Enrollment
51
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Arcadia, FL
Desoto Secondary School
Federal NCES profile for Desoto Secondary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120042006813
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desoto Secondary School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Florida schools.
- #6 of 6
- schools in Arcadia · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.5:1
- large classes for Florida
- 82.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Desoto Secondary School has class sizes larger than 93% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto Secondary School ranks #6 of 6 schools in Arcadia, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.5:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+43% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.6%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desoto Secondary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desoto Secondary School
Desoto Secondary School is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Arcadia, Florida, enrolling 51 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25.5:1 is larger than about 93% of Florida schools and 43% above the 17.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 82.6% of students qualify for free meals, 59% above the Florida average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 93% of Florida schools, with 51 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 44 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #42, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and African American (29%) (diversity index 65/100).
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: 42 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 51 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 7 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Desoto also operates Desoto County High School (1,215 students) and Desoto Middle School (922 students) alongside Desoto Secondary 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 Secondary School compares
Desoto Secondary 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 | 25.5:1 | ▲ 43% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.6% | ▲ 59% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 51 | top 93% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.5:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
51
Bigger than 6% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.5:1
students per teacher
- 43% above state mean
Top 93% in Florida - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 82.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 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 49.0%
African American 29.4%
White 15.7%
Two or More 3.9%
Asian 2.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.7, Desoto Secondary School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desoto, which includes Desoto Secondary 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 Secondary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desoto County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desoto Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Memorial Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Nocatee Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desoto Secondary 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
- 922
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- 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
Similar other 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 (~51 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desoto Secondary School's federal record.
- Compare Desoto Secondary 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 Secondary School
How many students attend Desoto Secondary School?
Desoto Secondary School has 51 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Arcadia, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desoto Secondary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desoto Secondary School is 25.5:1, which is 43% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 62% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desoto Secondary School?
82.6% of students at Desoto Secondary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desoto Secondary School?
The largest demographic group at Desoto Secondary School is Hispanic or Latino at 49.0% of enrollment, in Arcadia, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desoto Secondary School?
Desoto Secondary School has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Desoto Secondary School rank among schools in Arcadia?
By Resource Investment Index, Desoto Secondary School ranks #6 of 6 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 schools in Arcadia on the city page.
Is Desoto Secondary School a good school?
Desoto Secondary School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Florida 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?
Besides Desoto Secondary School, Desoto also operates Desoto County High School (1,215 students), Desoto Middle School (922 students), and Memorial Elementary School (861 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.