Southaven High School

Q: Is Southaven High School a good school?

Southaven High School ranks 137 th of 228 Mississippi high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Southaven High School is a public high school serving around 1,850 students in grades 9-12 in Southaven, Mississippi, which is part of the Desoto County School District. While the district is generally well-regarded, ranking 33 out of 130 school districts in the state, Southaven High School faces some unique challenges compared to its higher-performing neighbors.

Southaven High School has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (59.68%) compared to nearby schools like Hernando High School and Lewisburg High School, which range from 11.35% to 52.82% African American students. Additionally, Southaven High School's test scores, while generally higher than the state average, lag behind those of the top-performing schools in the district. For example, in 2023-2024, Southaven High School's proficiency rates in Algebra I (63.6%), English II (39.3%), and Biology (58.5%) were lower than the nearby high-performing schools. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students (over 99%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Southaven High School's challenges extend beyond its student demographics and test scores. The school's spending per student ($7,140 in 2018-2019) is lower than the nearby high-performing schools, which range from $7,330 to $8,753 per student. Additionally, Southaven High School has a higher student-teacher ratio (16.3) compared to the nearby high-performing schools, which range from 14.4 to 18.5. These factors, combined with the school's declining performance over the past decade, suggest that Southaven High School may be facing significant obstacles in providing a high-quality education to its students. However, the school's location within the Desoto County School District also presents opportunities for learning from the successful practices of its higher-performing neighbors and implementing strategies to improve the school's outcomes.

Detail:

Public 9-12

735 Rasco Road
Southaven, MS 38671

(662) 393-9300

District: Desoto County School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
137^th of 228 Mississippi High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,300

Feeder schools for Southaven High School:

Elementary:	Greenbrook Elementary School
	Hope Sullivan Elementary School
	Southaven Elementary
	Southaven Intermediate School
Middle:	Southaven Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 1,850

Racial breakdown:

African American:

59.7%

White:

20.8%

Hispanic:

10.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.8%

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Compare Southaven High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Southaven High School ranks worse than 60.1% of high schools in Mississippi. It also ranks 7^th among 8 ranked high schools in the Desoto County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.84. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Southaven High 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 Racial makeup is: African American (59.7%), White (20.8%), Hispanic (10.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southaven High School is 16.3. 5 high schools in the Desoto County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Southaven High School employs 112.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southaven High School is $9,300. 5 high schools in the Desoto County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Southaven High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Southaven High School 137^th of 228 Mississippi public high schools. (See Southaven High School in the ranking list.)

Desoto County School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Desoto County School District 33^rd of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Southaven High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MS State Percentile
2004	65.36	78^th	232	66.4%
2005	65.09	77^th	232	66.8%
2006	62.68	90^th	232	61.2%
2007	66.47	75^th	232	67.7%
2008	78.56	24^th	235	89.8%
2009	71.14	56^th	235	76.2%
2010	63.34	88^th	235	62.6%
2011	62.32	87^th	244	64.3%
2012	62.86	80^th	241	66.8%
2013	65.59	76^th	238	68.1%
2014	52.67	111^th	236	53.0%
2015	62.41	64^th	226	71.7%
2016	61.88	88^th	231	61.9%
2017	58.40	88^th	237	62.9%
2018	56.73	97^th	233	58.4%
2019	50.96	109^th	233	53.2%
2021	49.67	109^th	231	52.8%
2022	51.12	122^nd	228	46.5%
2023	45.83	132^nd	226	41.6%
2024	41.84	137^th	228	39.9%

See the entire list of Mississippi High School Rankings!

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

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Great students. Excellent administration that has a balance between discipline and fun for students. Good parent connections. Traffic bad. Very engaged teachers that care about their students. I am proud to have a son that attends and enjoys the challenges put before him each day. The administration puts a lot of time in to awarding good achievements and behaviors for the students.

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Enrollment information for Southaven High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	1801	176	10	3	1	n/a	n/a	1991
1991	1837	186	9	2	1	n/a	n/a	2035
1992	1242	110	3	3	1	n/a	n/a	1359
1993	1870	173	6	9	2	n/a	n/a	2060
1994	1808	207	8	5	2	n/a	n/a	2030
1995	1766	195	9	16	4	n/a	n/a	1990
1996	1766	195	9	16	4	n/a	n/a	1990
1997	1078	120	7	9	3	n/a	n/a	1217
1998	1130	115	8	9	6	n/a	n/a	1268
1999	1129	107	15	13	3	n/a	n/a	1267
2000	1184	131	15	15	3	n/a	n/a	1348
2001	1199	149	14	18	2	n/a	n/a	1382
2002	1203	189	23	30	1	n/a	n/a	1446
2003	1203	189	23	30	1	n/a	n/a	1446
2004	1152	208	24	40	2	n/a	n/a	1426
2005	1114	230	25	51	3	n/a	n/a	1423
2006	1059	321	27	57	8	n/a	n/a	1472
2007	1062	440	24	64	4	n/a	n/a	1594
2008	1007	491	26	81	3	n/a	n/a	1608
2009	945	530	27	86	2	0	0	1590
2010	925	635	30	85	2	0	0	1677
2011	924	676	34	107	2	2	0	1745
2012	925	748	29	104	4	1	1	1812
2013	924	794	34	110	5	0	4	1871
2014	897	850	33	141	5	0	5	1931
2015	841	883	30	142	4	0	20	1920
2016	786	887	32	151	4	1	40	1901
2017	716	932	37	151	5	2	66	1909
2018	656	974	30	156	6	2	91	1915
2019	574	995	30	150	6	3	92	1850
2020	529	958	32	159	3	5	87	1773
2021	488	972	32	163	3	2	98	1758
2022	425	1021	32	176	1	2	96	1753
2023	384	1104	31	199	2	1	129	1850

