For the 2026 school year, there are 3 public high schools serving 1,275 students in Desoto School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public high schools in Florida.
Public High Schools in Desoto School District have an average math proficiency score of 22% (versus the Florida public high school average of 41%), and reading proficiency score of 31% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Public High School in Desoto School District have a Graduation Rate of 74%, which is less than the Florida average of 88%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Desoto County High School, with 75% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in Florida or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 68% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Florida public high school average of 66% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (FL)
# Schools
8 Schools
1,283 Schools
# Students
4,155 Students
1,016,942 Students
# Teachers
232 Teachers
47,212 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
18:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Desoto School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 73 school districts in Florida (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 75% has increased from 61% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#69 out of 73 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
35%
52%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
32%
52%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
32%
52%
Graduation Rate
75%
87%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)37.2%
33.8%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.61
0.70
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
3%
% Hispanic
54%
38%
% Black
13%
21%
% White
29%
34%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
4%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,838 is higher than the state median of $12,038. The school district revenue/student has grown by 20% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,115 is higher than the state median of $11,689. The school district spending/student has grown by 22% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$53 MM
$34,349 MM
Spending
$55 MM
$33,354 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,838
$12,038
Spending / Student
$13,115
$11,689
Best Desoto School District Public High Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Desoto County High School
(Math: 23% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1710 E Gibson St
Arcadia, FL 34266
(863) 494-3434
Arcadia, FL 34266
(863) 494-3434
Gr: 9-12 | 1,215 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 67%
Rank: #22.
Desoto Secondary School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
318 N Wilson Ave
Arcadia, FL 34266
(863) 494-9303
Arcadia, FL 34266
(863) 494-9303
Gr: K-12 | 51 students Student-teacher ratio: 51:1 Minority enrollment: 84%
Rank: n/an/a
Reduced Services
Alternative School
310 W Whidden St
Arcadia, FL 34266
(863) 993-1333
Arcadia, FL 34266
(863) 993-1333
Gr: K-12 | 9 students
Recent Articles
Media Literacy as a Core Skill: How to Tell if a School Teaches It Well
Learn how to evaluate whether a public school teaches media literacy effectively, from fact-checking and source evaluation to digital citizenship and critical thinking.
Screen Time, Paper Learning, and the New Back-to-Basics Debate
Explore why some public schools are reducing screen time, bringing back paper learning, and rethinking the balance between technology and traditional instruction.
Student Data, AI Tools, and Privacy: Questions to Ask Your District
Learn how public schools use AI, protect student data, and the key privacy questions every parent should ask their school district in 2026.
