1
What's the vibe like in the hallways at DESOTO H S right now?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
1,936
High
DISTRICT 978 · STATE 796
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·DESOTO ISD·NCES 481686001459
Desoto High School
600 EAGLE DR, DESOTO, TX 75115 · (972) 230-0726 · Dallas County
GRADES 09–12HIGH21-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL1,936 STUDENTS
D
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 8% of Texas public high schools
- C-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- DBeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- DThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Texas public high schools
Student : Teacher
18.4:1
105 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 18.4:1 · STATE 15.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
63%
1,215 students
DISTRICT 64% · STATE 65%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 562 | 29% |
| Grade 10 | 528 | 27% |
| Grade 11 | 414 | 21% |
| Grade 12 | 432 | 22% |
Student demographics
44%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 45% · STATE 63% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within DESOTO ISD. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
STAAR 2025-26 . % Meets Grade Level or AboveReading
47.0%
TX avg 54.5% . +36.0pp since 2020
Mathematics
20.0%
TX avg 45.3% . +7.0pp since 2020
What this means: On the STAAR, Texas's statewide test, about 47 of every 100 students at this school read at grade level and about 20 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Texas schools, those numbers are about 55 and 45. Reading scores are up about 36 points since 2020, while math scores are up about 7 points.
Performance levels, 2025-26
| Subject | Masters Grade Level | Meets Grade Level | Approaches Grade Level | Did Not Meet Grade Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 5.0% | 42.0% | 22.0% | 31.0% |
| Mathematics | 6.0% | 14.0% | 42.0% | 38.0% |
Share of tested students at each STAAR level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
STAAR results by year
| School year | Reading | Mathematics |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 47.0% | 20.0% |
| 2024-25 | 44.0% | 24.0% |
| 2023-24 | 43.0% | 22.0% |
| 2022-23 | 40.0% | 23.0% |
| 2021-22 | 24.0% | 39.0% |
| 2020-21 | 11.0% | 13.0% |
% Meets Grade Level or Above, all students and all tested grades.
Source: STAAR. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
40.7%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
46.9%
based on TX schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-6.2pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 41% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 47% typical for Texas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Texas's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Desoto High School
Desoto High School's state test result (40.7% proficient) is higher than 3 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desoto High School this school | 1,936 | 62.8% | 40.7% |
| Cedar Hill High School CEDAR HILL | 1,974 | 59.3% | 34.4% |
| Thurgood Marshall High School MISSOURI CITY | 1,698 | 72.1% | 35.7% |
| Lancaster High School LANCASTER | 2,255 | 75.9% | 35.3% |
| North Crowley High School FORT WORTH | 2,936 | 69.9% | 41.3% |
| Hightower High School MISSOURI CITY | 2,312 | 59.3% | 40.8% |
Matched among Texas high schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Desoto High School ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In Texas | In Dallas County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 40.7% | #1,114 of 1,385 | #67 of 96 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 20.0% | #1,311 of 1,425 ▼ 163 | #90 of 100 ▼ 16 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 47.0% | #1,050 of 1,425 ▼ 6 | #58 of 100 ▼ 9 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +2.0pp | #1,035 of 1,184 | #77 of 98 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,936 | #350 of 2,107 | #33 of 133 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 18.4:1 | #1,213 of 1,344 | #86 of 101 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 43.8% | #837 of 1,346 | #56 of 101 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 62.8% | #742 of 1,522 | #84 of 107 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -40.5% | #22 of 557 | #8 of 55 |
Ranked against other public high schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
1,936
-864 (-31%) vs 2020
+6% since 1990-91, when it was 1,833
Student : Teacher
18.4:1
was 19.2:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,936 | 105.4 | 18.4:1 | 63% (1,215) |
| 2023-24 | 2,045 | 126 | 16.2:1 | 65% (1,331) |
| 2022-23 | 2,216 | 129.3 | 17.1:1 | 60% (1,334) |
| 2020-21 | 2,800 | 146 | 19.2:1 | 72% (2,009) |
| 2017-18 | 3,253 | 212.3 | 15.3:1 | 65% (2,113) |
| 2015-16 | 3,035 | 190 | 16.0:1 | 63% (1,911) |
| 2010-11 | 2,011 | 148 | 13.6:1 | 53% (1,063) |
| 2000-01 | 1,445 | 107 | 13.5:1 | 17% (248) |
| 1990-91 | 1,833 | 99 | 18.5:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Desoto High School.
