary schools	29.2%		28.1	1700^th of 2258 public elementary schools	24.7%	113	48.0	66.0	61.0	66.0	69.0	77.0	40.0	50.0	32.0	59.0	47.0		32.0	67.0	100.0	56.0	$10,345	$471	$9,874

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Southwest Elementary School?

Students at Southwest Elementary School are 39% Hispanic, 33% White, 21% African American, 7% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Southwest Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Sleepy Hill Middle School
High : George W. Jenkins Senior High

Is Southwest Elementary School a good school?

Southwest Elementary School ranks 1547^th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Southwest Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 376 students attended Southwest Elementary School.

What district is Southwest Elementary School in?

Polk

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Latest Florida data All new data »

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2025

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