Desoto Central High School

Q: Is Desoto Central High School a good school?

Desoto Central High School ranks 47 th of 228 Mississippi high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Desoto Central High School is a public high school serving 1,995 students in grades 9-12 in Southaven, Mississippi, which is part of the Desoto County School District. The school consistently outperforms state and district averages in academic performance, ranking in the top 25% of Mississippi high schools.

Desoto Central High School's academic excellence is evident in its strong standardized test scores, with 80.5% proficiency in Algebra I, 60.2% in English II, 68.7% in Biology, and 82.4% in U.S. History - all significantly higher than state and district averages. The school's diverse student population, with a balanced racial composition, may contribute to its success. Interestingly, while Desoto Central High School has a higher student-teacher ratio compared to some nearby high-performing schools, such as Lake Cormorant High and Center Hill High School, it achieves these strong academic results with relatively lower per-student spending than other top-performing schools in the district, like Olive Branch High School and Lewisburg High School.

While Desoto Central High School stands out as one of the top-performing schools in the Desoto County School District, it is worth noting that other high schools in the district, such as Hernando High School and Lewisburg High School, consistently outperform Desoto Central in academic metrics and rank even higher statewide. This suggests that the Desoto County School District is home to several exceptional high schools, providing families with quality educational options.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2911 Central Parkway
Southaven, MS 38671

(662) 536-3612

District: Desoto County School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
47^th of 228 Mississippi High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,442

Feeder schools for Desoto Central High School:

Elementary:	Desoto Central Elementary School
	Desoto Central Primary
	Pleasant Hill Elementary
Middle:	Desoto Central Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.8

Number of students: 2,011

Racial breakdown:

African American:

47.7%

White:

37.8%

Two or more races:

6.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 30.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Desoto Central High School ranks better than 79.4% of high schools in Mississippi. It also ranks 4^th among 8 ranked high schools in the Desoto County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.77. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Desoto Central 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 Desoto Central High School has the largest high school student body size in the Desoto County School District. Racial makeup is: African American (47.7%), White (37.8%), two or more races (6.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 30.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desoto Central High School is 18.8, which is the highest among 10 high schools in the Desoto County School District! (See more...)

Compare Desoto Central High School employs 106.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desoto Central High School is $8,442. 7 high schools in the Desoto County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Desoto Central High School 47^th of 228 Mississippi public high schools. (See Desoto Central 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 Desoto Central High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MS State Percentile
2004	83.86	1^st	232	99.6%
2005	81.41	6^th	232	97.4%
2006	76.29	18^th	232	92.2%
2007	77.70	24^th	232	89.7%
2008	79.14	22^nd	235	90.6%
2009	80.66	14^th	235	94.0%
2010	82.74	7^th	235	97.0%
2011	84.06	5^th	244	98.0%
2012	85.88	6^th	241	97.5%
2013	82.11	20^th	238	91.6%
2014	84.75	10^th	236	95.8%
2015	94.36	2^nd	226	99.1%
2016	92.22	2^nd	231	99.1%
2017	89.19	7^th	237	97.0%
2018	88.20	7^th	233	97.0%
2019	83.48	21^st	233	91.0%
2021	74.23	50^th	231	78.4%
2022	77.19	41^st	228	82.0%
2023	71.25	53^rd	226	76.5%
2024	76.77	47^th	228	79.4%

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 citizen
Monday, January 1, 2024

It’s probably better than Southaven High. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Desoto Central High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2004	564	76	6	5	1	n/a	n/a	652
2005	631	86	10	6	1	n/a	n/a	734
2006	920	171	15	14	4	n/a	n/a	1124
2007	994	208	22	19	5	n/a	n/a	1248
2008	1014	279	23	23	3	n/a	n/a	1342
2009	989	306	32	36	2	0	0	1365
2010	991	344	36	31	1	0	0	1403
2011	1042	371	45	36	2	0	0	1496
2012	1061	364	51	41	3	0	0	1520
2013	1079	421	51	40	4	0	0	1595
2014	1099	426	58	48	4	0	1	1636
2015	1085	486	58	46	3	0	6	1684
2016	1073	531	67	54	3	0	16	1744
2017	1058	545	68	43	3	0	26	1743
2018	1029	590	62	41	1	1	41	1765
2019	979	620	73	42	2	1	46	1763
2020	985	649	66	47	3	1	56	1807
2021	919	728	67	55	3	1	68	1841
2022	859	836	73	66	5	0	78	1917
2023	819	904	75	75	4	0	118	1995
2024	760	959	83	79	4	0	126	2011

