Southwest Elementary

www.southwest.dpsnc.net/

639 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

Southwest Elementary School, located on Cook Road in Durham, North Carolina, is a key component of the Durham Public Schools (DPS) district. The school serves a diverse student population, fostering an environment centered on academic growth, social-emotional development, and community engagement. As part of a forward-thinking school district, Southwest Elementary emphasizes foundational learning while utilizing modern instructional strategies to prepare students for success in middle school and beyond.

The school is known for its commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive campus culture. By leveraging its location within the vibrant Durham community, Southwest Elementary integrates various programs and resources to support its students, including those with diverse learning needs. Through a combination of rigorous curriculum standards, dedicated faculty, and active parent-teacher collaboration, the school strives to cultivate a safe, supportive, and intellectually stimulating environment for young learners.

639

Total Students

44.7

Full-Time Teachers

14.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

99.5%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Southwest Elementary
Demographic	Student Count
White	203
Hispanic	166
Black	204
Asian	12
Two or More	53
American Indian	1

Black
204 (31.9%)
White
203 (31.8%)
Hispanic
166 (26.0%)
Two or More
53 (8.3%)
Asian
12 (1.9%)
American Indian
1 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Durham Public Schools
Phone:	(919)560-3972
Website:	http://www.southwest.dpsnc.net/
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	639
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	44.7
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	14.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	636
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 10

Kindergarten 104

Grade 1 117

Grade 2 87

Grade 3 105

Grade 4 116

Grade 5 100