- Enrollment
- 922
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Arcadia, FL
Desoto County High School
Federal NCES profile for Desoto County High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 120042000620
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 4
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desoto County High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #2 of 8
- public schools in Arcadia · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.4:1
- students per teacher
- 63.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Desoto County High School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto County High School ranks #2 of 8 public schools in Arcadia, FL.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+15 students YoY
Desoto County High School held near 1,259 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+15 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 70.3 → 69.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+15 students YoY 120042000620 · Arcadia, FL High · MID · TRAD
1,215 enr · 17.4:1 · 63.0% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: Desoto Middle School (922 students)
Desoto County High School held near 1,259 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+15 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 70.3 → 69.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Desoto County High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Desoto County High School
1,215 students
- Desoto Middle
Desoto Middle School
922 students
- Memorial Eleme
Memorial Elementary School
861 students
- West Elementar
West Elementary School
622 students
- Nocatee Elemen 475
Nocatee Elementary School
475 students
- Desoto Virtual 53
Desoto Virtual Academy
53 students
What this shows Desoto County High School reports 1,215 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desoto County High School compares
Desoto County High School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.4:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.0% | ▲ 21% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,215 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,215
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
63.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 59% in Florida - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.4%
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
$12,385
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $12,081
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 405 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
113
in-school suspensions + 77 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 18 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 51.9%
White 32.7%
African American 11.9%
Two or More 2.2%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.9, Desoto County High School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Desoto reports $12,385 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desoto County High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desoto Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Memorial Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Nocatee Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desoto Virtual Academy | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desoto County High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 622
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 475
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 53
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,215 students)
Frequently asked questions about Desoto County High School
How many students attend Desoto County High School?
Desoto County High School has 1,215 students enrolled. It is a high school in Arcadia, FL. CCD year-over-year: 1,244 (2022-23) → 1,259 (2023-24), nearly flat (+15).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desoto County High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desoto County High School is 17.4:1, which is 2% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desoto County High School?
63.0% of students at Desoto County High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desoto County High School?
The largest demographic group at Desoto County High School is Hispanic or Latino at 51.9% of enrollment, in Arcadia, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desoto County High School?
Desoto County High School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Desoto County High School rank among public schools in Arcadia?
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto County High School ranks #2 of 8 public schools in Arcadia, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Arcadia on the city page.
What other schools are in Desoto?
Besides Desoto County High School, Desoto also operates Desoto Middle School (922 students), Memorial Elementary School (861 students), and West Elementary School (622 students). See the Desoto district page for the complete list.