Southwest High School

Grades:
9-12
Link to enroll
School hours:
Mon-Fri 8:30AM-3:00PM
Before school care:
No
After school care:
No
District:
Minneapolis Public Schools

School performance rating

75%

About

Languages spoken by school staff

English, Spanish, Somali

Extra programming

Southwest High School offers an extracurricular program with an emphasis in social justice, arts, music, & athletics. Over 75% of their students participate in at least 1 sport or club.

Extracurriculars Offered:

Cultural Extracurriculars, Debate/Speech Clubs, Environmental/Outdoors Clubs, Foreign Language Clubs, Journalism/Newspaper Clubs, Music, STEM/STEAM Clubs, Sports, Theater, Visual Arts Clubs

Uniforms

Students who attend Southwest High School are not required to wear uniforms.

How to enroll

If interested in enrolling, contact Student Placement Services at (612) 668-1840 or sps.department@mpls.k12.mn.us.

Students at this school

Students, by population (1310 total)
  • American Indian or Alaskan Native
    2%
  • Asian
    3%
  • Black or African American
    17%
  • Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
    0%
  • Hispanic
    7%
  • Two or more races
    5%
  • White
    66%
  • English Language Learner
    5%
  • From a Low Income Background
    26%
  • Special Education
    10%

Teachers at this school

Teachers, by population (75 total)
  • American Indian or Alaskan Native
    0%
  • Asian
    1%
  • Black or African American
    0%
  • Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
    0%
  • Hispanic
    0%
  • Two or more races
    4%
  • White
    94%

Average student to teacher ratio

17:1

Academics

84%

Academic performance rating

84%

Academic programming

MPS supports district programming & curriculum that promotes the academic achievement of all learners.

Academic Programs Offered:

Arts Focused Programming, Career & Technical Education (CTE), College prep, Credit recovery, International Baccalaureate (IB), Multi-Grade Classrooms, Online Learning, PSEO, Personalized Learning, STEM/STEAM

Special education programming

Consistent with federal & Minnesota law, special education instruction & related services are provided to all children with disabilities age birth through 21 who need & meet the eligibility criteria for special education instruction & related services.
Read the full Special Education Policy: https://bit.ly/3Mul9kr.

English language learner programming

MPS supports district programming & curriculum that promotes the accelerated academic achievement of English learners & recognizes the important role played by multilingualism in achieving academic success & future careers of MPS students. 
Read the full Bilingual Student Education Policy: https://bit.ly/42VAq2U.

College Continuation

% of students attending and completing 2 years of college
92% 91% 88% 84% 86% 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 100% 0%

Graduation

% of students graduating high school in 4 years
92% 90% 88% 90% 85% 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 100% 0%

Average composite ACT score

23 22 24 22 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 36 0

Climate

78%

Climate performance rating

78%

School values

MPS values: (1) equity, representation & anti-racism; (2) physical & emotional safety & wellbeing; (3) relationships, trust & communication; (4) shared decision-making & voice; (5) transparency & accountability; & (6) evidence-based strategies. 
Learn more at mpschools.org/about-mps/strategic-plan.

Discipline Policy

MPS recognizes that appropriate school behavior is critical to academic success & to sustaining a rich & effective learning community. Their Discipline & Student Behavior Policy states that student instruction time lost due to removal from classes due to misbehavior must be minimized. MPS looks to parents & families to partner in the teaching & supporting of appropriate school behavior to maximize the academic success of their students. 
Read the full Discipline & Student Behavior Policy at: https://bit.ly/42ZvEkZ. 

Bullying Prevention Policy

The MPS Bullying & Hazing Prohibition Policy exists to maintain a safe & supportive learning environment for students & staff that is free from bullying or hazing. MPS strives to take action to investigate, respond to, remediate, & impose discipline for acts of bullying & hazing which have not been successfully prevented. 
Read the full Bullying & Hazing Prohibition Policy: https://bit.ly/3Ih2RQW.

Teacher retention

% of teachers who stayed at the school
87% 81% 79% 87% 2021 2022 2023 2024 100% 0%

Attendance

% of students who regularly attend school (at least 90% of time)
84% 27% 60% 2021 2022 2023 100% 0%

Discipline

Number of expulsions or suspensions per every hundred students
Per 100 Students 0 2020 2021 2022 2023 16 11 1 9

Equity

42%

Equity performance rating

42%

Equity vision

MPS recognizes that appropriate school behavior is critical to academic success & to sustaining a rich & effective learning community. Their Discipline & Student Behavior Policy states that student instruction time lost due to removal from classes due to misbehavior must be minimized. MPS looks to parents & families to partner in the teaching & supporting of appropriate school behavior to maximize the academic success of their students. 
Read the full Discipline & Student Behavior Policy at: https://bit.ly/42ZvEkZ. 

College Continuation

% of students attending and completing 2 years of college, by student group
0% 100% City average 86% All students
0% 100% City average 86% All students

Graduation

% of students graduating high school in 4 years, by student group
0% 100% City average 94% Asian City average 73% Black or African American City average 53% English Language Learner City average 71% From a Low Income Background City average 54% Hispanic City average 100% Two or more races City average 50% Special Education City average 92% White City average 85% All students
0% 100% City average 94% Asian City average 73% Black or African American City average 53% English Language Learner City average 71% From a Low Income Background City average 54% Hispanic City average 100% Two or more races City average 50% Special Education City average 92% White City average 85% All students

Teacher retention

Teachers who stayed at the school last year by race/ethnicity
0% 100% City average 88% White
0% 100% City average 88% White

Teachers of color

6%

Students of color

34%

Attendance

% of students who regularly attend school (at least 90% of the time)
0% 100% City average 42% American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 79% Asian City average 36% Black or African American City average 38% English Language Learner City average 39% From a Low Income Background City average 46% Hispanic City average 43% Two or more races City average 41% Special Education City average 70% White City average 60% All students
0% 100% City average 42% American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 79% Asian City average 36% Black or African American City average 38% English Language Learner City average 39% From a Low Income Background City average 46% Hispanic City average 43% Two or more races City average 41% Special Education City average 70% White City average 60% All students

Discipline

Number of expulsions or suspensions for every hundred students
0% 100% City average 21 American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 2 Asian City average 21 Black or African American City average 4 Hispanic City average 12 Two or more races City average 2 White City average 9 All students
0% 100% City average 21 American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 2 Asian City average 21 Black or African American City average 4 Hispanic City average 12 Two or more races City average 2 White City average 9 All students