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Southwestern Elementary

Q: Is Southwestern Elementary a good school?

Southwestern Elementary ranks 372 nd of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

372^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 67% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Southwestern Elementary is a PK–5 school in Suffolk, VA, serving 579 students in the Suffolk City Public Schools district, and it has become one of the district's standout elementary schools. In 2025–2026, Southwestern ranked 372nd out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools, placing it in the 67th percentile with a 3-star rating—a remarkable climb from the 42nd percentile just two years earlier. This improvement appears to be school-specific rather than district-wide, as Suffolk City Public Schools overall sits at the 45th percentile and several of its elementary schools rank below the 25th percentile.

Academically, Southwestern shows a clear "growth through the grades" pattern. While 3rd grade proficiency starts modest at 63% in reading and 72% in math, by 5th grade it reaches 78% in reading and an impressive 93% in math—well above district and state averages. The school's 5th grade math proficiency of 92.68% is the highest among nearby schools, surpassing Oakland Elementary (89.55%) and Windsor Elementary (83%). Southwestern also posts standout results in 4th grade reading (87%), 5th grade science (81%), and 4th grade VA Studies (86%), dramatically outperforming the district in each subject. Among the seven Suffolk City elementary schools compared, Southwestern ranks second only to Oakland Elementary, and it actually beats Oakland in several upper-grade subjects.

Southwestern also stands out for its efficiency and attendance. Despite spending just $7,804 per student—far less than neighbors like Carrsville Elementary ($11,625) or Booker T. Washington Elementary ($12,312)—the school achieves stronger academic results than most. Chronic absenteeism is just 11.0%, well below the district's 17.6%, and far lower than nearby schools like Elephant's Fork Elementary (21.2%) and Mack Benn Junior Elementary (19.5%). The school is particularly effective with economically disadvantaged students, ranking in the 78th percentile for low-SES students. The clearest opportunity for improvement is early literacy: 3rd grade reading proficiency (63%) trails the state average and is well behind top local peers like Carrsville Elementary (84%).

579

Students ?

18.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,416

Per pupil spending ?

69.4%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

150 Pioneer Rd
Suffolk, VA 23437

(757) 925-5782

District: Suffolk City Public Schools

Students who attend Southwestern Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Forest Glen Middle
High:	Lakeland High

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.0%

African American:

26.4%

Hispanic:

9.2%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare Southwestern Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 52nd percentile in 2014 → 67th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Virginia average (80% vs 72% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 15 percentile points since 2014

✓Above the Virginia median (67th percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school80%

District avg71%

Virginia avg72%

372^nd of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 33%▲ up 1 pts since 2017

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 11Elementary Schools in the Suffolk City Public Schools

72^nd of 131Suffolk 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
2026	68.1	372 of 1111	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	64.8	423 of 1110	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.8	642 of 1114	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.1	592 of 1114	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	54.6	540 of 1109	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	41.3	698 of 1103	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	56.7	535 of 1105	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.5	438 of 1097	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	64.9	380 of 1099	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2014	54.1	538 of 1110	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	49.6	606 of 1120	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	53.0	575 of 1117	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	53.0	580 of 1117	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2010	61.5	420 of 1113	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2009	59.3	441 of 1082	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2008	60.8	428 of 1081	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2007	70.6	260 of 1083	76.0%	★★★★☆
2006	55.9	506 of 1071	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2005	58.5	457 of 1062	57.0%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	67.3	172 of 591	70.9%	★★★★☆
2025	66.1	178 of 579	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.3	207 of 588	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.0	201 of 579	65.3%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	66.6	119 of 420	71.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	71.2	313 of 1100	71.5%	★★★★☆
2025	62.2	429 of 1096	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.8	674 of 1098	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.0	577 of 1100	47.5%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	82.2	77 of 606	87.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	71.4	227 of 1040	78.2%	★★★★☆
2025	63.7	349 of 1046	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.8	514 of 1036	50.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	62.5	420 of 1099	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	64.9	398 of 1093	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.0	615 of 1101	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.3	586 of 1093	46.4%	★★☆☆☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	44.8	131 of 206	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.1	138 of 192	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.2	137 of 195	29.7%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2024	9.4	240 of 247	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	63.0	379 of 974	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.7	489 of 973	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	26.0	794 of 979	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.0	813 of 984	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2025)87th percentile+25 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)78th percentile+12 vs school

Disabled (2026)72nd percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)72nd percentile+5 vs school

African American (2026)71st percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)62nd percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)61st percentile-5 vs school

Military Connected (2026)36th percentile-30 vs school

Multi-racial (2024)3rd percentile-40 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

VA Studies86%+15 vs state

Science81%+13 vs state

Mathematics81%+8 vs state

English Reading75%+4 vs state

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Schools Near Southwestern Elementary

