Desoto Trail Elementary School

Q: Is Desoto Trail Elementary School a good school?

Desoto Trail Elementary School ranks 375 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Desoto Trail Elementary School is a public elementary school in Tallahassee, Florida, serving 654 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Leon District, which is ranked 48 out of 68 districts in the state.

Desoto Trail Elementary School consistently outperforms the Leon District and the state of Florida in academic assessments, with significantly higher proficiency rates in Statewide Science/Science, FAST/English Language Arts, and FAST/Math. The school has a strong statewide ranking, placing in the top 20% of Florida elementary schools, and has maintained relatively low chronic absenteeism rates compared to nearby schools like Sealey Elementary and Governor's Charter School. Additionally, the school's spending per student has increased over the past few years, reaching $9,947 in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average.

While Desoto Trail Elementary School has a relatively homogeneous student population, with a majority of white students, the nearby schools, such as Sealey Elementary and Governor's Charter School, have more diverse student populations. This could present an opportunity for Desoto Trail Elementary School to explore ways to further diversify its student body and promote inclusivity. Overall, Desoto Trail Elementary School stands out as a high-performing school within the Leon District, with a track record of academic excellence and efficient use of resources.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

5200 Tredington Park Dr
Tallahassee, FL 32309

(850) 488-4511

District: Leon

SchoolDigger Rank:
375^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,947

Students who attend Desoto Trail Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	William J Montford III Middle School
High:	Lawton Chiles High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.5

Number of students: 654

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.5%

Hispanic:

9.2%

African American:

7.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 17.3%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Desoto Trail Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Desoto Trail Elementary School ranks better than 83.4% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 4^th among 28 ranked elementary schools in the Leon School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 81.08. (See more...)

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 Racial makeup is: White (74.5%), Hispanic (9.2%), African American (7.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 17.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desoto Trail Elementary School is 15.5. 15 elementary schools in the Leon School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Desoto Trail Elementary School employs 42 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desoto Trail Elementary School is $9,947. 18 elementary schools in the Leon School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Leon:

SchoolDigger ranks Leon 48^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Desoto Trail Elementary School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Desoto Trail Elementary School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Desoto Trail Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	88.01	159^th	1688	90.6%
2007	91.05	76^th	1786	95.7%
2008	92.03	66^th	1789	96.3%
2009	85.85	197^th	1847	89.3%
2010	92.07	64^th	1919	96.7%
2011	90.36	100^th	1985	95.0%
2012	91.86	100^th	1984	95.0%
2013	91.38	119^th	2029	94.1%
2014	92.95	75^th	2064	96.4%
2016	94.07	66^th	2087	96.8%
2017	94.53	47^th	2112	97.8%
2018	94.65	46^th	2118	97.8%
2019	89.05	181^st	2182	91.7%
2021	93.75	88^th	2247	96.1%
2022	91.27	142^nd	2219	93.6%
2023	82.98	339^th	2240	84.9%
2024	81.08	375^th	2256	83.4%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Friday, August 19, 2011

I teach at DeSoto Trail, and I love my job! My co-workers are my adopted family. My students are great, and the parents are very supportive and involved. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Desoto Trail Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1990	642	61	10	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	724
1991	753	54	12	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	829
1992	786	68	13	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	880
1993	838	76	13	13	2	n/a	n/a	0	942
1994	834	70	15	13	2	n/a	n/a	0	934
1995	767	51	17	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	847
1996	767	51	17	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	847
1997	733	43	21	9	2	n/a	n/a	0	808
1998	736	55	19	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	823
1999	660	63	21	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	754
2000	646	54	19	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	729
2001	690	68	21	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	794
2002	606	56	19	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	693
2003	606	56	19	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	693
2004	559	49	24	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	649
2005	563	59	22	20	2	n/a	n/a	0	666
2006	533	61	19	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	626
2007	503	49	15	13	4	n/a	n/a	31	615
2008	457	53	17	18	4	n/a	n/a	31	580
2009	462	56	18	25	5	n/a	n/a	33	599
2010	473	64	20	22	4	n/a	n/a	33	616
2011	475	81	24	24	3	0	28	0	635
2012	490	71	27	27	2	0	21	0	638
2013	495	58	33	23	2	0	23	0	634
2014	519	68	32	18	1	0	28	0	666
2015	520	68	33	25	1	2	22	0	671
2016	523	72	31	23	2	3	15	0	669
2017	509	77	30	28	2	3	23	0	672
2018	531	61	27	33	1	3	21	0	677
2019	517	61	27	45	1	1	22	0	674
2020	527	51	18	63	0	0	35	0	694
2021	486	51	18	64	1	0	32	0	652
2022	474	55	21	69	0	0	38	0	657
2023	487	48	23	60	0	0	36	0	654

