Desoto High School

Summary:

Desoto High School is a public magnet high school located in Desoto, Texas, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,216 students. The school is part of the Desoto Independent School District, which is ranked 767 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Desoto High School faces significant challenges in academic performance, graduation rates, and serving its diverse student population, particularly its African American and Hispanic students. The school consistently underperforms compared to state and district averages on STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) exams, with proficiency rates ranging from 22.11% in Algebra I to 53.24% in U.S. History, while the state averages were 44.73% and 69.10%, respectively. The school's four-year graduation rate has declined from 92.6% in 2019-2020 to 88.0% in 2022-2023, which is lower than the state average, and its dropout rate has increased from 0.9% in 2017-2018 to 4.0% in 2021-2022, which is higher than the state average.

While Desoto High School's performance is generally lower than that of nearby public charter schools, such as Uplift Hampton Preparatory High School and Cedar Hill Collegiate High School, which outperform Desoto High School on academic measures, the school does perform better than some nearby traditional public schools, such as Mary E. Smithey Pace High School and Winfree Academy Charter School Dallas, which have even lower academic performance and higher dropout rates. Despite the school's relatively high spending per student, its academic performance remains low, suggesting that factors beyond just funding, such as instructional quality, school leadership, and student engagement, may be contributing to the school's challenges.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

 600 Eagle Dr
       Desoto, TX  75115-6006


(972) 230-0726

District: Desoto Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
1498th of 1,987 Texas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,714 Help


Feeder schools for Desoto High School:

Elementary:    Cockrell Hill Elementary
    Frank D Moates Elementary
    Ruby Young Personalized Steam Academy
    The Meadows Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Curtistene S McCowan Middle
    Desoto West Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  17.1 Help
Number of students:  2,216

Racial breakdown:

African American:
74.7%
Hispanic:
21.0%
Two or more races:
1.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  60.2% Help


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 Compare Desoto High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Desoto High School ranks worse than 75.4% of high schools in Texas. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.89. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Desoto High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (74.7%), Hispanic (21%), two or more races (1.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 60.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desoto High School is 17.1. (See more...)
Help
Compare Desoto High School employs 129.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desoto High School is $9,714.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desoto High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Desoto High School 1498th of 1987 Texas public high schools. (See Desoto High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Desoto Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Desoto Independent School District (Isd) 767th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Desoto High School?

Rank History for Desoto High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 48.14 931st 1427 34.8%
2005 42.52 1011th 1429 29.3%
2006 34.31 1101st 1430 23.0%
2007 29.04 1236th 1497 17.4%
2008 22.47 1335th 1510 11.6%
2009 33.75 1250th 1539 18.8%
2010 37.32 1269th 1568 19.1%
2011 35.82 1372nd 1672 17.9%
2012 13.48 1465th 1603 8.6%
2013 11.48 1515th 1652 8.3%
2014 8.35 1612th 1734 7.0%
2015 10.75 1577th 1743 9.5%
2016 33.52 1304th 1762 26.0%
2017 24.69 1361st 1777 23.4%
2018 28.19 1324th 1797 26.3%
2019 30.62 1331st 1857 28.3%
2021 17.65 1560th 1861 16.2%
2022 20.29 1536th 1876 18.1%
2023 23.22 1535th 1961 21.7%
2024 25.89 1498th 1987 24.6%
See the entire list of Texas High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.25 489th 582 16.0%
2019 20.00 512th 604 15.2%
2021 16.13 519th 588 11.7%
2022 23.74 523rd 664 21.2%
2023 18.47 583rd 677 13.9%
2024 35.84 479th 730 34.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.57 845th 1113 24.1%
2019 26.62 886th 1136 22.0%
2021 30.86 853rd 1195 28.6%
2022 38.59 657th 1278 48.6%
2023 43.28 605th 1371 55.9%
2024 39.02 744th 1435 48.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.66 1053rd 1347 21.8%
2019 31.04 994th 1357 26.8%
2021 30.45 1030th 1382 25.5%
2022 36.26 882nd 1418 37.8%
2023 21.59 1314th 1478 11.1%
2024 41.71 847th 1547 45.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.61 1346th 1794 25.0%
2019 35.16 1261st 1818 30.6%
2021 21.03 1530th 1848 17.2%
2022 22.74 1497th 1847 18.9%
2023 24.67 1492nd 1897 21.3%
2024 25.59 1458th 1883 22.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.49 1319th 1781 25.9%
2019 34.96 1260th 1798 29.9%
2021 19.85 1490th 1815 17.9%
2022 21.04 1496th 1841 18.7%
2023 26.58 1405th 1891 25.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.80 1057th 1137 7.0%
2019 26.86 1010th 1145 11.8%
2021 11.96 1089th 1177 7.5%
2022 25.10 1018th 1172 13.1%
2023 27.38 1008th 1182 14.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.49 1178th 1784 34.0%
2019 40.06 1032nd 1810 43.0%
2021 23.01 1511th 1829 17.4%
2022 22.96 1514th 1837 17.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.99 1455th 1803 19.3%
2019 25.09 1425th 1824 21.9%
2021 15.01 1594th 1840 13.4%
2022 18.00 1551st 1853 16.3%
2023 18.95 1565th 1913 18.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 0.25 500th 507 1.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.13 558th 1013 44.9%
2019 42.63 537th 1024 47.6%
2021 28.80 721st 1020 29.3%
2022 33.01 641st 1031 37.8%
2023 35.04 643rd 1069 39.9%
2024 34.79 641st 1065 39.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.64 1150th 1691 32.0%
2019 40.08 1034th 1714 39.7%
2021 28.14 1291st 1743 25.9%
2022 23.33 1398th 1762 20.7%
2023 29.79 1296th 1820 28.8%
2024 28.16 1299th 1804 28.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.09 95th 122 22.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Desoto High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.73 1371st 1539 10.9%
2019 13.37 1392nd 1526 8.8%
2021 6.92 1415th 1510 6.3%
2022 1.44 1496th 1525 1.9%
2023 6.73 1462nd 1576 7.2%
2024 30.36 1132nd 1556 27.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Desoto High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Texas Education Agency

