Desoto Secondary School

Summary:

Desoto Secondary School is an alternative public school in Arcadia, Florida, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 69 students. The school is part of the Desoto school district, which is ranked 67th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Desoto Secondary School faces significant challenges, including a diverse student population with 46.38% Hispanic, 28.99% White, and 23.19% African American students, as well as alarmingly low graduation rates, reaching only 25% in 2021-2022, compared to the state average of 86.9%. The school also struggles with an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of 84.2%, much higher than the nearby Desoto Virtual Academy, which had a rate of 34.8%. Academically, Desoto Secondary School's performance is significantly below state and district averages, with only 12% of 9th-grade students proficient or better in FAST/English Language Arts and 10% of 7th-grade students proficient or better in FAST/Math.

Interestingly, Desoto Secondary School's performance is notably worse than the nearby Reduced Services and Desoto Virtual Academy schools, which are also part of the Desoto school district. The virtual academy has higher graduation rates, lower chronic absenteeism, and better academic performance, while Reduced Services has a smaller student population and higher per-student spending. Despite increased funding over the years, Desoto Secondary School's challenges persist, suggesting the need for a re-evaluation of resource allocation and implementation strategies to better address the unique needs of its high-need student population.

Detail:

Public, Alternative K-12

318 N Wilson Ave
Arcadia, FL 34266

(863) 494-9303

District: Desoto

SchoolDigger Rank:
1114^th of 1,196 Florida Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,419

Student/teacher ratio: 34.5

Number of students: 69

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

46.4%

White:

29.0%

African American:

23.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 82.6%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Desoto Secondary School to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Desoto Secondary School ranks worse than 93.1% of middle schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.11. (See more...)

Compare Details Desoto Secondary School ranks worse than 83.8% of high schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.2. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Desoto Secondary School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Desoto Secondary School has the largest alternative school student body size in the Desoto School District. Student population at Desoto Secondary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (46.4%), White (29%), African American (23.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 82.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Desoto School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desoto Secondary School is 34.5, which is the 2^nd best among 1 alternative schools in the Desoto School District. (See more...)

Compare Desoto Secondary School employs 2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desoto Secondary School is $13,419, which is the highest among 4 alternative schools in the Desoto School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Desoto Secondary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Desoto Secondary School 1114^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Desoto Secondary School in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Desoto Secondary School 676^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Desoto Secondary School in the ranking list.)

Desoto:

SchoolDigger ranks Desoto 67^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Desoto Secondary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2019	3.18	1077^th	1099	2.0%
2021	4.90	1115^th	1136	1.8%
2022	5.88	1100^th	1148	4.2%
2023	5.96	1113^th	1177	5.4%
2024	9.11	1114^th	1196	6.9%

See the entire list of Florida Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Desoto Secondary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2018	5.58	628^th	716	12.3%
2019	4.87	654^th	734	10.9%
2022	1.59	767^th	774	0.9%
2024	9.20	676^th	807	16.2%

See the entire list of Florida Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Desoto Secondary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	0
2009	21	17	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	50
2010	20	11	1	17	0	n/a	n/a	2	51
2011	10	8	0	2	0	0	1	0	21
2012	5	3	0	9	0	0	0	0	17
2013	9	7	0	6	0	0	0	0	22
2014	7	2	0	13	0	0	3	0	25
2015	8	6	0	13	0	1	1	0	29
2016	15	6	0	18	0	0	5	0	44
2017	20	12	0	24	0	0	2	0	58
2018	24	13	0	18	0	0	3	0	58
2019	28	15	0	11	0	0	2	0	56
2020	62	16	0	38	0	0	3	0	119
2021	42	8	0	20	1	0	2	0	73
2022	25	13	0	30	0	0	2	0	70
2023	20	16	0	32	0	0	1	0	69