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 Trail Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	724	40.0	18.1	6.2
1991	829	43.0	19.2	4.6
1992	880	44.0	20.0	3.1
1993	942	47.0	20.0	3.3
1994	934	48.0	19.5	3.7
1995	847	47.0	18.0	2.4
1996	847	47.0	18.0	2.4
1997	808	48.0	16.8	1.5
1998	823	48.0	17.1	4.4
1999	754	45.0	16.8	6.9
2000	729	43.0	17.0	5.5
2001	794	44.0	18.0	8.3
2002	693	38.0	18.2	7.8
2003	693	38.0	18.2	7.8
2004	649	38.0	17.1	8.6
2005	666	40.0	16.7	11.7
2006	626	41.0	15.3	12.5
2007	615	39.0	15.8	9.2
2008	580	40.0	14.5	9.8
2009	599	46.5	14.8	13.3
2010	616	40.0	15.4	16.6
2011	635	42.0	15.1	16.2
2012	638	41.0	15.5	17.1
2013	634	41.0	15.4	14.8
2014	666	42.0	15.8	17.6
2015	671	43.0	15.6	21.2
2016	669	43.0	15.5	16.9
2017	672	43.0	15.6	19.5
2018	677	44.0	15.3	18.2
2019	674	44.5	15.1	15.1
2020	694	44.5	15.5	18.6
2021	652	46.0	14.1	14
2022	657	44.0	14.9	17.7
2023	654	42.0	15.5	17.3

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 Trail Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	724	40.0	18.1	6.2
1991	829	43.0	19.2	4.6
1992	880	44.0	20.0	3.1
1993	942	47.0	20.0	3.3
1994	934	48.0	19.5	3.7
1995	847	47.0	18.0	2.4
1996	847	47.0	18.0	2.4
1997	808	48.0	16.8	1.5
1998	823	48.0	17.1	4.4
1999	754	45.0	16.8	6.9
2000	729	43.0	17.0	5.5
2001	794	44.0	18.0	8.3
2002	693	38.0	18.2	7.8
2003	693	38.0	18.2	7.8
2004	649	38.0	17.1	8.6
2005	666	40.0	16.7	11.7
2006	626	41.0	15.3	12.5
2007	615	39.0	15.8	9.2
2008	580	40.0	14.5	9.8
2009	599	46.5	14.8	13.3
2010	616	40.0	15.4	16.6
2011	635	42.0	15.1	16.2
2012	638	41.0	15.5	17.1
2013	634	41.0	15.4	14.8
2014	666	42.0	15.8	17.6
2015	671	43.0	15.6	21.2
2016	669	43.0	15.5	16.9
2017	672	43.0	15.6	19.5
2018	677	44.0	15.3	18.2
2019	674	44.5	15.1	15.1
2020	694	44.5	15.5	18.6
2021	652	46.0	14.1	14
2022	657	44.0	14.9	17.7
2023	654	42.0	15.5	17.3

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 Trail Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$376 (4.9%)	$7,287 (95.1%)	$7,663
2019	$404 (4.9%)	$7,837 (95.1%)	$8,242
2020	$309 (3.9%)	$7,715 (96.1%)	$8,024
2021	$592 (7.0%)	$7,812 (93.0%)	$8,403
2022	$1,081 (11.4%)	$8,420 (88.6%)	$9,501
2023	$1,035 (10.4%)	$8,912 (89.6%)	$9,947

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desoto Trail Elementary 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 181^st of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 339^th of 2240 Elementary schools	6.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Desoto Trail Elementary School)	91	79	12%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Leon)	61	54	7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Desoto Trail Elementary School)	84	76	8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Leon)	63	57	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Desoto Trail Elementary School)	79	82	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Leon)	57	54	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Desoto Trail Elementary School)	79	83	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Leon)	66	58	8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Desoto Trail Elementary School)	76	84	8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Leon)	56	55	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Desoto Trail Elementary School)	81	74	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Leon)	61	48	13%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Desoto Trail Elementary School)	72	61	11%
5th Grade Science (Leon)	54	50	4%
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	674	654	3%
African American	61	48	21.3%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	27	23	14.8%
Hispanic	45	60	33.3%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	517	487	5.8%
Two or More Races	22	36	63.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	15.1%	17.3%	2.1%

