Desoto Isd

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Desoto, Texas - 10 schools

An equity score of 54/100 ranks Desoto Isd #442 of 1047 districts in Texas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,676 per pupil, Desoto Isd ranks #569 of 1207 Texas districts by per-pupil spending (Texas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

6,322
Total Enrollment
10
Schools
$13,676
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Desoto Isd operates 10 public schools serving 6,322 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Texas. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 3 combined, 2 middle, 1 high schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Dallas County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,676 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1207 Texas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Texas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 49.2% local, 29.0% state, and 21.8% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 54/100, ranked #442 of 1047 in Texas against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 10 schools offering Advanced Placement (20 AP courses district-wide), a 261.8:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 43.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 70.8% African American, 22.8% Hispanic or Latino, 2.2% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Frank D Moates El, with a diversity index of 58.1/100.

Its largest campus is Desoto H S, enrolling 1,936 students (36% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Desoto Alternative Education Center (Daep), at 19 students, a 102x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Desoto H S accounts for 30.6% of all Desoto Isd student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Desoto Isd-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Desoto Isd school enrollment varies 102× across entities

Desoto Isd school enrollment ranges from 19 students (lowest) to 1,936 students (highest), a spread of 1,917 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Desoto Isd reports 61.5% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Desoto Isd student-counselor ratio is 262:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Desoto Isd is typically wider than the Desoto Isd-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Desoto Isd chronic absenteeism rate is 43.0% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

21.8%
Federal
29.0%
State
49.2%
Local

Funding Equity

54
Equity Score
442 / 1047
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 10 schools in Desoto Isd.

White 2.2%
Hispanic or Latino 22.8%
African American 70.8%
Multiracial 3.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 42.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Desoto Isd's schools, below the Texas average of 44.7.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Frank D Moates El 58.1
  2. 2 Cockrell Hill El 56.9
  3. 3 Curtistene S Mccowan Middle 51.1
  4. 4 Desoto H S 43.8
  5. 5 Desoto Alternative Education Center (Daep) 42.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 10
Schools with AP
20 AP courses total
261.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
43.0%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Desoto Isd

School Enrollment
Desoto H S
1,936
Curtistene S Mccowan Middle
643
Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy
536
Frank D Moates El
468
Cockrell Hill El
397
Desoto West Middle
370
Woodridge El
362
The Meadows El
312
Ruby Young Personalized Steam Academy
263
Desoto Alternative Education Center (Daep)
19

How Desoto Isd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Texas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Friendswood Isd Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Lockhart Isd Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Jubilee Academies Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Roscoe Collegiate Isd Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Ennis Isd Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Desoto Isd's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Texas

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Houston Isd
189,934 students · 274 schools · $13,072/pupil
Compare vs Desoto Isd →
Dallas Isd
141,169 students · 240 schools · $14,470/pupil
Compare vs Desoto Isd →
Cypress-Fairbanks Isd
118,010 students · 91 schools · $10,693/pupil
Compare vs Desoto Isd →
Northside Isd
102,719 students · 124 schools · $10,632/pupil
Compare vs Desoto Isd →
Katy Isd
92,667 students · 74 schools · $11,284/pupil
Compare vs Desoto Isd →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Desoto Isd

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Houston Isd →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Desoto Isd?

Desoto Isd has 10 schools, including 1 high, 2 middle, 4 elementary, 3 combined. Total enrollment is 6,322 students.

How much does Desoto Isd spend per student?

Desoto Isd spends $13,676 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #442 in Texas.

What is the demographic composition of Desoto Isd?

Desoto Isd students are 70.8% African American, 22.8% Hispanic or Latino, 2.2% White, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 10 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Desoto Isd?

Desoto Isd has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #442 out of 1047 districts in Texas.