Southwestern-Jefferson County Con

Southwestern-Jefferson County Con is a small Indiana district with three schools serving PK–12 students: Southwestern Elementary School (PK–5, 633 students), Southwestern Middle School (6–8, 280 students), and Southwestern High School (9–12, 350 students), for a total enrollment of 1,263. The district is ranked 221 of 374 districts, at the 41st percentile with 2 stars. Southwestern Elementary School carries a 3-star rating in 2025–2026, while both the middle and high schools have 2 stars, so the district’s overall profile is pulled down by its secondary schools.

Elementary is the strongest performer: 50th percentile, 3 stars, chronic absenteeism 7.7% versus district 10.7% and state 16.7%, ELA 42.96% versus district 37.74%, Math 45.23% versus district 36.6%, and 5th grade ELA 51.16% versus state 42.2%. But its rank has declined from 62nd to 57th to 50th percentile. Middle school is improving by rank (32nd to 35th to 41st percentile) and in math (21.56% to 26.72%) and science (34.62% to 38.89%), yet remains weakest in core ELA and math: ELA 31.71%, Math 26.72%, 8th grade Math 15.84% versus state 34.2%, 8th grade ELA 26.73% versus state 44%. High school has a graduation-college readiness paradox: 98.7% graduation versus state 89.7%, but SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 42.47% versus state 51.9% and SAT Math 9.59% versus state 25.6%; Biology EOC improved from 38.55% to 51.39%. Its rank is stable around 40th percentile.

Chronic absenteeism rises sharply with grade level: elementary 7.7%, middle 11.5%, high 15.5%. Resource and demographic patterns do not line up neatly with outcomes: the elementary school has the highest free/reduced lunch rate (65.4%) and largest student-teacher ratio (18.6) but performs best, while the high school has the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (53.14%) and spends the most per student ($13,707) but has the lowest SAT math proficiency. The most urgent priorities are middle school 8th grade math and ELA and high school SAT math and reading readiness, while preserving the elementary school’s attendance and ELA strengths. Bright spots include high school Biology improvement and middle school science all grades slightly above the district average.