Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 29 schools in district

Southwest Senior High

1685 Hollister St., San Diego, CA 92154Sweetwater Union High →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,645
Students
Total enrolled
85%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$16,384
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 14% vs nat'l
22.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 43% vs nat'l
25/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 49% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,645 students in grades 09–12 in San Diego, California.
14% above average funding
District spends $16,384 per pupil, 14% more than the national average of $14,347.
Low opportunity neighborhood
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 25th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Southwest Senior High is a very large high in San Diego, California, serving grades 09–12 with 1,645 students. The district invests $16,384 per student — 14% above the national average of $14,347, with a 22.0:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 88% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 25/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Southwest Senior High

1,645
Total Students
22.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
88%
Free Lunch
75
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution858 male · 787 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility88%
National avg 52% · 1,451 students
Student Composition
9%
86%
Asian2%
White9%
Hispanic / Latino86%
Black1%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 063864006492

Academic Outcomes at Southwest Senior High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
85
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
85%
State avg
80%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
25
/ 100
Low opportunity neighborhood

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 25th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 0th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 92154

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,384Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,384
State avg
$29,103
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,209
Student Support$3,113
Administration$1,966
Operations$2,458
Other$1,638
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,384 spent per student, an estimated $7,258 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
58%
32%
State government
58.4%
Local (property tax)
32.2%
Federal programs
9.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 85% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 22.0:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (25/100) — national median is 50
  • 88% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Middle
Eastlake MiddleRancho del Rey MiddleHilltop MiddleBonita Vista Middle
+8 more
↓
High School
Eastlake HighSweetwater HighOtay Ranch Senior HighOlympian High
+12 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountySan Diego County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSweetwater Union High →
Phone: (619)628-3023
NCES ID: 063864006492
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in San Diego seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Sweetwater Union High
High
Eastlake High
2,783 students · 09–12
21% FRL
High
Sweetwater High
2,679 students · 09–12
● 38 opp89% FRL
High
Otay Ranch Senior High
2,491 students · 09–12
31% FRL
High
Olympian High
2,341 students · 09–12
25% FRL
High
San Ysidro High
2,316 students · 09–12
● 25 opp78% FRL
High
Bonita Vista Senior High
2,140 students · 09–12
35% FRL
High
Chula Vista Senior High
2,053 students · 09–12
77% FRL
High
Hilltop Senior High
1,885 students · 09–12
● 48 opp72% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1685 Hollister St., San Diego, CA 92154
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.