The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Math. The lowest is 38% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Southaven Elementary
Southaven Elementary sits on Claiborne Drive in the heart of Southaven, a fast-growing suburban city just across the Mississippi state line from Memphis. The school serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the DeSoto County School District, and it draws from a community that has transformed over recent decades from starter-home subdivisions into Mississippi's third-largest city. The surrounding neighborhood is car-dependent and residential, with commercial retail concentrated along the I-55 corridor rather than in a walkable downtown. Housing in the school's zip code sits below the national median, making it relatively accessible for families buying, while rents are modest and have crept up only slightly year over year.
The student body is sizable for an elementary school and reflects the demographics of the broader community. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is predominantly Black, with a substantial white population and a meaningful share of students identified as two or more races. Hispanic and Asian students make up smaller portions. Data on special education enrollment and English learner status was not available, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
On the most recent Mississippi Academic Assessment Program results, Southaven Elementary's math proficiency is a relative bright spot. Fourth graders posted the strongest showing, with a slim majority reaching proficient or above. Third and fifth grade math results were close behind, each landing near the midpoint. Science proficiency for fifth graders tracked similarly, with nearly half of tested students scoring proficient or above. English language arts is where the school shows more ground to cover. Third grade proficiency was below the math mark, fourth grade dipped further, and fifth grade rebounded somewhat but still trailed the corresponding math figures. A parent weighing this school may want to ask how the school supports early literacy and what interventions are in place for the grades where ELA results are softer.
The school is a traditional public, non-charter, non-magnet campus. No data on staffing ratios, discipline, attendance, course access, or special programs was provided, so this account cannot speak to those dimensions. The same is true for civil-rights indicators and any comparison against neighboring schools, which were not available in the data we reviewed.
What is clear is the context. Southaven is one of the fastest-growing cities in the southeastern United States, and its mayor has publicly prioritized infrastructure, parks, and economic development. The city has no traditional town square; civic life centers on modern facilities like the Landers Center arena and Snowden Grove Park, a large sports complex. Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto is a major employer, and the retail and logistics sectors along the interstate are strong. Many residents commute into Memphis or elsewhere in DeSoto County for work. For a family considering Southaven Elementary, the picture is of a school in a rapidly developing, affordable suburb with solid math and science outcomes and room to grow in literacy. The broader community is oriented around suburban convenience rather than urban walkability, and the housing market remains within reach for many families compared with national benchmarks.
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