DeSoto Elementary School

As a cozy elementary school in De Soto, Illinois, DeSoto Elementary School works with 198 students from grades pre-K through 8, part of DeSoto Cons SD 86. That puts it 48% leaner than the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 381 students.

DeSoto Cons SD 86 is the operating authority for DeSoto Elementary School, handling staffing, calendars, and reporting to the state department of education.

Demographically, DeSoto Elementary School records that White students make up the majority at 79%. Other groups include 12% multiracial, 5% Black, 4% Hispanic.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school currently runs with 19 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 10.4:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.9:1 average. Around 67% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy.

With demographic context factored in, DeSoto Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 32.7% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 26.5%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Jackson County) logs that the typical household earns roughly $48,763 per year, roughly 36% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 11%. DeSoto Elementary School is one of 32 public schools in Jackson County (combined enrollment of about 6,811 students).

Gen John A Logan Attendance Cntr is the nearest neighboring public school, about 5.3 miles from this campus. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. On composite proficiency, DeSoto Elementary School comes 4th of 5 in the immediate cluster, below the nearby-schools average of 29.8%.

The school occupies a small-town site.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 12%: 225 students in 2018 compared to 198 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share shrank from 91% to 79%. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 14.1:1 in 2018 to 10.4:1 today.

Inside the community feed, posts here usually surface around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.