The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in Science. The lowest is 44% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Southaven Intermediate School
Southaven Intermediate School sits in one of the fastest-growing suburbs in the southeastern United States, a car-dependent city just across the Mississippi state line from Memphis. The school serves grades three through five as part of the DeSoto County School District, drawing from a community built largely on residential subdivisions and retail corridors along the I-55 freeway. There is no traditional downtown here. Civic life clusters around modern facilities like the Landers Center arena and Snowden Grove Park rather than a historic town square. Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto is a major employer, and the school district itself is a substantial presence in the local economy.
The school's enrollment is sizable for a three-grade intermediate building, and its student body reflects the demographics of a changing suburban community. A majority of students are Black, with smaller shares of white, Hispanic, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which places the school in a category where economic need is a daily consideration. The data does not include figures for English learners or students with individualized education programs, so those population sizes are unknown here. A parent may want to ask the school directly about special education services and language support if either is relevant to their child.
On Mississippi's MAAP assessments, the most recent results show a clear pattern. Proficiency rises as students move up through the grades. Third grade is the softest spot in both math and English language arts, with fewer than half of tested students reaching proficiency. By fifth grade, results are stronger, with roughly half of students proficient in math and a slightly higher share proficient in English language arts. Fifth grade science stands out as a bright spot, with a clear majority of students reaching proficiency. The growth from third to fifth suggests the school is moving students forward during their time here, though the lower third grade results are worth a closer conversation with school staff about early-grade instruction and intervention.
State testing data was available for all three grade levels and three subjects. What was not available includes participation rates, multi-year trend comparisons, and any demographic breakdown beyond the all-students group. Without trend data, it is hard to say whether these results represent improvement, stability, or decline from prior years. A parent looking at this school should treat the current scores as a snapshot rather than a trajectory.
There is no graduation rate to report because the school does not serve high school grades. There are no advanced courses, dual-credit pathways, or career programs listed, which is expected for an intermediate building. Discipline data, staffing figures, and attendance information were not provided in the available data, so questions about school climate, class sizes, and teacher experience would need to go directly to the school or district. The school is not a charter and has no magnet designation, and its Title I status was not specified in the data.
Housing in the school's zip code is relatively affordable compared to national benchmarks, with home values below the national median and rents similarly modest. The price-to-income ratio sits below what many suburban markets carry, meaning homeownership is within reach for more families than in many comparable metro-area suburbs. Home values and rents have both ticked up modestly year over year. For a family considering a move to this attendance zone, the housing market is accessible relative to much of the country, and the cost of renting versus owning is close enough that the decision comes down more to life circumstances than to a large pricing gap.
The DeSoto County School District did not surface any recent parent-relevant changes such as bond referendums, construction projects, curriculum overhauls, or tax shifts in the available research. That does not mean nothing is happening at the district level, only that nothing of that nature was captured in the data provided.
What this school appears to offer is a large, economically diverse intermediate-grade experience in a booming suburban setting, with academic results that strengthen as students progress through the building. The fifth grade science performance is a genuine strength. The third grade results in both tested subjects are the area a parent would most want to understand better before enrolling a younger child. Families who want a suburban lifestyle near Memphis with moderate housing costs and a school serving a broad cross-section of students will find Southaven Intermediate worth a visit. Families seeking detailed information on special education, English learner services, discipline practices, or school climate should come with those questions ready, because the data does not answer them.
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