Enrollment
922
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Arcadia, FL
Desoto Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Desoto Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120042000624
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desoto Middle School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #6 of 8
- public schools in Arcadia · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.8:1
- students per teacher
- 70.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Desoto Middle School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto Middle School ranks #6 of 8 public schools in Arcadia, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.0%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desoto Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desoto Middle School
Desoto Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Arcadia, Florida, enrolling 922 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 922 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 739 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #637, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and White (27%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 922 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 28.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 406 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 922 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 29 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Desoto also operates Desoto County High School (1,215 students) and Memorial Elementary School (861 students) alongside Desoto 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 Middle School compares
Desoto Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.0% | ▲ 35% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 922 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
922
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 69% in Florida - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
42.7%
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
$12,175
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $11,167
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 922 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
154
in-school suspensions + 252 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 44.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 29 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 55.3%
White 27.2%
African American 13.4%
Two or More 3.3%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.1, Desoto Middle School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desoto, which includes Desoto Middle School.
$12,175
Per student
+9%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.4%
State 47.5%
Federal 28.1%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desoto County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Memorial Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Nocatee Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desoto Virtual Academy | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desoto Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,215
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- 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
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~922 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desoto Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Desoto Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Desoto'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 Middle School
How many students attend Desoto Middle School?
Desoto Middle School has 922 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Arcadia, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desoto Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desoto Middle School is 18.8:1, which is 6% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desoto Middle School?
70.0% of students at Desoto Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desoto Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Desoto Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 55.3% of enrollment, in Arcadia, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desoto Middle School?
Desoto Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 Middle School rank among public schools in Arcadia?
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto Middle School ranks #6 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.
Is Desoto Middle School a good school?
Desoto Middle School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. 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?
Besides Desoto Middle School, Desoto also operates Desoto County High School (1,215 students), Memorial Elementary School (861 students), and West Elementary School (622 students). See the Desoto 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.