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Public high school · Desoto · Arcadia, Florida

Desoto County High School

Desoto County High School rates 5.0, right at the middle of Desoto's high schools, whose rated median is 5.0.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.0this school

5.0 on a one-to-ten scale; the Desoto median is 5.0.

#3,061 of 3,811 schools in Florida · Desoto: 1 high schools rated, median 5.0

The brief

A high school in Arcadia, FL where students score 17 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 3,061 of 3,811 schools in Florida and 4 of 6 in Desoto.

Desoto County High School is listed in Desoto, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math30%19 points below the Florida average of 49%High-school course exams · 544 students tested · 2026 FAST
Reading42%19 points below the Florida average of 61%Grades 9–10 · 625 students tested · 2026 FAST
Proficiency declined earlier in the 18-year record (2009–2026), then recovered 6 points since 2021, reaching 36% in 2026.2026 FAST; 35 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
6.9
25% of the rating
Academics
3.1
25% of the rating
College Readiness
4.5
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.9
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 37% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2026 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 34266; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Desoto County High School and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$47,414
Median home value
$144,600
Median rent
$907/mo
College educated
9.7%
Homeownership
66.2%
Poverty rate
25.9%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 34266; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
12
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
40
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
1,467/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Arcadia. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Arcadia), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
2 AP courses
6% participation · state average 2.4 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
18 sports
9 boys' · 9 girls' · 23 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
61.5%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Desoto County High Schoolthis school
    5.0
  2. 2.8Compare →
  3. not ratedCompare →
  4. not ratedCompare →
  5. not ratedCompare →
Four grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Desoto County High School among the rated peers.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Desoto County High School serve?

Desoto County High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Desoto County High School?

Desoto County High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,259 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Desoto County High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Desoto County High School is 18.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Desoto County High School rank in FL?

Desoto County High School ranks #3,061 of 3,811 schools in FL.

What is Desoto County High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Desoto County High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Desoto County High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Desoto County High School has 37% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 35% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is Desoto County High School a charter school?

No, Desoto County High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Desoto County High School a Title I school?

No, Desoto County High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Desoto County High School?

61.5% of students at Desoto County High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,259
Student-teacher ratio
18.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
69
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Distant Town
County
DeSoto County
4-year graduation
75.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#4 of 6
Schools in district
10
District spending per student
$12,385
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
31.4%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 34266)
29,065
Area average commute
30.2 min
Area median age
39.7

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Florida Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.