The South-Western City School District is located in the southern gateway of Central Ohio. The 119-square-mile district encompasses most of the southwestern quadrant of Franklin County, including a substantial portion of the City of Columbus. South-Western is the second-largest public school district in the County and the fifth-largest in the State of Ohio, serving approximately 21,000 students and their families.
The SWCSD is comprised of 16 elementary schools, five intermediate schools, five middle schools, four high schools, one career-technical academy, a special needs preschool.
The History of the South-Western City School District
In 1954, only one high school was in existence in the area now called the South-Western City School District. Six boards of education governed the individual school districts serving the area.
The population was growing at a rapid pace and the schools faced difficulty in meeting the needs of the growing enrollment. As a result of these growing needs, a committee of citizens representing the six districts was formed. Meetings were held with members of the six boards of education as well as county and state officials.
On January 1, 1956, the South-Western City School District was formed. It consolidated five local school systems and one exempted village school system: Grove City-Jackson Exempted Village District, Franklin Township Local District, Prairie Township Local District, Pleasant Township Local District, Urbancrest Village District, and Georgesville Local District. The consolidation was planned for: 1) economy of operation; 2) expediency to provide an adequate education for the children of the area; 3) opportunity for a greater financial base of the newly-combined district; and 4) potential for support of a quality school system.