Desoto County School District

Five East South Street
Hernando, MS 38632
(District boundaries shown in map)
: 
8/
10
Top 30%

Top Rankings

Desoto County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Mississippi for:

Category
Attribute
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 14 public preschools serving 9,183 students in Desoto County School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public pre schools in Mississippi.
Public Preschools in Desoto County School District have an average math proficiency score of 58% (versus the Mississippi public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 53% (versus the 44% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 63% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the Mississippi public preschool average of 57% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (MS)
# Schools
43 Schools
278 Schools
# Students
34,909 Students
130,289 Students
# Teachers
2,180 Teachers
8,711 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Desoto County School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 147 school districts in Mississippi (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 94% has increased from 88% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MS)
#30 out of 148 school districts
(Top 30%)

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

62%
52%

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

49%
42%

Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

65%
55%
94%
89.4%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

(2022-23)
30.6%
26.5%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.66
0.63

Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓

% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
2%
1%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 24-year historical data available below ↓

% Hispanic
11%
7%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 24-year historical data available below ↓

% Black
43%
43%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓

% White
39%
43%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓

% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $11,725 in this school district is less than the state median of $14,756. The school district revenue/student has grown by 12% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,434 is less than the state median of $14,421. The school district spending/student has grown by 19% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MS)
Total Revenue
$409 MM
$6,387 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending
$399 MM
$6,242 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Revenue / Student
$11,725
$14,756

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending / Student
$11,434
$14,421

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Best Desoto County School District Public Preschools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Pleasant Hill Elementary School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
7686 Pleasant Hill Road
Olive Branch, MS 38654
(662) 890-9654
Gr: PK-5 | 1,079 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 65%
Rank: #22.
Center Hill Elementary School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
13662 Center Hill Road
Olive Branch, MS 38654
(662) 890-7705
Gr: PK-5 | 788 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 59%
Rank: #33.
Overpark Elementary School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
8530 Forest Hill Irene Road
Olive Branch, MS 38654
(662) 890-8745
Gr: PK-5 | 635 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 68%
Rank: #44.
Lake Cormorant Elementary School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
3285 Wilson Mill Rd West
Lake Cormorant, MS 38641
(662) 781-1135
Gr: PK-5 | 635 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 52%
Rank: #55.
Walls Elementary School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
6131 Elias Johnson Jr. Drive
Walls, MS 38680
(662) 781-1280
Gr: PK-5 | 722 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #66.
Southaven Elementary School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
8274 Claiborne Drive
Southaven, MS 38671
(662) 342-2289
Gr: PK-5 | 681 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 78%
Rank: n/an/a
3210 Getwell Rd
Southaven, MS 38672
(662) 912-1300
Gr: PK-2 | 792 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 62%
Rank: n/an/a
730 Rasco Road E
Southaven, MS 38671
(662) 342-2330
Gr: PK-2 | 556 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 78%
Rank: n/an/a
455 Riley Street
Hernando, MS 38632
(662) 429-4160
Gr: PK-1 | 707 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
Rank: n/an/a
7985 Southaven Circle W
Southaven, MS 38671
(662) 393-2919
Gr: PK-2 | 563 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 81%
Rank: n/an/a
6341 Ridgewood Rd.
Horn Lake, MS 38637
(662) 393-4608
Gr: PK-2 | 520 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 86%
Rank: n/an/a
1707 Craft Rd
Olive Branch, MS 38654
(662) 893-6001
Gr: PK-1 | 578 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: n/an/a
9549 E Pigeon Roost
Olive Branch, MS 38654
(662) 895-2256
Gr: PK-1 | 504 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 64%
Rank: n/an/a
380 Shadow Oaks Parkway
Horn Lake, MS 38637
(662) 393-4585
Gr: PK-2 | 423 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 87%

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Quick Facts (26-27)

  • District size: 43 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 34,909 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 61%
  • : 94% (Top 5% in MS)
  • : Top 30%
  • : 62% (Top 20%)
  • : 49% (Top 20%)
  • : 65% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MS Dept. of Education

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