Summary:
Zip code 38672 in Southaven, MS, is home to one high school: DeSoto Central High School, a large public school serving grades 9–12 with about 2,004 students. The school belongs to the DeSoto County School District and ranks 44th out of 224 Mississippi high schools in the 2025–2026 school year, placing it in the 80th percentile with a 4-star rating. Its graduation rate is 96.1%, well above the state average of 89.2% and nearly matching the district's 97.0%.
Academically, DeSoto Central is generally strong, but performance varies by subject. In 2025–2026, the school posted 74.2% proficiency in Algebra I, 63.1% in English II, and 68.8% in Biology, all above state averages in those subjects. English II is a clear standout, exceeding the district by 8.1 percentage points and the state by nearly 14 points. U.S. History proficiency in 2024–2025 was 77.1%, also above both district and state. However, Algebra I proficiency fell sharply from 84.7% in 2024–2025 to 74.2% in 2025–2026, a 10.5-point drop that remains above the state average but signals volatility in math performance.
The most significant concern is chronic absenteeism: 29.4% of students were chronically absent in 2023–2024, notably higher than the district's 26.4% and the state's 23.9%. This is striking given the school's otherwise strong outcomes. About 32.6% of students are eligible for free/reduced lunch, and the student–teacher ratio is 17.8:1. Overall, DeSoto Central High School is a top-quintile school with solid graduation rates and strong literacy and history scores, but it would benefit from addressing chronic absenteeism and stabilizing Algebra I proficiency to ensure consistent success for all students.
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