DeSoto County School District operates 42 schools serving 35,003 students in suburban Mississippi. The district experienced 1.6% enrollment growth from the prior year, with a relatively favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.8:1 supported by 2,367 teachers.
Academic performance shows mixed results against state benchmarks. Math proficiency reaches 61.5%, exceeding Mississippi's state average of 50.1% by 11.4 percentage points. Reading proficiency stands at 51.1%, outpacing the state average of 43.0% by 8.1 percentage points. The graduation rate of 97.0% substantially exceeds the state average of 88.0%, indicating strong completion rates. However, chronic absenteeism at 31.6% represents a notable concern requiring attention.
Approximately 50.3% of students qualify as economically disadvantaged, reflecting significant socioeconomic challenges within the student population. The district operates with per-pupil spending of $9,863, which falls below the state average of $12,810. This funding gap exists despite a total budget of $345.2 million, derived from federal sources (15.1%), state funding (52.1%), and local revenue (32.8%).
The district's funding structure demonstrates moderate local revenue capacity at 32.8%, with the majority of support coming from state allocations. The combination of above-average academic outcomes in core subjects and an exceptionally high graduation rate contrasts with below-average per-pupil spending and elevated chronic absenteeism rates, suggesting varying performance across different operational metrics.
This summary was generated by AI from public data sources. Last updated May 4, 2026.
This data is aggregated from state and federal public datasets. While we believe it is accurate, we always recommend confirming it on the corresponding state or federal site. See Data Notes for more.
Total Students
35,003
Schools
42
Per-Pupil Spending
$9,863
Data Sources: NCES Common Core of Data, NCES F-33 Finance Survey, EDFacts
Federal Data Year: 2022-23
State Data Year: 2024-25
Note: Some data may be unavailable for certain districts or years. Proficiency rates reflect state-specific assessment standards.
Math Proficiency
61.5%
Staff counts are Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) from NCES 2024-25 data.
Based on MAAP assessments, ACT, and graduation indicators
703 pts
Total Points (out of ~1000)
97.0%
Graduation Rate
31.6%
Chronic Absent
Percentage of students scoring Proficient or Advanced
Measures individual student progress over time
46.2
EL Progress
76.2
Acceleration
58.8
College & Career Readiness
Difference from district average (positive = subgroup ahead)
Source: Mississippi Department of Education (2024-25)