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Desoto Secondary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	0	0.0	0.0	n/a
2009	50	n/a	n/a	42
2010	51	2.0	25.5	46.9
2011	21	1.0	21.0	57.1
2012	17	2.0	8.5	35.3
2013	22	2.0	11.0	77.3
2014	25	2.0	12.5	76
2015	29	3.0	9.6	72.4
2016	44	3.0	14.6	79.5
2017	58	1.0	58.0	65.5
2018	58	2.0	29.0	5.2
2019	56	2.0	28.0	75
2020	119	2.5	47.6	63.9
2021	73	3.0	24.3	69.9
2022	70	1.0	70.0	84.3
2023	69	2.0	34.5	82.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Desoto Secondary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	0	0.0	0.0	n/a
2009	50	n/a	n/a	42
2010	51	2.0	25.5	46.9
2011	21	1.0	21.0	57.1
2012	17	2.0	8.5	35.3
2013	22	2.0	11.0	77.3
2014	25	2.0	12.5	76
2015	29	3.0	9.6	72.4
2016	44	3.0	14.6	79.5
2017	58	1.0	58.0	65.5
2018	58	2.0	29.0	5.2
2019	56	2.0	28.0	75
2020	119	2.5	47.6	63.9
2021	73	3.0	24.3	69.9
2022	70	1.0	70.0	84.3
2023	69	2.0	34.5	82.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Desoto Secondary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,010 (17.7%)	$4,696 (82.3%)	$5,706
2019	$1,030 (14.6%)	$6,011 (85.4%)	$7,042
2020	$994 (14.2%)	$6,018 (85.8%)	$7,012
2021	$1,667 (18.2%)	$7,505 (81.8%)	$9,172
2022	$1,040 (11.6%)	$7,892 (88.3%)	$8,934
2023	$2,690 (20.0%)	$10,730 (80.0%)	$13,419

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desoto Secondary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1077^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 1113^th of 1177 Middle schools	3.4%
Ranks 654^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 767^th of 774 High schools	10%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Mathematics (Desoto Secondary School)	18	17	1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Desoto)	33	16	17%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade Science (Desoto Secondary School)	0	10	10%
8th Grade Science (Desoto)	29	22	7%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Desoto Secondary School)	9	10	1%
End of Course Civics (Desoto)	43	46	3%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	69	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	56	69	23.2%
African American	15	16	6.7%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	11	32	190.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	28	20	28.6%
Two or More Races	2	1	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	75%	82.6%	7.6%

Schools Near Desoto Secondary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				FAST English Language Arts (2024)			FAST Math (2024)		Statewide Science Science (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Desoto Secondary School	Public, Alternative	K-12	318 N Wilson Ave	Arcadia	34266	DeSoto County	Desoto	No	No	No	No	(863) 494-9303	69	2	34.5	82.6%	20 (29.0%)	16 (23.2%)	32 (46.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)								(n/a)	18.0	26.0	12.0	10.0	21.0	16.0	45.0	$13,419	$2,690	$10,730
Desoto Virtual Franchise	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	310 W Whidden St	Arcadia	34266	DeSoto County	Desoto	No	No	Yes	No	(863) 993-1333	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Reduced Services	Public, Alternative	K-12	310 W Whidden St	Arcadia	34266	DeSoto County	Desoto	No	No	No	No	(863) 993-1333	10	0		30.0%	2 (20.0%)	4 (40.0%)	4 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Desoto Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	310 W Whidden St	Arcadia	34266	DeSoto County	Desoto	No	No	Yes	No	(863) 993-1333	53	2	26.5	5.7%	26 (49.1%)	4 (7.5%)	21 (39.6%)	2 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)								$9,012	$6,158	$2,855

Frequently Asked Questions about Desoto Secondary School

Is Desoto Secondary School a good school?

Desoto Secondary School ranks in the bottom 6.9% of Florida alternative schools.

How many students attend Desoto Secondary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 69 students attended Desoto Secondary School.

What district is Desoto Secondary School in?

Desoto

What is the racial makeup of Desoto Secondary School?

Students at Desoto Secondary School are 46% Hispanic, 29% White, 23% African American, 1% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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