Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives

DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST

Mississippi · Public School District
42
Schools
35,003
Students
$9,536
Per-Pupil Spend
-34% nat'l
99.7%
Free Lunch Rate
+47pp vs nat'l
90.1%
Graduation Rate
+3.6pp vs nat'l
District Overview

DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST is a public school district in Mississippi serving 35,003 students across 42 schools. It includes 23 elementary, 8 middle, 10 high schools. Its graduation rate of 90.1% is above the national average of 86.5%. Per-pupil spending of $9,536 is below the national average for a US public school district. 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic need in the community. Opportunity scores across its schools are limited, with a district median of 40/100.

⇄ Compare with another district
All Schools (42)
Elementary Schools23 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
CENTER HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLKG–05761
CHICKASAW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL02–03478
DESOTO CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL03–05796
DESOTO CENTRAL PRIMARYKG–02876
GREENBROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLKG–02502
HERNANDO ELEMKG–01779
HERNANDO HILLS ELEMENTARY02–03692
HOPE SULLIVAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLKG–02548
HORN LAKE ELEMPK–02451
HORN LAKE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL03–05921
LAKE CORMORANT ELEMENTARYPK–05647
LEWISBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL02–03542
LEWISBURG INTERMEDIATE04–05583
LEWISBURG PRIMARYPK–01582
OAK GROVE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY04–05787
OLIVE BRANCH ELEMPK–01503
OLIVE BRANCH INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL04–05465
OVERPARK ELEMENTARYPK–05677
PLEASANT HILL ELEMENTARYPK–051,110
SHADOW OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLKG–02459
SOUTHAVEN ELEMENTARYPK–05684
SOUTHAVEN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL03–05990
WALLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPK–05718
Middle Schools8 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
CENTER HILL MIDDLE06–08775
DESOTO CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL06–081,468
HERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL06–081,150
HORN LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL06–081,021
LAKE CORMORANT MIDDLE06–08764
LEWISBURG MIDDLE06–081,031
OLIVE BRANCH MIDDLE06–08726
SOUTHAVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL06–081,456
High Schools10 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
CENTER HILL HIGH SCHOOL09–121,075
DESOTO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL09–121,995
DESOTO CO CAREER CENTER EAST10–120
DESOTO CO VOC COMPLEX09–120
HERNANDO HIGH SCHOOL09–121,419
HORN LAKE HIGH09–121,361
LAKE CORMORANT HIGH09–12969
LEWISBURG HIGH SCHOOL09–121,275
OLIVE BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL09–121,117
SOUTHAVEN HIGH SCHOOL09–121,850
Other School1 school
SchoolGradesStudents
DESOTO COUNTY ALTERNATIVE CENTERKG–120
District Finances
Per-Pupil Expenditure$9,536-34% nat'l avg
National avg $14,347
Revenue Sources
52%
34%
State
51.9%
Local (property tax)
33.8%
Federal
14.3%

Funding is shared between state (52%) and local sources (34%), with limited federal reliance.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey. District-level data.
District Snapshot
42
Schools
35,003
Students
100%
Free Lunch
$10K
Per-Pupil
Graduation Rate90.1%
Opportunity Score40/100
StateMississippi →
School Rankings
Strengths & Considerations
Strong graduation outcomes
90.1% graduation rate — 3.6 points above the national average of 86.5%.
Range of school options
With 42 schools, families have meaningful choice across programs and grade levels.
Below-average per-pupil spending
At $9,536, spending is 34% below the national average — which can limit staffing and resources.
High economic need in community
100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — above the national rate of 52.2% — reflecting broader economic challenges.
Location
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST?
DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST has 42 public schools, serving a total of 35,003 students.
What is the graduation rate for DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST?
The graduation rate is 90.1%, which is above the national average of 86.5%.
How much does DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST spend per student?
DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST spends $9,536 per pupil — 34% below the national average of $14,347.
What percentage of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST?
100% of students in DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the national rate of 52.2%.
Are there charter schools in DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST?
No, DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST does not currently include any charter schools.
What grade levels does DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST serve?
DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST serves grades PK through 12, covering elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the opportunity score for DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST?
The median opportunity score across schools in DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST is 40/100. The national median is 50/100. Opportunity scores reflect long-term economic mobility prospects for children who grow up in these communities.
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.