Discovery Middle School

Summary:

Discovery Middle School is a public middle school located in Madison, Alabama, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,334 students. The school is part of the Madison City School District, which is ranked 11th out of 137 districts in Alabama and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Discovery Middle School consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Alabama, ranking 29th out of 442 schools in the state for the 2023-2024 school year. The school has maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years, indicating exceptional academic performance. Additionally, the school has a diverse student population, with a racial composition of 57.65% White, 19.42% African American, 7.72% Hispanic, 7.65% Asian, and smaller percentages of other racial groups. Discovery Middle School excels in the performance of various student subgroups, ranking highly for female students, male students, Asian students, African American students, Hispanic students, Native American students, White students, multi-racial students, English Language Learners, and Special Education students.

While Discovery Middle School outperforms the state and district averages in standardized test scores across various subjects and grade levels, some nearby schools, such as Liberty Middle School and Monrovia Middle School, also demonstrate high academic achievement and are strong competitors in the region. Additionally, the school's free and reduced-price lunch rates have increased over the years, from 9.24% in 2021-2022 to 25.34% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of students from lower-income backgrounds, which is an important factor to consider in the school's continued efforts to support all students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1304 Hughes Rd
       Madison, AL  35758


(256) 837-3735

District: Madison City

SchoolDigger Rank:
29th of 442 Alabama Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,621 Help


Students who attend Discovery Middle School usually attend:

High:    Bob Jones High School

Feeder schools for Discovery Middle School:

Elementary:    Horizon Elementary School
    Rainbow Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.0 Help
Number of students:  1,069

Racial breakdown:

White:
60.4%
African American:
15.2%
Hispanic:
8.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  26.9% Help


 See top rated Alabama middle schools

 Compare Discovery Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Discovery Middle School ranks better than 93.4% of middle schools in Alabama. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.74. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (60.4%), African American (15.2%), Hispanic (8.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 26.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Discovery Middle School is 16. (See more...)
Help
Compare Discovery Middle School employs 66.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Discovery Middle School is $8,621.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Discovery Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Middle School 29th of 442 Alabama public middle schools. (See Discovery Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Madison City:

SchoolDigger ranks Madison City 11th of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Discovery Middle School?

Rank History for Discovery Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 97.34 5th 407 98.8%
2005 94.52 12th 415 97.1%
2006 94.99 11th 409 97.3%
2007 89.57 19th 412 95.4%
2008 88.89 19th 417 95.4%
2009 90.32 21st 425 95.1%
2010 90.28 14th 435 96.8%
2011 86.88 23rd 435 94.7%
2012 87.73 19th 436 95.6%
2013 83.46 26th 436 94.0%
2014 94.47 15th 438 96.6%
2015 97.74 11th 430 97.4%
2016 98.94 4th 432 99.1%
2017 98.30 8th 432 98.1%
2018 95.67 15th 423 96.5%
2019 95.16 17th 437 96.1%
2021 95.15 16th 440 96.4%
2022 94.77 15th 432 96.5%
2023 93.83 23rd 437 94.7%
2024 92.74 29th 442 93.4%
See the entire list of Alabama Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 84.51 3rd 21 85.7%
2018 63.80 14th 30 53.3%
2019 76.96 9th 46 80.4%
2021 80.30 6th 61 90.2%
2022 86.88 4th 60 93.3%
2023 81.66 9th 72 87.5%
2024 90.71 4th 78 94.9%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 93.39 1st 31 96.8%
2021 37.13 48th 70 31.4%
2022 85.92 6th 81 92.6%
2023 66.69 18th 94 80.9%
2024 84.73 8th 106 92.5%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 96.21 3rd 195 98.5%
2018 93.38 8th 223 96.4%
2019 87.53 10th 254 96.1%
2021 86.74 9th 274 96.7%
2022 95.19 5th 256 98.0%
2023 98.12 3rd 281 98.9%
2024 93.23 8th 281 97.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 82.28 32nd 349 90.8%
2018 83.20 30th 396 92.4%
2019 85.25 21st 396 94.7%
2021 80.91 31st 415 92.5%
2022 68.58 84th 421 80.0%
2023 66.90 95th 410 76.8%
2024 80.46 59th 437 86.5%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 98.12 5th 380 98.7%
2018 95.54 9th 392 97.7%
2019 94.82 12th 399 97.0%
2021 92.56 17th 415 95.9%
2022 90.59 22nd 423 94.8%
2023 92.10 27th 417 93.5%
2024 89.94 30th 426 93.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.70 5th 18 72.2%
2019 66.31 7th 19 63.2%
2021 67.62 6th 29 79.3%
2024 81.53 5th 32 84.4%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 97.34 11th 380 97.1%
2018 94.66 17th 397 95.7%
2019 93.42 17th 399 95.7%
2021 95.54 14th 418 96.7%
2022 95.57 12th 427 97.2%
2023 93.31 22nd 419 94.7%
2024 92.89 25th 428 94.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 76.83 4th 14 71.4%
2018 76.10 7th 18 61.1%
2019 60.74 10th 19 47.4%
2021 57.69 12th 22 45.5%
2022 66.92 6th 18 66.7%
2023 70.61 5th 15 66.7%
2024 70.85 5th 20 75.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 94.62 7th 205 96.6%
2018 90.20 19th 247 92.3%
2019 91.00 13th 252 94.8%
2021 90.74 14th 266 94.7%
2022 84.37 26th 271 90.4%
2023 83.92 24th 263 90.9%
2024 79.46 25th 269 90.7%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 99.22 1st 108 99.1%
2018 97.92 2nd 113 98.2%
2019 90.59 5th 124 96.0%
2021 88.26 11th 154 92.9%
2022 96.12 3rd 157 98.1%
2023 82.67 21st 166 87.3%
2024 79.30 21st 164 87.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 93.44 3rd 56 94.6%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Discovery Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 96.67 10th 247 96.0%
2018 95.46 17th 331 94.9%
2019 94.30 18th 343 94.8%
2021 95.10 12th 369 96.7%
2022 94.55 16th 376 95.7%
2023 93.35 21st 370 94.3%
2024 90.21 26th 373 93.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Discovery Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.5)
50%

