DeSoto County Schools is a public school district based in Hernando, Mississippi, USA, and serves all public school students in DeSoto County, greater Memphis. DeSoto County is the largest school district in the state, with more than 30,000 students enrolling. from Mississippi.
Students at Desoto County School District
The Desoto County School District Schools student body consists of 48.9% White, 7% Black, 37.3% Asian, 5% Hispanic / Latino, 0.1% Native American or Alaskan, and 48.9% 9% Native Hawaiians or other Pacific islanders. Additionally, 0.1% of students are of two or more races, and 0% did not indicate their race or ethnicity.
In addition, 49% of the students are women and 51% of the students are men. In Desoto County School District schools, 52.1% of students are eligible for the state’s free and discounted meal program, and 5.9% of students are English learners.
There are several schools in Desoto County starting with Immediate School (Grade K5), Middle School (Grade 68), then High School (Grade 912)
High schools:
Desoto County School District contains 8 high schools.
Grades 9-12
- Center Hill High School (Olive Branch)
- DeSoto Central High School (Southaven)
- Hernando High School (Hernando)
- Horn Lake High School (Horn Lake)
- Lake Cormorant High School (Lake Cormorant)
- Lewisburg High School (Olive Branch)
- Olive Branch High School (Olive Branch)
- Southaven High School (Southaven)
Middle schools
Grades 6-8
- Center Hill Middle School (Olive Branch)
- DeSoto Central Middle School (Southaven)
- Hernando Middle School (Hernando)
- Horn Lake Middle School (Horn Lake)
- Lewisburg Middle School (Olive Branch)
- Lake Cormorant Middle School (Lake Cormorant)
- Olive Branch Middle School (Olive Branch)
- Southaven Middle School (Southaven)
- Intermediate Schools Edit
- Horn Lake Intermediate School (Horn Lake; Grades 3–5)
- Olive Branch Intermediate School (Olive Branch; Grades 4–5)
- Southaven Intermediate School (Southaven; Grades 3–5)
Elementary Schools
- Center Hill Elementary School (Olive Branch; Grades K-5)
- Chickasaw Elementary School (Olive Branch; Grades 2–3)
- DeSoto Central Elementary School (Southaven; Grades 3–5)
- DeSoto Central Primary School (Southaven; Grades K-2)
- Greenbrook Elementary School (Southaven; Grades K-2)
- Hernando Elementary School (Hernando; Grades K-1)
- Hernando Hills Elementary School (Hernando; Grades 2–3)
- Horn Lake Elementary School (Horn Lake; Grades K-2)
- Lewisburg Elementary School (Olive Branch; Grades K-5)
- Oak Grove Central Elementary School (Hernando; Grades 4–5)
- Olive Branch Elementary School (Olive Branch; Grades K-1)
- Overpark Elementary School (Olive Branch; Grades K-5)
- Pleasant Hill Elementary School (Olive Branch; Grades K-5)
- Shadow Oaks Elementary School (Horn Lake; Grades K-2)
- Southaven Elementary School (Southaven; Grades K-5)
- Sullivan Elementary School (Southaven; Grades K-5)
- Walls Elementary School (Walls; Grades K-4)
- Lake Cormorant Elementary School (Lake Cormorant; Grades K-6)
Other Campuses
There are also other campuses for specific professional learning.
- DeSoto County Alternative Center (Horn Lake)
- DeSoto County Career and Technology Center West (Horn Lake)
- DeSoto County Career and Technology Center East (Olive Branch)
- Magnolia School (Horn Lake)
There were a total of 28,738 students enrolled in the DeSoto County School District during the 2006–2007 school year. The gender makeup of the district was 49% female and 51% male as mentioned earlier. 27.4% of the district’s students were eligible to receive free lunch.
Admission
DeSoto County School District will meet statutory age requirements for entry into kindergarten and first grade. Any minor child wishing to enroll in the district must be a resident. All students must register with the school to which they are assigned. The new student enrolling in the DeSotoCounty School District, or any additional student whose residence has changed, must be approved by a custodial parent, legal guardian, or adult representative of a district welfare agency who must have enrolled minors for admission, with the exception of Students are accompanied to enrollment.
The accompanying adult must prove the place of residence specified here as part of the registration process. The student’s social security number is requested when enrolling. (Xanax) If a Social Security number is not available for the district, the student’s Mississippi Information System can be used. The number is used to identify and track the student.
Students can of course fill out the online admission form with the help of their tutor. The new student form is different from that of the returning student. However, you can also register online in English or Spanish, either as a new student or a returning student.
The link for students new to DeSoto County Schools also applies to those who did not complete the previous school year at DeSoto County Schools.