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 Southaven High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	1991	95.2	20.9	n/a
1991	2035	93.3	21.8	n/a
1992	1359	94.4	14.3	24.4
1993	2060	93.6	22.0	25.1
1994	2030	83.0	24.5	23.5
1995	1990	89.1	22.3	21.2
1996	1990	89.1	22.3	21.2
1997	1217	56.0	21.7	21.4
1998	1268	56.8	22.3	20.8
1999	1267	58.1	21.8	26
2000	1348	60.2	22.4	27.1
2001	1382	64.8	21.3	28
2002	1446	56.3	25.7	28.7
2003	1446	56.3	25.7	28.7
2004	1426	56.3	25.3	11.2
2005	1423	66.9	21.3	22.1
2006	1472	69.4	21.2	54.3
2007	1594	71.3	22.4	36.7
2008	1608	73.9	21.8	38.7
2009	1590	78.9	20.2	42.3
2010	1677	77.6	21.5	46.3
2011	1745	78.0	22.3	50.8
2012	1812	84.5	21.4	45.8
2013	1871	86.4	21.6	56.3
2014	1931	96.8	19.9	61
2015	1920	107.0	17.9	60.2
2016	1901	108.0	17.6	64.4
2017	1909	102.8	18.5	63.9
2018	1915	97.3	19.6	64.6
2019	1850	107.2	17.2	63
2020	1773	100.4	17.6	66.2
2021	1758	99.6	17.6	99.8
2022	1753	106.5	16.4	99.8
2023	1850	112.8	16.3	99.8

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 Southaven High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	1991	95.2	20.9	n/a
1991	2035	93.3	21.8	n/a
1992	1359	94.4	14.3	24.4
1993	2060	93.6	22.0	25.1
1994	2030	83.0	24.5	23.5
1995	1990	89.1	22.3	21.2
1996	1990	89.1	22.3	21.2
1997	1217	56.0	21.7	21.4
1998	1268	56.8	22.3	20.8
1999	1267	58.1	21.8	26
2000	1348	60.2	22.4	27.1
2001	1382	64.8	21.3	28
2002	1446	56.3	25.7	28.7
2003	1446	56.3	25.7	28.7
2004	1426	56.3	25.3	11.2
2005	1423	66.9	21.3	22.1
2006	1472	69.4	21.2	54.3
2007	1594	71.3	22.4	36.7
2008	1608	73.9	21.8	38.7
2009	1590	78.9	20.2	42.3
2010	1677	77.6	21.5	46.3
2011	1745	78.0	22.3	50.8
2012	1812	84.5	21.4	45.8
2013	1871	86.4	21.6	56.3
2014	1931	96.8	19.9	61
2015	1920	107.0	17.9	60.2
2016	1901	108.0	17.6	64.4
2017	1909	102.8	18.5	63.9
2018	1915	97.3	19.6	64.6
2019	1850	107.2	17.2	63
2020	1773	100.4	17.6	66.2
2021	1758	99.6	17.6	99.8
2022	1753	106.5	16.4	99.8
2023	1850	112.8	16.3	99.8

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 Southaven High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$6,613
2018	$7,140
2019	$7,475
2020	$8,372
2021	$8,204
2022	$9,300

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southaven High 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 109^th of 233 High schools	Ranks 132^nd of 226 High schools	11.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Algebra I (Southaven High School)	57.4	68.6	11.2%
End of Course Algebra I (Desoto County School District)	69.4	78.2	8.8%
End of Course Algebra I (Mississippi)	49.3	65.8	16.5%
End of Course English II (Southaven High School)	37.6	39.3	1.7%
End of Course English II (Desoto County School District)	53.8	55.4	1.6%
End of Course English II (Mississippi)	43.9	50.1	6.2%
End of Course Biology (Southaven High School)	55.3	62.8	7.5%
End of Course Biology (Desoto County School District)	66.4	65.5	0.9%
End of Course Biology (Mississippi)	57.2	60.9	3.7%
End of Course U.S. History1 (Southaven High School)	57.8	62.9	5.1%
End of Course U.S. History1 (Desoto County School District)	64.6	73.6	9%
End of Course U.S. History1 (Mississippi)	55.5	71.4	15.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1850	1850
African American	995	1104	11%
American Indian	6	2	66.7%
Asian	30	31	3.3%
Hispanic	150	199	32.7%
Pacific Islander	3	1	66.7%
White	574	384	33.1%
Two or More Races	92	129	40.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	63%	99.8%	36.8%

