Enrollment
831
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Southaven, MS
Desoto Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Desoto Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280132000998
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desoto Central Elementary School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Mississippi schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Southaven · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.3:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 39.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desoto Central Elementary School has class sizes larger than 94% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto Central Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Southaven, MS.
School address
District: Desoto Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280132000998 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.9%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desoto Central Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desoto Central Elementary School
Desoto Central Elementary School is a large elementary school in Southaven, Mississippi, enrolling 831 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.3:1 is larger than about 94% of Mississippi schools and 30% above the 13.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 39.9% free-meal eligibility runs 50% below the Mississippi average.
Enrollment of 831 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 75 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #52.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and White (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 831 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Desoto Co School Dist spends $8,778 per pupil, 27% below the Mississippi average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Southaven's elementary schools, it stands alongside Southaven Intermediate School (1,046 students): Desoto Central Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.3:1 vs 14.5:1).
Desoto Co School Dist also operates Desoto Central High School (2,004 students) and Southaven High School (1,876 students) alongside Desoto Central Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Desoto Central Elementary School compares
Desoto Central Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.3:1 | ▲ 30% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.9% | ▼ 50% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 831 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
831
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% below the Mississippi average of 80.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 30% above state mean
Top 94% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$8,778
per pupil, district-wide
- below Mississippi avg of $11,990
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 831 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
41
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 43.9%
White 31.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.0%
Two or More 8.2%
Asian 5.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 43.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.6, Desoto Central Elementary School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desoto Co School Dist, which includes Desoto Central Elementary School.
$8,778
Per student
-27%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.8%
State 51.9%
Federal 14.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Desoto Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desoto Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southaven High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hernando High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southaven Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desoto Central Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desoto Central Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,004
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,876
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,529
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,423
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,388
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar elementary schools in Southaven
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Mississippi, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~831 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desoto Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Desoto Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Desoto Co School Dist's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Desoto Central Elementary School
How many students attend Desoto Central Elementary School?
Desoto Central Elementary School has 831 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Southaven, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desoto Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desoto Central Elementary School is 17.3:1, which is 30% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desoto Central Elementary School?
39.9% of students at Desoto Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desoto Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Desoto Central Elementary School is African American at 43.9% of enrollment, in Southaven, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desoto Central Elementary School?
Desoto Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Desoto Central Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Southaven?
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto Central Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Southaven, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Southaven on the city page.
Is Desoto Central Elementary School a good school?
Desoto Central Elementary School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Mississippi schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Desoto Co School Dist?
Besides Desoto Central Elementary School, Desoto Co School Dist also operates Desoto Central High School (2,004 students), Southaven High School (1,876 students), and Hernando High School (1,529 students). See the Desoto Co School Dist district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.