Requirements
No child will be allowed to enroll in any grade (K-12) or attend any school without a certified birth certificate. No child in grades K through 12 shall be allowed to enroll in or attend any school without a valid immunization certificate. The following are considered valid certificates:
1. Form 121 – Certificate of Compliance;
2. Form 122 – Medical Exemption Certificate; and
3. Temp 121 – Temporary Compliance Certificate.
The Temporary Compliance Certificate, Temp 121, is not valid after the date on it. After that date, the principal shall deny school attendance by the child unless the principal provides another Temporary Compliance Certificate, Temp 121, or a Certificate of Compliance, Form 121, or a Medical Exemption, Form 122.
Any child who transfers from an out-of-state public or private school in which the state’s law provides for a first grade or kindergarten enrollment date shall be allowed to enroll in the school district at the same grade level as their prior out-of-state enrollment, if:
1. The parent or legal guardian of such child is a legal resident of the state from which the child is transferring;
2. The out-of-state school from which the child is transferring is duly accredited by that state’s appropriate accrediting authority.
3. Such child was legally enrolled in a public or private school for a minimum of four weeks in the previous state
4. The DeSoto County Superintendent or his designee has determined the child was making satisfactory educational progress in the previous state.
When any child applies for admission or enrollment, the parent, legal guardian, or child (in the absence of an accompanying parent or legal guardian) shall indicate on the school registration form if the enrolling child has been expelled from any public or private school or is currently party to an expulsion proceeding.
A student who has been expelled or suspended by another school district and who subsequently apply for admission to the DeSoto County School District shall not be eligible to enroll in any DeSoto County school until they are eligible for readmission and have attended classes in their previous school or produce a document showing a reinstatement following their suspension or expulsion.
If a student enrolls in the DeSoto County School District and the district learns of expulsion from another district, the student may be immediately dropped from the school roll.
Ranking
The data below shows the ranking of Desoto County schools in Mississippi as well as in the Desoto county school District rankings:
- Center Hill High is ranked 1st in the Desoto County School District Rankings while it is ranked 5th in Mississippi. The graduation rate is 94% i.e 94% of their students have been estimated to graduate successfully. It is located at Olive Branch, MS.
- DeSoto Central High School is ranked 2nd in the Desoto County School District Rankings while it is ranked 6th in Mississippi. The graduation rate is also 94% i.e 94% of their students have been estimated to graduate successfully. It is located at Southaven, MS
- Hernando High is ranked 3rd in the Desoto County School District Rankings while it is ranked 8th in Mississippi. The graduation rate is also 94% i.e 94% of their students have been estimated to graduate successfully. It is located at Hernando, MS
- Olive Branch High is ranked 4th in the Desoto County School District Rankings while it is ranked 13th in Mississippi. The graduation rate is 92% i.e 92% of their students have been estimated to graduate successfully. It is located at Olive Branch, MS
- Lake Cormorant High is ranked 5th in the Desoto County School District Rankings while it is ranked 23rd in Mississippi. The graduation rate is 90% i.e 90% of their students have been estimated to graduate successfully. It is located at Lake Cormorant, MS
- Southaven High School is ranked 6th in the Desoto County School District Rankings while it is ranked 36th in Mississippi. The graduation rate is 82% i.e 82% of their students have been estimated to graduate successfully. It is located at Southaven, MS
- Horn Lake High is ranked 7th in the Desoto County School District Rankings while it is ranked 44th in Mississippi. The graduation rate is 83% i.e 83% of their students have been estimated to graduate successfully. It is located at Horn Lake, MS.
Tuition
Did you know that DeSoto County Schools offers affordable college courses to juniors and seniors? Through a partnership with Northwest Community College (NWCC), DeSoto County Schools allows our students to take college courses for dual credit, which means the students earn both college and high school credit! Each high school offers a few courses on campus, but technology has allowed DCS to significantly expand opportunities for our students by offering online classes.
If your sophomore or junior student is interested in taking a dual credit course for the first time, he or she will need to apply online to NWC. If your child has already attended dual credits courses through NWCC, your application is already on file and your child does not need to take another one.
Who qualifies for dual credit courses?
1) Students with 14 or more credits;
2) Students with a 3.0 GPA; and
3) Students who have taken the ACT*
*Some courses require a certain ACT score to enroll. For example, a student must score a 17 or higher on the English subtest to enroll in English Composition I/II. To enroll in College Algebra, a student must score a 19 or higher on the math subtest.
How much does it cost to take a course?
1) Registration fee – $50.00 each semester
2) Tuition – $50.00 per course
3) Virtual fee – $15.00 per credit hour
4) Books and lab fees – vary depending on the course
If a student takes one course on the high school campus with a high school teacher, he or she will pay a $50 registration fee and $50.00 for tuition, plus any textbook or lab fees. If a student takes one course online, he or she will pay the $50 registration fee, $50.00 for tuition, and $45.00 virtual fee ($15 x 3 credit hours) plus any textbook or lab fees.
Conclusion
This is an overall review of the Desoto County Schools. If you are planning on registering your child for an extra session, kindly visit the school’s website desotocountyschools.org for detailed information.