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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)				SOL Mathematics (2026)				SOL Science (2026)	SOL English Reading (2026)				SOL VA Studies (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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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	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	150 Pioneer Rd	Suffolk	23437	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 925-5782	579	31	18.6	69.4%	324 (56.0%)	153 (26.4%)	53 (9.2%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	42 (7.3%)	68.1	372^nd of 1111 public elementary schools	66.5%		64.8	423^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	61.9%	51	71.8	81.5	92.7		81.5	63.1	87.0	78.1		85.7		$8,416	$542	$7,874
Carrsville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5355 Carrsville Hwy	Carrsville	23315	Isle of Wight County	Isle of Wight County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 357-8844	232	16	14.9	69.4%	163 (70.3%)	33 (14.2%)	17 (7.3%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.9%)	73.3	301^st of 1111 public elementary schools	72.9%		78.9	234^th of 1110 public elementary schools	78.9%	67	93.0	78.4	86.0		82.0	83.7	69.4	84.0		72.2		$13,825	$807	$13,018
Kilby Shores Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	111 Kilby Shores Dr	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 934-6214	494	29	17.0	69.2%	179 (36.2%)	211 (42.7%)	52 (10.5%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	45 (9.1%)	39.6	738^th of 1111 public elementary schools	33.6%		52.1	573^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	48.4%	165	80.0	71.3	62.1		59.1	64.3	75.5	62.1		56.4		$9,378	$813	$8,565
Booker T. Washington Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	204 Walnut Street	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 934-6226	362	25	14.4	70.4%	39 (10.8%)	277 (76.5%)	21 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.6%)	37.3	764^th of 1111 public elementary schools	31.2%		17.1	960^th of 1110 public elementary schools	13.5%	196	65.0	63.1	72.5		60.9	55.0	73.9	71.0		64.6		$12,143	$2,001	$10,143
Elephant's Fork Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2316 William Reid Dr	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 923-5250	653	36	18.1	69.1%	140 (21.4%)	408 (62.5%)	56 (8.6%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (6.9%)	26.9	877^th of 1111 public elementary schools	21.1%		21.1	916^th of 1110 public elementary schools	17.5%	39	72.9	60.2	43.4		49.1	64.7	69.9	63.2		59.2		$8,032	$811	$7,221
S.P. Morton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	300 Morton Street	Franklin	23851	Franklin city	Franklin City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 562-5458	620	40	15.5	—	84 (13.5%)	463 (74.7%)	34 (5.5%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.3%)	1.3	1107^th of 1111 public elementary schools	0.4%		3.4	1086^th of 1110 public elementary schools	2.2%	21	40.9	21.9	23.9	26.4	40.9	31.3	33.8	40.9	44.4	24.7		$8,713	$1,108	$7,605
Hillpoint Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1101 Hillpoint Rd	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 925-6750	780	39	20.0	69.2%	143 (18.3%)	479 (61.4%)	81 (10.4%)	13 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (7.9%)	27.9	869^th of 1111 public elementary schools	21.8%		28.3	846^th of 1110 public elementary schools	23.8%	23	57.3	67.5	68.6		48.6	52.9	68.8	62.3		65.1		$6,734	$675	$6,059
Mack Benn Junior Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1253 Nansemond Pkwy	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 934-6224	713	44	16.2	69.3%	105 (14.7%)	480 (67.3%)	72 (10.1%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	50 (7.0%)	32.6	814^th of 1111 public elementary schools	26.7%		35.4	766^th of 1110 public elementary schools	31.0%	48	60.2	76.3	57.1		58.1	50.4	77.4	64.8		66.7		$8,672	$996	$7,676
Windsor Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	20008 Courthouse Hwy	Windsor	23487	Isle of Wight County	Isle of Wight County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 242-4193	624	46	13.6	72.0%	441 (70.7%)	91 (14.6%)	35 (5.6%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	52 (8.3%)	67.9	374^th of 1111 public elementary schools	66.3%		67.4	388^th of 1110 public elementary schools	65.0%	14	88.2	76.4	83.0		85.0	75.3	77.3	77.0		71.3		$12,450	$1,239	$11,210
Riverdale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	31023 Camp Parkway	Courtland	23837	Southampton County	Southampton County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 562-3007	533	33	15.9	91.2%	265 (49.7%)	224 (42.0%)	17 (3.2%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	20 (3.8%)	61.8	454^th of 1111 public elementary schools	59.1%		67.2	390^th of 1110 public elementary schools	64.9%	64	85.5	90.4	82.4		67.6	62.9	73.5	68.9			83.6	$8,531	$1,180	$7,351

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwestern Elementary

Is Southwestern Elementary a good school?

Southwestern Elementary ranks 372^nd of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Southwestern Elementary attend?

Students who attend Southwestern Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Forest Glen Middle
High : Lakeland High

What is the racial makeup of Southwestern Elementary?

Students at Southwestern Elementary are 56% White, 26% African American, 9% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.

How many students attend Southwestern Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 579 students attended Southwestern Elementary.

What district is Southwestern Elementary in?

Suffolk City Public Schools

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Latest Virginia data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 SOL test scoresAug 25, 2026

2021–22 school spending dataFeb 16, 2026

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.