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Desoto Trail Elementary School

Q: Is Desoto Trail Elementary School a good school?

Desoto Trail Elementary School ranks 328 th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

328^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 85% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Desoto Trail Elementary School is a high-performing, mid-sized elementary school (PK-5) in northeast Tallahassee, FL, serving 652 students within the Leon district and known for its strong academic record and engaged community.

Desoto Trail stands out for its exceptional math performance, with 87% of 3rd graders proficient in math—21 points above both the district and state averages. This is among the highest rates in the area, comparable to top-tier peers like Gilchrist Elementary School (92%) and Hawks Rise Elementary School (88%). The school also boasts remarkably low chronic absenteeism at just 7.5%, far below the district average of 36.8% and even lower than nearby high-performers like Killearn Lakes Elementary School (10.1%). This consistency extends across all grades and subjects, with Desoto Trail outperforming district and state averages in every test for the 2025-2026 school year, reflecting a strong, vertically-aligned curriculum.

While Desoto Trail has seen a slight dip from its peak as a top 5% school in the late 2010s, it remains a 4-star school in the 85th percentile statewide. It operates efficiently, spending less per student ($10,022) than many peers like Roberts Elementary School ($12,304) while achieving higher test scores. However, it faces stiff competition from an elite cluster of schools in northeast Tallahassee, including Buck Lake Elementary School and Sealey Elementary School, and a notable contrast with nearby Renaissance Academy, which has a 1-star rating and 56.3% chronic absenteeism. For families, Desoto Trail offers a reliable, high-quality education with a focus on math and student engagement, though it is one of several excellent options in the area.

652

Students ?

15.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,022

Per pupil spending ?

15.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5200 Tredington Park Dr
Tallahassee, FL 32309

(850) 488-4511

District: Leon

Students who attend Desoto Trail Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	William J Montford III Middle School
High:	Lawton Chiles High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.2%

Hispanic:

10.9%

African American:

8.7%

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Compare Desoto Trail Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 97th percentile in 2016 → 85th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Florida average (77% vs 62% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 15% of Florida elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Leon

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 12 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school77%

District avg61%

Florida avg62%

328^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Top 15%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From top 3% (2016) to top 15% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 27Elementary Schools in the Leon

39^th of 70Leon among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	82.3	328 of 2240	85.4%	★★★★☆
2025	71.9	584 of 2258	74.1%	★★★★☆
2024	81.1	375 of 2256	83.4%	★★★★☆
2023	83.0	339 of 2240	84.9%	★★★★☆
2022	91.3	142 of 2219	93.6%	★★★★★
2021	93.7	88 of 2247	96.1%	★★★★★
2019	89.1	181 of 2182	91.7%	★★★★★
2018	94.7	46 of 2118	97.8%	★★★★★
2017	94.5	47 of 2112	97.8%	★★★★★
2016	94.1	66 of 2087	96.8%	★★★★★
2014	93.0	75 of 2064	96.4%	★★★★★
2013	91.4	119 of 2029	94.1%	★★★★★
2012	91.9	100 of 1984	95.0%	★★★★★
2011	90.4	100 of 1985	95.0%	★★★★★
2010	92.1	64 of 1919	96.7%	★★★★★
2009	85.9	197 of 1847	89.3%	★★★★☆
2008	92.0	66 of 1789	96.3%	★★★★★
2007	91.1	76 of 1786	95.7%	★★★★★
2006	88.0	159 of 1688	90.6%	★★★★★

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Math81%+16 vs state

Science78%+18 vs state

English Language Arts72%+12 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a teacher
Friday, August 19, 2011

I teach at DeSoto Trail, and I love my job! My co-workers are my adopted family. My students are great, and the parents are very supportive and involved. Close Quote