0%

0%

50%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Open Quote Not the best. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Discovery Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1999 684 122 19 4 19 n/a n/a 0 848
2000 512 89 23 7 12 n/a n/a 0 643
2001 691 131 25 16 23 n/a n/a 5 891
2002 571 133 23 15 14 n/a n/a 0 756
2003 571 133 23 15 14 n/a n/a 0 756
2004 582 134 35 18 16 n/a n/a 6 791
2005 733 186 46 25 11 n/a n/a 0 1001
2006 747 186 49 31 12 n/a n/a 5 1030
2007 762 198 45 20 12 n/a n/a 7 1044
2008 735 215 48 16 16 n/a n/a 0 1030
2009 729 203 43 21 9 n/a n/a 0 1005
2010 707 188 50 27 8 n/a n/a 20 1000
2011 689 176 45 25 6 0 0 0 941
2012 660 183 56 25 4 0 18 0 946
2013 475 157 59 13 1 1 12 0 718
2014 506 169 63 24 4 4 9 0 779
2015 492 147 66 25 6 3 15 0 754
2016 490 146 61 25 3 4 24 0 753
2017 515 157 62 41 5 5 29 0 814
2018 513 171 78 38 7 3 37 0 847
2019 719 262 103 75 8 3 61 0 1231
2020 746 277 105 92 10 2 67 0 1299
2021 726 298 109 95 12 0 72 0 1312
2022 816 284 105 89 10 2 68 0 1374
2023 769 259 102 103 7 4 90 0 1334
2024 646 162 81 90 5 3 82 0 1069

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Discovery Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 848 47.0 18.0 9.1
2000 643 38.0 16.9 9.8
2001 891 55.0 16.2 7.1
2002 756 44.5 17.0 9.3
2003 756 44.5 17.0 9.3
2004 791 44.5 17.8 12.4
2005 1001 57.0 17.6 15.8
2006 1030 58.0 17.7 17.2
2007 1044 62.0 16.8 16.2
2008 1030 62.5 16.5 17
2009 1005 62.4 16.0 16.9
2010 1000 54.5 18.3 18
2011 941 59.5 15.8 20.2
2012 946 56.0 16.8 18.9
2013 718 39.0 18.4 20.6
2014 779 40.5 19.2 23.9
2015 754 40.0 18.8 22.4
2016 753 39.0 19.3 21.1
2017 814 42.0 19.3 21.4
2018 847 44.0 19.2 19.7
2019 1231 65.5 18.7 20.1
2020 1299 72.0 18.0 19
2021 1312 76.1 17.2 10.3
2022 1374 69.0 19.9 9.2
2023 1334 80.0 16.6 25.3
2024 1069 66.5 16.0 26.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Discovery Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 848 47.0 18.0 9.1
2000 643 38.0 16.9 9.8
2001 891 55.0 16.2 7.1
2002 756 44.5 17.0 9.3
2003 756 44.5 17.0 9.3
2004 791 44.5 17.8 12.4
2005 1001 57.0 17.6 15.8
2006 1030 58.0 17.7 17.2
2007 1044 62.0 16.8 16.2
2008 1030 62.5 16.5 17
2009 1005 62.4 16.0 16.9
2010 1000 54.5 18.3 18
2011 941 59.5 15.8 20.2
2012 946 56.0 16.8 18.9
2013 718 39.0 18.4 20.6
2014 779 40.5 19.2 23.9
2015 754 40.0 18.8 22.4
2016 753 39.0 19.3 21.1
2017 814 42.0 19.3 21.4
2018 847 44.0 19.2 19.7
2019 1231 65.5 18.7 20.1
2020 1299 72.0 18.0 19
2021 1312 76.1 17.2 10.3
2022 1374 69.0 19.9 9.2
2023 1334 80.0 16.6 25.3
2024 1069 66.5 16.0 26.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Discovery Middle School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $642 (7.4%) $7,950 (92.2%) $8,621

Data source: Alabama Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Discovery Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 17th of 437 Middle schoolsRanks 23rd of 437 Middle schools
 1.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Discovery Middle School)68.760.6
 8.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Madison City)70.161.2
 8.9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)45.330.8
 14.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Discovery Middle School)74.443.7
 30.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Madison City)77.644.4
 33.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)43.121
 22.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Discovery Middle School)75.348.1
 27.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Madison City)74.446.8
 27.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)44.721.1
 23.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students12311334
 8.4%
African American262259
 1.1%
American Indian87
 12.5%
Asian103102
 1%
Hispanic75103
 37.3%
Pacific Islander34
 33.3%
White719769
 7%
Two or More Races6190
 47.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients20.1%25.3%
 5.3%


Schools Near Discovery Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery Middle School

Students at Discovery Middle School are 60% White, 15% African American, 8% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 8% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,069 students attended Discovery Middle School.

Yes. Discovery Middle School ranks in the top 6.6% of Alabama middle schools.

Students who attend Discovery Middle School usually go on to attend Bob Jones High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alabama State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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