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.7)
33%

0%

0%

33%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Monday, January 9, 2017

Open Quote Horrible school. Drugs are everywhere. Teachers starting fights with students. It just horrible Close Quote


by a student
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Open Quote The principle has lost control of everything. Rather than focusing on the students, she bans nike socke, made us have 5 pep rallies in a row, and cost us to get behind onn work. Most of the teachers/counselors that don't do their work right are friends with the principle and are not disciplined or fired. Good teachers that exert their time for the students have left[Mrs.Green}. We have had for a whole six week a sub. With no teacher insight. For right now, we have a teacher witth good intentions flipflopping between classes of physics and chemistry. He is hurting both vclasses instead of one. Most of the teachers are disgruntled with the principle. I would not reccomen this school if you value an education or want to study debate, net enginneering 1 and 2, since they gave thatt teacher three classes to teach instead of 1. The assistant principle DO NOT REPLY AT ALL. RATHER EAT THEIR LUNCH THE SAME DAM DAYS INSTEAD OF CHANGING THEIR EATING HABITS TO SETTLE DISPUTES BETWEEN TEACHER AND STUDENT. THIS REVIEW WONT DO MUCH. TEACHERS HAVE SENT STUDENT TO BE EXPEELLED BUT THEIR REQUEST HAVE BEEN DENIED. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Desoto High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1473 287 21 59 4 n/a n/a 0 1844
1989 1452 326 27 63 8 n/a n/a 0 1876
1990 1368 371 26 79 4 n/a n/a 0 1848
1991 1309 400 26 95 3 n/a n/a 0 1833
1992 1273 450 27 107 7 n/a n/a 0 1864
1993 1199 526 37 119 5 n/a n/a 0 1886
1994 1149 594 38 118 8 n/a n/a 0 1907
1995 1031 808 30 130 5 n/a n/a 0 2004
1996 1031 808 30 130 5 n/a n/a 0 2004
1997 996 857 25 129 5 n/a n/a 0 2012
1998 692 647 20 99 1 n/a n/a 0 1459
1999 653 659 15 108 3 n/a n/a 0 1438
2000 607 736 13 120 2 n/a n/a 0 1478
2001 516 803 12 111 3 n/a n/a 0 1445
2002 386 1100 16 147 3 n/a n/a 0 1652
2003 386 1100 16 147 3 n/a n/a 0 1652
2004 297 1135 14 156 5 n/a n/a 0 1607
2005 249 1334 11 151 1 n/a n/a 0 1746
2006 200 1442 11 180 1 n/a n/a 0 1834
2007 179 1525 17 199 2 n/a n/a 0 1922
2008 152 1607 8 218 2 n/a n/a 0 1987
2009 123 1641 7 216 2 n/a n/a 0 1989
2010 97 1629 11 226 5 n/a n/a 0 1968
2011 80 1634 3 258 4 2 30 0 2011
2012 87 1642 4 239 5 0 23 0 2000
2013 68 1665 9 255 8 0 17 0 2022
2014 69 1826 6 315 6 1 15 0 2238
2015 70 1843 8 333 4 1 16 0 2275
2016 78 2441 8 475 7 2 24 0 3035
2017 79 2601 10 470 9 4 41 0 3214
2018 81 2633 12 473 7 3 44 0 3253
2019 62 2454 8 515 9 2 52 0 3102
2020 56 2232 9 517 6 1 43 0 2864
2021 51 2163 7 523 6 0 50 0 2800
2022 50 2069 8 534 11 0 64 0 2736
2023 39 1655 8 466 5 0 43 0 2216

