Southwood Elementary

Located at 630 66TH ST SE, in GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan, Southwood Elementary is an intimate elementary campus that teaches 302 students (grades K through 5), overseen by Kentwood Public Schools.

Across the 16 schools in Kentwood Public Schools (9,536 students total), Southwood Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Southwood Elementary reports that the largest single group is White at 36%, but no single group is in the majority. The remainder consists of 26% Hispanic, 23% Black, 11% multiracial, 5% Asian. That is considerably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 73%.

In terms of school funding signals, The school lists 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.3:1. The state averages about 15.8:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. About 81% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Kent County runs at roughly 47%, so the school's eligibility rate is higher than the surrounding baseline.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Southwood Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 30.4%; this one delivers 41.0%.

In the area at large, Kent County reports that median household income runs about $82,631, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. Across Kent County's 239 public schools (combined enrollment of about 97,253 students), Southwood Elementary is one campus in the mix.

Townline Elementary is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.0 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Southwood Elementary at 2nd of 4; the average score across the group is 46.2%.

The school occupies a commuter-belt site.

Looking at the recent track record. Southwood Elementary's enrollment has decreased 9% since 2018, when it stood at 333 (now 302). The White share of enrollment declined from 48% to 36% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 19.0:1 in 2018 to 15.3:1 today.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.