Schools Near Desoto Trail Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)						FAST Math (2026)						Statewide Science Science (2026)		EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Desoto Trail Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5200 Tredington Park Dr	Tallahassee	32309	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 488-4511	652	41	15.8	15.2%	458 (70.2%)	57 (8.7%)	71 (10.9%)	27 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.0%)	82.3	328^th of 2240 public elementary schools	85.4%		71.9	584^th of 2258 public elementary schools	74.1%	256	74.0	70.0	72.0				87.0	78.0	78.0				78.0				$10,022	$697	$9,324
Roberts Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5777 Pimlico Dr	Tallahassee	32309	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 488-0923	807	56	14.4	20.4%	552 (68.4%)	107 (13.3%)	99 (12.3%)	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (5.3%)	81.5	349^th of 2240 public elementary schools	84.4%		83.1	330^th of 2258 public elementary schools	85.4%	19	77.0	72.0	71.0				77.0	83.0	83.0				71.0				$12,304	$1,035	$11,269
Gilchrist Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1301 Timberlane Rd	Tallahassee	32312	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 487-4310	857	53	16.3	19.6%	511 (59.6%)	114 (13.3%)	97 (11.3%)	59 (6.9%)	2 (0.2%)	4 (0.5%)	70 (8.2%)	91.6	101^st of 2240 public elementary schools	95.5%		89.6	180^th of 2258 public elementary schools	92.0%	79	80.0	88.0	83.0				92.0	79.0	88.0				87.0				$10,961	$753	$10,209
Killearn Lakes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8037 Deer Lk E	Tallahassee	32312	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 921-1265	740	49	15.0	13.8%	512 (69.2%)	66 (8.9%)	78 (10.5%)	45 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (5.3%)	87.5	196^th of 2240 public elementary schools	91.3%		91	132^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	94.2%	64	77.0	81.0	75.0				90.0	84.0	80.0				77.0				$10,959	$734	$10,225
Hawks Rise Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	205 Meadow Ridge Dr	Tallahassee	32312	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 487-4733	752	51	14.7	14.9%	411 (54.7%)	79 (10.5%)	77 (10.2%)	126 (16.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (7.8%)	91.9	96^th of 2240 public elementary schools	95.7%		93.5	72^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	96.8%	24	84.0	81.0	83.0				88.0	88.0	84.0				83.0				$11,686	$987	$10,699
The School Of Arts And Sciences On Thomasville	Public, Charter	K-8	3208 Thomasville Rd	Tallahassee	32308	Leon County	Leon	Yes	No	No	No	(850) 386-6566	461	43	10.7	9.8%	300 (65.1%)	62 (13.4%)	55 (11.9%)	11 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.2%)	74.3	520^th of 2240 public elementary schools	76.8%		61.4	847^th of 2258 public elementary schools	62.5%	327	75.0	66.0	78.0	70.0	82.0	73.0	71.0	68.0	82.0	69.0	57.0	63.0	86.0	77.0	97.0	100.0	$9,278	$246	$9,033
W T Moore Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1706 Dempsey Mayo Rd	Tallahassee	32308	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 877-6158	519	36	14.4	39.9%	173 (33.3%)	234 (45.1%)	50 (9.6%)	16 (3.1%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	43 (8.3%)	51.1	1111^th of 2240 public elementary schools	50.4%		56.8	954^th of 2258 public elementary schools	57.8%	157	62.0	60.0	69.0				64.0	71.0	48.0				51.0				$10,951	$845	$10,106
Sealey Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2815 Allen Rd	Tallahassee	32312	Leon County	Leon	No	Yes	No	Yes	(850) 488-5640	369	27	13.6	49.9%	61 (16.5%)	234 (63.4%)	40 (10.8%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (8.1%)	44.8	1278^th of 2240 public elementary schools	42.9%		41.6	1304^th of 2258 public elementary schools	42.2%	26	69.0	52.0	66.0				51.0	52.0	64.0				50.0				$14,258	$1,975	$12,283
The School Of Arts & Sciences Centre	Public, Charter	K-8	2415 N Monroe St	Tallahassee	32303	Leon County	Leon	Yes	No	No	No	(850) 999-8267	448	35	12.8	21.7%	248 (55.4%)	77 (17.2%)	60 (13.4%)	22 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	38 (8.5%)	56.7	964^th of 2240 public elementary schools	57.0%		60.5	867^th of 2258 public elementary schools	61.6%	97	74.0	62.0	72.0	52.0	62.0	64.0	75.0	54.0	67.0	37.0	25.0	74.0	66.0	79.0	92.0	90.0	$8,183	$105	$8,078
Buck Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1600 Pedrick Rd	Tallahassee	32317	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 488-6133	696	46	15.2	14.8%	403 (57.9%)	99 (14.2%)	67 (9.6%)	74 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (7.6%)	77.9	429^th of 2240 public elementary schools	80.8%		76.6	483^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	78.6%	54	77.0	69.0	69.0				76.0	75.0	81.0				72.0				$11,252	$921	$10,331

Frequently Asked Questions about Desoto Trail Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Desoto Trail Elementary School?

Students at Desoto Trail Elementary School are 70% White, 11% Hispanic, 9% African American, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

What district is Desoto Trail Elementary School in?

Leon

Is Desoto Trail Elementary School a good school?

Desoto Trail Elementary School ranks 328^th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Desoto Trail Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Desoto Trail Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : William J Montford III Middle School
High : Lawton Chiles High School

How many students attend Desoto Trail Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 652 students attended Desoto Trail Elementary School.

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Latest Florida data All new data »

2024–25 attendance dataAug 18, 2026

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.