DeSoto Parish School System

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DeSoto School System Earns “A” Letter Grade for Helping Students Grow

Named as a “Top Ten” Highest Performing District in the State

DeSoto Parish School System received its annual report card on November 8, 2018 from the Louisiana Department of Education, which showed gains in the 2017-2018 school year.  The school system received a “B” letter grade for overall school performance, as the state raised the bar for what it takes to earn that grade, and it achieved an “A” letter grade for helping students grow year-over-year.  This puts DeSoto Parish in the “Top Ten” highest performing school districts out of 70 school districts across the State of Louisiana.  This is the second year in a row that DeSoto has earned this recognition.    

“This is good news for our district,” said Superintendent Clay Corley.  “Our administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community deserve this news.  It is a tribute to their hard work on making student learning matter in our schools.  Credit must also be given to our School Board representatives.  Their support is invaluable to the work that goes on in our classrooms to ensure student success.”

Every year, schools and school systems in Louisiana receive report cards with school performance scores and corresponding A-F letter grades.  The report cards, which can be viewed on the online Louisiana School Finder, communicate how well schools are preparing students for the next grade level by examining student performance measures, like how students score on state assessments, how many students are graduating each year or how many students are earning early college credit.  Over time, the state has raised the bar for each of these measurements, and for the first time this year, the report card details how well schools are helping students, regardless of where they start at the beginning of the year, progress toward mastering key concepts and skills.

Among the highlights from this year’s report card:

• The school system achieved an “A” for student growth.  DeSoto Parish was named an “Outstanding School System” for helping students progress toward mastery in English Language Arts and Math.  It also landed at the 2^nd highest ranking statewide for growing English Language Learners in English Language Arts and Math.  Two thirds of the schools in the school system received a “Top Gains” label for making an “A” letter grade for growing students in those two content areas as well. 

• The school system improved in a number of performance areas.  While the district received an “A” letter grade for student growth, it improved student performance on the ACT and increased the number of students who graduated from high school in four years while strengthening the quality of their diplomas.

• Three schools continue to increase performance to earn “A” grades.  Mansfield High, North DeSoto High, and North DeSoto Middle continue to receive the “A” letter grade for overall performance, after the state raised the bar for what it takes to earn that grade.

• Six schools are among “Top Gains” schools across the state for student growth and received an “A” letter grade for helping students grow year-over-year.  The schools include Logansport High, Mansfield High, North DeSoto Lower Elementary, North DeSoto Upper Elementary, North Desoto Middle, and Mansfield Elementary.

“While we are pleased with our growth as a school system, we realize there is more work to do,” said Superintendent Corley.  “We will strive each day to assist individual students in setting and achieving rigorous and attainable learning goals which will lead to successful futures.”