Since 2017-18: students down 40% (3,253 to 1,936); teachers down 50% (212.3 to 105.4).
About Desoto High School
Desoto High School is a high-enrollment high school in DESOTO, Texas. Its 1,936 students are spread across grades 9 through 12. The school's enrollment is 143% bigger than the 796 average for high schools in Texas.
Besides Desoto High School, DESOTO ISD runs 10 other schools. The district enrolls 5,708 students.
Black students account for 71% of enrollment at Desoto High School. Smaller groups are 24% Hispanic and 3% multiracial. For comparison, the population of Dallas County is roughly 22% Black. Desoto High School has a diversity index of 44%, compared with 70% for all US public school students.
With 105.4 full-time-equivalent teachers in 2024-25, the ratio at Desoto High School was 18.4:1. Among high schools in Texas, the typical ratio is 15.1:1. Desoto High School's free or reduced-price lunch eligibility rate is 63%. Across public schools in Dallas County, the average is 77%.
The allk12 Grade for Desoto High School is D. Compared with Texas public high schools, the school scored higher than 8% on a mix of test scores, poverty-adjusted results, and recent trend.
On the allk12 BeatsExpectations measure, Desoto High School is 6.2 points below the average proficiency rate on state tests predicted for its free or reduced-price lunch share: 40.7% actual, 46.9% predicted. That is outside both the top and bottom 10% in Texas.
Dallas County has these Census figures: median household income is about $76,547, about 36% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and the poverty rate is about 11%. Desoto High School is among the 771 public schools in Dallas County.
Texasworks - Desoto is the public school closest to Desoto High School, about 0.9 miles away. Desoto High School has at least 8 other public schools within five miles. Ranking the closest schools with test data puts Desoto High School at 1st of 4.
For locale, NCES codes Desoto High School as Suburb: Large.
Between 2020-21 and 2024-25, the student count dropped from 2,800 to 1,936.
The Desoto High School community page is open for posts about enrollment questions, class placement, and PTA news. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
Dallas County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
2,621,179
Census ACS
Median income
$76,547
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
36%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
771
459,645 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in DESOTO ISD
- Curtistene S McCowan Middle SchoolMiddle · 643 students
- Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet AcademyElementary · 536 students
- Frank D Moates Elementary SchoolElementary · 468 students
- Amber Terrace Early Childhood Learning CenterElementary · 402 students
- Cockrell Hill Elementary SchoolElementary · 397 students
- Desoto West Middle SchoolMiddle · 370 students
Other schools in DESOTO
- Uplift Gradus Prep PSElementary · 597 students
- Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet AcademyElementary · 536 students
- Amber Terrace Early Childhood Learning CenterElementary · 402 students
- Golden Rule DesotoElementary · 402 students
- Cockrell Hill Elementary SchoolElementary · 397 students
- Desoto West Middle SchoolMiddle · 370 students
Nearby schools
- Texasworks - Desoto0.9 mi · 11
- Premier H S - Desoto0.9 mi · 72
- Desoto Alternative Education Center (daep)1.0 mi · 19
- Amber Terrace Early Childhood Learning Center1.0 mi · 402
- Frank D Moates Elementary School1.3 mi · 468
- Cockrell Hill Elementary School1.3 mi · 397
Frequently asked questions
About Desoto High SchoolWhat is the total enrollment at Desoto High School?
Desoto High School enrolls approximately 1,936 students in grades 09-12.
Is Desoto High School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Desoto High School is a high school covering grades 09-12.
How many teachers does Desoto High School have?
Desoto High School employs 105 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 18.4:1.
What is the student diversity at Desoto High School?
Student demographics at Desoto High School are roughly 2% White, 24% Hispanic, 71% Black, 0% Asian, 3% Two or more.
What district is Desoto High School in?
Desoto High School is part of DESOTO ISD.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.