Southwest Elementary

Southwest Elementary, a K-5 public school in High Point, NC, serves 808 students and stands out as a top performer within the Guilford County Schools district.

Most parents hear "Guilford County Schools" and expect average results, since the district itself earns only a 2-star rating. But Southwest Elementary is a clear exception. In the latest school year, it ranked #115 out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools, putting it in the 92nd percentile with a 5-star rating. That's far ahead of every nearby school. Its closest rival, Colfax Elementary, sits in the 84th percentile, while most other local schools like Millis Road Elementary, Florence Elementary, and Jamestown Elementary fall well below. Southwest beats the state and district averages in every tested subject and grade, and its 5th-grade science proficiency rate of 91% is nearly 30 points above the district average. The school's success isn't a one-year fluke either—it has ranked in the 90th percentile or above for eight of the last ten years.

One of the biggest operational advantages at Southwest is attendance. Its chronic absenteeism rate is just 12.5%, less than half the district's rate of 29.2%. That means more students are in class consistently, which helps explain the strong academics. Southwest also earns 5-star ratings for how it serves key student groups, including Hispanic students, English Language Learners, and low-income students, all ranking in the 90th percentile or better. The school achieves these results with a higher student-to-teacher ratio and lower spending per student than nearby schools, showing efficient use of resources. There are a couple of areas to watch: relative statewide rankings for gifted students and special education students have slipped in the latest data, and the school has cooled from its previous 99th-percentile peak. Still, for families in the High Point area, Southwest remains one of the strongest elementary options in the region.