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 Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	652	37.0	17.6	8.1
2005	734	44.2	16.6	9.3
2006	1124	54.4	20.7	42
2007	1248	58.8	21.2	13.5
2008	1342	65.1	20.6	15.2
2009	1365	72.3	18.9	16.4
2010	1403	76.7	18.2	19.7
2011	1496	75.4	19.8	21.7
2012	1520	73.7	20.6	28.9
2013	1595	81.9	19.4	24
2014	1636	81.8	20.0	24.4
2015	1684	84.0	20.0	23.9
2016	1744	91.0	19.1	25.9
2017	1743	86.8	20.0	25.4
2018	1765	85.6	20.6	29
2019	1763	87.5	20.1	29
2020	1807	85.2	21.1	30.1
2021	1841	93.4	19.6	99.8
2022	1917	97.3	19.6	99.8
2023	1995	105.0	18.9	99.8
2024	2011	106.6	18.8	30.4

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 Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	652	37.0	17.6	8.1
2005	734	44.2	16.6	9.3
2006	1124	54.4	20.7	42
2007	1248	58.8	21.2	13.5
2008	1342	65.1	20.6	15.2
2009	1365	72.3	18.9	16.4
2010	1403	76.7	18.2	19.7
2011	1496	75.4	19.8	21.7
2012	1520	73.7	20.6	28.9
2013	1595	81.9	19.4	24
2014	1636	81.8	20.0	24.4
2015	1684	84.0	20.0	23.9
2016	1744	91.0	19.1	25.9
2017	1743	86.8	20.0	25.4
2018	1765	85.6	20.6	29
2019	1763	87.5	20.1	29
2020	1807	85.2	21.1	30.1
2021	1841	93.4	19.6	99.8
2022	1917	97.3	19.6	99.8
2023	1995	105.0	18.9	99.8
2024	2011	106.6	18.8	30.4

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 Central High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$6,351
2018	$6,654
2019	$6,960
2020	$8,023
2021	$7,479
2022	$8,442

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desoto Central 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 21^st of 233 High schools	Ranks 53^rd of 226 High schools	14.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Algebra I (Desoto Central High School)	72.7	76.9	4.2%
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 (Desoto Central High School)	64.8	64	0.8%
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 (Desoto Central High School)	70.7	64	6.7%
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 (Desoto Central High School)	78.4	77.5	0.9%
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	1763	1995	13.2%
African American	620	904	45.8%
American Indian	2	4	100%
Asian	73	75	2.7%
Hispanic	42	75	78.6%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	979	819	16.3%
Two or More Races	46	118	156.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29%	99.8%	70.8%

Schools Near Desoto Central 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
Desoto Central High School	Public	9-12	2911 Central Parkway	Southaven	38671	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	No	(662) 536-3612	2,011	107	18.8	30.4%	760 (37.8%)	959 (47.7%)	79 (3.9%)	83 (4.1%)	4 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	126 (6.3%)	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
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	12	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Southaven High School	Public	9-12	735 Rasco Road	Southaven	38671	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 393-9300	1,825	112	16.2	61.2%	353 (19.3%)	1,109 (60.8%)	198 (10.8%)	22 (1.2%)	3 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	138 (7.6%)	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
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	1,286	77	16.5	17.0%	1,014 (78.8%)	141 (11.0%)	49 (3.8%)	30 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	51 (4.0%)	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
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	1,291	88	14.5	75.1%	141 (10.9%)	962 (74.5%)	121 (9.4%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (4.6%)	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
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	1,077	72	15.0	50.0%	308 (28.6%)	561 (52.1%)	93 (8.6%)	19 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	94 (8.7%)	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
Hernando High School	Public	9-12	805 Dilworth Lane	Hernando	38632	DeSoto County	Desoto County School District	No	No	No	No	(662) 429-4170	1,482	80	18.4	21.1%	1,113 (75.1%)	173 (11.7%)	92 (6.2%)	22 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	78 (5.3%)	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
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	7	.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	1,054	66	15.9	38.8%	364 (34.5%)	547 (51.9%)	61 (5.8%)	14 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (6.5%)	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
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	974	63	15.5	65.6%	368 (37.8%)	443 (45.5%)	100 (10.3%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	56 (5.7%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Desoto Central High School

What district is Desoto Central High School in?

Desoto County School District

What is the racial makeup of Desoto Central High School?

Students at Desoto Central High School are 48% African American, 38% White, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 4% Hispanic.

What schools feed into Desoto Central High School?

Desoto Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Desoto Central Elementary School
Elementary : Desoto Central Primary
Elementary : Pleasant Hill Elementary
Middle : Desoto Central Middle School

Is Desoto Central High School a good school?

Desoto Central High School ranks 47^th of 228 Mississippi high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Desoto Central High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,011 students attended Desoto Central High School.

Rate Desoto Central High 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.