Enrollment
1,388
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Southaven, MS
Desoto Central Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Desoto Central Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280132000979
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desoto Central Middle School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Mississippi schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Mississippi.
- #7 of 7
- public schools in Southaven · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 37.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Desoto Central Middle School has class sizes larger than 95% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto Central Middle School ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Southaven, MS.
School address
District: Desoto Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280132000979 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
77.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.5%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desoto Central Middle School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desoto Central Middle School
Desoto Central Middle School is a large middle school in Southaven, Mississippi, enrolling 1,388 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18:1 is larger than about 95% of Mississippi schools and 35% above the 13.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 37.5% free-meal eligibility runs 53% below the Mississippi average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Mississippi, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,388 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 877 Mississippi schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 25 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Mississippi schools statewide, it ranks #23, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (48%) and White (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 463 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.6% 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.
Discipline events run high: 427 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,388 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Desoto Co School Dist also operates Desoto Central High School (2,004 students) and Southaven High School (1,876 students) alongside Desoto Central Middle 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 Middle School compares
Desoto Central Middle 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 | 18:1 | ▲ 35% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.5% | ▼ 53% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,388 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,388
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% 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
18:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 95% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
49.6%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 463 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
275
in-school suspensions + 152 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.8 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 47.9%
White 31.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.8%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 4.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 47.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.8, Desoto Central Middle 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 Middle 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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desoto Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southaven High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hernando High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southaven Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lewisburg High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desoto Central Middle 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
- 1,330
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar middle 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 (~1,388 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desoto Central Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Desoto Central Middle 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 Middle School
How many students attend Desoto Central Middle School?
Desoto Central Middle School has 1,388 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Southaven, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desoto Central Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desoto Central Middle School is 18:1, which is 35% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desoto Central Middle School?
37.5% of students at Desoto Central Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desoto Central Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Desoto Central Middle School is African American at 47.9% of enrollment, in Southaven, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desoto Central Middle School?
Desoto Central Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Middle School rank among public schools in Southaven?
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto Central Middle School ranks #7 of 7 public 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 public schools in Southaven on the city page.
Is Desoto Central Middle School a good school?
Desoto Central Middle School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Mississippi schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Mississippi. 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 Middle 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.