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Desoto High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1844 107.0 17.2 n/a
1989 1876 n/a n/a n/a
1990 1848 99.0 18.6 n/a
1991 1833 99.1 18.4 n/a
1992 1864 105.7 17.6 3.7
1993 1886 108.0 17.5 6.3
1994 1907 121.1 15.7 4.8
1995 2004 131.1 15.3 6.9
1996 2004 131.1 15.3 6.9
1997 2012 140.7 14.3 8.7
1998 1459 123.3 11.8 8.7
1999 1438 113.7 12.6 11.4
2000 1478 121.4 12.2 12.7
2001 1445 107.7 13.4 17.2
2002 1652 123.2 13.4 20.2
2003 1652 123.2 13.4 20.2
2004 1607 104.3 15.4 23.5
2005 1746 112.4 15.5 28
2006 1834 118.8 15.4 33
2007 1922 119.1 16.1 35.4
2008 1987 129.7 15.3 40.4
2009 1989 140.0 14.2 45.2
2010 1968 143.7 13.7 51.6
2011 2011 148.4 13.5 52.9
2012 2000 142.5 14.0 57.1
2013 2022 130.4 15.4 56.3
2014 2238 142.0 15.7 52.5
2015 2275 149.0 15.2 59.6
2016 3035 190.0 15.9 63
2017 3214 206.4 15.5 63.9
2018 3253 212.3 15.3 65
2019 3102 202.2 15.3 66.6
2020 2864 169.3 16.9 74.3
2021 2800 146.8 19.0 71.8
2022 2736 142.5 19.1 64.4
2023 2216 129.2 17.1 60.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Desoto High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1844 107.0 17.2 n/a
1989 1876 n/a n/a n/a
1990 1848 99.0 18.6 n/a
1991 1833 99.1 18.4 n/a
1992 1864 105.7 17.6 3.7
1993 1886 108.0 17.5 6.3
1994 1907 121.1 15.7 4.8
1995 2004 131.1 15.3 6.9
1996 2004 131.1 15.3 6.9
1997 2012 140.7 14.3 8.7
1998 1459 123.3 11.8 8.7
1999 1438 113.7 12.6 11.4
2000 1478 121.4 12.2 12.7
2001 1445 107.7 13.4 17.2
2002 1652 123.2 13.4 20.2
2003 1652 123.2 13.4 20.2
2004 1607 104.3 15.4 23.5
2005 1746 112.4 15.5 28
2006 1834 118.8 15.4 33
2007 1922 119.1 16.1 35.4
2008 1987 129.7 15.3 40.4
2009 1989 140.0 14.2 45.2
2010 1968 143.7 13.7 51.6
2011 2011 148.4 13.5 52.9
2012 2000 142.5 14.0 57.1
2013 2022 130.4 15.4 56.3
2014 2238 142.0 15.7 52.5
2015 2275 149.0 15.2 59.6
2016 3035 190.0 15.9 63
2017 3214 206.4 15.5 63.9
2018 3253 212.3 15.3 65
2019 3102 202.2 15.3 66.6
2020 2864 169.3 16.9 74.3
2021 2800 146.8 19.0 71.8
2022 2736 142.5 19.1 64.4
2023 2216 129.2 17.1 60.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Desoto High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,392 (12.9%) $9,440 (87.1%) $10,832
2020 $1,473 (8.4%) $16,070 (91.6%) $17,543
2021 $1,283 (13.2%) $8,431 (86.8%) $9,714

Data source: Texas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desoto High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1331st of 1857 High schoolsRanks 1535th of 1961 High schools
 6.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Algebra I (Desoto High School)4119
 22%
   End of Course Algebra I (Desoto Independent School District (Isd))4926
 23%
   End of Course Algebra I (Texas)6245
 17%
End of Course Biology (Desoto High School)4935
 14%
   End of Course Biology (Desoto Independent School District (Isd))4935
 14%
   End of Course Biology (Texas)6357
 6%
End of Course English I Reading (Desoto High School)3239
 7%
   End of Course English I Reading (Desoto Independent School District (Isd))3739
 2%
   End of Course English I Reading (Texas)4954
 5%
End of Course English II Reading (Desoto High School)3841
 3%
   End of Course English II Reading (Desoto Independent School District (Isd))3841
 3%
   End of Course English II Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
End of Course U.S. History (Desoto High School)6558
 7%
   End of Course U.S. History (Desoto Independent School District (Isd))6458
 6%
   End of Course U.S. History (Texas)7571
 4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students31022216
 28.6%
African American24541655
 32.6%
American Indian95
 44.4%
Asian88
Hispanic515466
 9.5%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White6239
 37.1%
Two or More Races5243
 17.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients66.6%60.2%
 6.4%


Schools Near Desoto High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Desoto High School

Desoto High School ranks in the bottom 24.6% of Texas high schools.

Students at Desoto High School are 75% African American, 21% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 2% White.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,216 students attended Desoto High School.


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

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.





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