Schools Near Desoto Trail Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)						FAST Math (2024)						Statewide Science Science (2024)		EOC Algebra 1 (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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Desoto Trail Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5200 Tredington Park Dr	Tallahassee	32309	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 488-4511	654	42	15.5	17.3%	487 (74.5%)	48 (7.3%)	60 (9.2%)	23 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (5.5%)	81.1	375^th of 2256 public elementary schools	83.4%		83	339^th of 2240 public elementary schools	84.9%	36	76.0	67.0	72.0				76.0	75.0	56.0				74.0				$9,947	$1,035	$8,912
Roberts Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5777 Pimlico Dr	Tallahassee	32309	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 488-0923	870	57	15.2	23.3%	619 (71.1%)	130 (14.9%)	69 (7.9%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (5.5%)	81.1	376^th of 2256 public elementary schools	83.3%		83.7	320^th of 2240 public elementary schools	85.7%	56	67.0	78.0	67.0				67.0	84.0	65.0				74.0				$10,286	$1,268	$9,018
Gilchrist Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1301 Timberlane Rd	Tallahassee	32312	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 487-4310	864	54	15.9	20.4%	538 (62.3%)	108 (12.5%)	99 (11.5%)	56 (6.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	61 (7.1%)	92.1	110^th of 2256 public elementary schools	95.1%		90.6	159^th of 2240 public elementary schools	92.9%	49	89.0	72.0	77.0				92.0	76.0	77.0				84.0				$9,375	$775	$8,599
Killearn Lakes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8037 Deer Lk E	Tallahassee	32312	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 921-1265	777	49	15.8	16.9%	545 (70.1%)	60 (7.7%)	87 (11.2%)	38 (4.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	45 (5.8%)	88.8	214^th of 2256 public elementary schools	90.5%		85.6	274^th of 2240 public elementary schools	87.8%	60	74.0	74.0	76.0				79.0	76.0	76.0				78.0				$9,830	$1,077	$8,753
Hawks Rise Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	205 Meadow Ridge Dr	Tallahassee	32312	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 487-4733	805	48	16.6	13.4%	454 (56.4%)	99 (12.3%)	60 (7.5%)	131 (16.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (7.6%)	90.8	148^th of 2256 public elementary schools	93.4%		93	97^th of 2240 public elementary schools	95.7%	51	75.0	80.0	77.0				82.0	83.0	77.0				75.0				$9,477	$1,258	$8,219
The School Of Arts And Sciences On Thomasville	Public, Charter	K-8	3208 Thomasville Rd	Tallahassee	32308	Leon County	Leon	Yes	No	No	No	(850) 386-6566	457	41	11.1	9.0%	297 (65.0%)	77 (16.8%)	43 (9.4%)	12 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.1%)	64.2	770^th of 2256 public elementary schools	65.9%		74	526^th of 2240 public elementary schools	76.5%	244	76.0	57.0	60.0	69.0	68.0	60.0	65.0	53.0	49.0	72.0	72.0	77.0	58.0	69.0	94.0	89.0	$8,424	$1,667	$6,756
W T Moore Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1706 Dempsey Mayo Rd	Tallahassee	32308	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 877-6158	579	37	15.8	41.6%	206 (35.6%)	251 (43.4%)	53 (9.2%)	29 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.9%)	60	862^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	61.8%		50.9	1076^th of 2240 public elementary schools	52.0%	214	66.0	50.0	60.0				62.0	51.0	60.0				61.0				$9,584	$1,115	$8,471
Renaissance Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	4351 Mahan Dr	Tallahassee	32308	Leon County	Leon	Yes	No	No	Yes	(850) 391-5259	319	17	18.7	83.1%	24 (7.5%)	255 (79.9%)	20 (6.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.6%)	9.1	2169^th of 2256 public elementary schools	3.9%		14.7	2036^th of 2240 public elementary schools	9.1%	133	31.0	29.0	33.0	29.0	43.0	54.0	31.0	25.0	11.0	33.0	27.0	50.0	28.0	36.0	85.0	53.0	$15,004	$2,093	$12,910
Sealey Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2815 Allen Rd	Tallahassee	32312	Leon County	Leon	No	Yes	No	Yes	(850) 488-5640	405	32	12.6	55.3%	83 (20.5%)	238 (58.8%)	29 (7.2%)	10 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (11.1%)	37.5	1416^th of 2256 public elementary schools	37.2%		38.6	1371^st of 2240 public elementary schools	38.8%	45	59.0	48.0	47.0				65.0	44.0	34.0				35.0				$12,959	$2,595	$10,365
The School Of Arts & Sciences Centre	Public, Charter	K-8	2415 N Monroe St	Tallahassee	32303	Leon County	Leon	Yes	No	No	No	(850) 386-6566	447	39	11.4	14.1%	252 (56.4%)	84 (18.8%)	48 (10.7%)	24 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	37 (8.3%)	59.8	867^th of 2256 public elementary schools	61.6%		67.2	684^th of 2240 public elementary schools	69.5%	183	70.0	53.0	55.0	83.0	77.0	59.0	68.0	54.0	54.0	50.0	78.0	45.0	50.0	61.0	70.0	85.0	$8,148	$662	$7,486

Frequently Asked Questions about Desoto Trail Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Desoto Trail Elementary School?

Students at Desoto Trail Elementary School are 74% White, 9% Hispanic, 7% African American, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

How many students attend Desoto Trail Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 654 students attended Desoto Trail Elementary School.

Is Desoto Trail Elementary School a good school?

Desoto Trail Elementary School ranks 375^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Desoto Trail Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Desoto Trail Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : William J Montford III Middle School
High : Lawton Chiles High School

What district is Desoto Trail Elementary School in?

Leon

Rate Desoto Trail Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

FLFlorida Elementary School Rankings

FLFlorida District Rankings

Schools in Tallahassee, FL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Desoto Trail Elementary School!

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.