Schools Near Southaven High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAAP Algebra I (2024)	MAAP English II (2024)	MAAP Biology (2024)	MAAP U.S. History1 (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	MAAP Algebra I End of Course	MAAP English II End of Course	MAAP Biology End of Course	MAAP U.S. History1 End of Course	Total
Southaven High School	Public	9-12	735 Rasco Road	Southaven	38671	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 393-9300	1,850	113	16.3	99.8%	384 (20.8%)	1,104 (59.7%)	199 (10.8%)	31 (1.7%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	129 (7.0%)	41.8	137^th of 228 public high schools	39.9%		45.8	132^nd of 226 public high schools	41.6%	5	63.6	39.3	58.5	63.1	$9,300
Desoto County Vocational Complex	Public	9-12	847 Rasco Road	Southaven	38671	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	No	(662) 393-6211	0	9	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Horn Lake High	Public	9-12	3360 Church Road	Horn Lake	38637	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 393-5273	1,361	89	15.2	99.8%	172 (12.6%)	993 (73.0%)	129 (9.5%)	7 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (4.3%)	29.4	163^rd of 228 public high schools	28.5%		22.6	175^th of 226 public high schools	22.6%	12	69.3	32.0	50.0	48.4	$10,036
Desoto Central High School	Public	9-12	2911 Central Parkway	Southaven	38672	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	No	(662) 536-3612	1,995	105	18.9	99.8%	819 (41.1%)	904 (45.3%)	75 (3.8%)	75 (3.8%)	4 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	118 (5.9%)	76.8	47^th of 228 public high schools	79.4%		71.2	53^rd of 226 public high schools	76.5%	6	80.5	60.2	68.7	82.4	$8,442
Hernando High School	Public	9-12	805 Dilworth Lane	Hernando	38632	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	No	(662) 429-4170	1,419	76	18.5	99.8%	1,085 (76.5%)	161 (11.3%)	94 (6.6%)	20 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (4.0%)	89.4	5^th of 228 public high schools	97.8%		89.6	7^th of 226 public high schools	96.9%	2	92.7	65.0	82.4	88.8	$9,205
Lewisburg High School	Public	9-12	1755 Craft Road	Olive Branch	38654	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	No	(662) 890-6708	1,275	74	17.1	99.8%	1,007 (79.0%)	141 (11.1%)	48 (3.8%)	30 (2.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	46 (3.6%)	90	4^th of 228 public high schools	98.2%		89.7	6^th of 226 public high schools	97.3%	2	91.9	68.7	81.6	89.4	$10,062
Olive Branch High School	Public	9-12	9366 E Sandidge Road	Olive Branch	38654	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	No	(662) 893-3344	1,117	73	15.3	99.7%	341 (30.5%)	590 (52.8%)	86 (7.7%)	20 (1.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	78 (7.0%)	70	65^th of 228 public high schools	71.5%		67.6	65^th of 226 public high schools	71.2%		76.6	49.8	75.8	76.1	$10,585
Lake Cormorant High	Public	9-12	10201 Star Landing Rd.	Lake Cormorant	38641	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 996-3060	969	67	14.4	99.7%	369 (38.1%)	446 (46.0%)	103 (10.6%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	43 (4.4%)	65.9	78^th of 228 public high schools	65.8%		55.4	103^rd of 226 public high schools	54.4%	25	77.1	55.6	68.8	68.3	$10,496
Desoto County Career Center East	Public	10-12	8890 Deerfield Dr	Olive Branch	38654	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	No	(662) 893-0855	0	6	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Center Hill High School	Public	9-12	13250 Kirk Road	Olive Branch	38654	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	No	(662) 890-2490	1,075	63	16.9	99.7%	389 (36.2%)	528 (49.1%)	72 (6.7%)	19 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	67 (6.2%)	81.5	29^th of 228 public high schools	87.3%		81.6	28^th of 226 public high schools	87.6%	1	89.6	60.8	72.8	81.7	$9,780

Frequently Asked Questions about Southaven High School

How many students attend Southaven High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,850 students attended Southaven High School.

What district is Southaven High School in?

Desoto County School District

Is Southaven High School a good school?

Southaven High School ranks 137^th of 228 Mississippi high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Southaven High School?

Students at Southaven High School are 60% African American, 21% White, 11% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools feed into Southaven High School?

Southaven High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Greenbrook Elementary School
Elementary : Hope Sullivan Elementary School
Elementary : Southaven Elementary
Elementary : Southaven Intermediate School
Middle : Southaven Middle School

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