Discovery Woods

Q: Is Discovery Woods a good school?

Discovery Woods ranks 658 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Discovery Woods is a public charter elementary school in Brainerd, Minnesota, serving 102 students from kindergarten to 6th grade. The school has a predominantly White student population, with a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

While Discovery Woods aims to provide a unique educational experience, the school has consistently underperformed compared to the state average and nearby public schools on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 15.22% of students were proficient or better in MCA-III Math, far below the state average of 45.47%. The school has also struggled to support the academic achievement of specific student subgroups, ranking in the bottom half of Minnesota elementary schools. This pattern of underperformance is evident across multiple grade levels and subject areas.

Nearby public schools, such as Eagle View Elementary, Cuyuna Range Elementary, and Lowell Elementary, consistently outperform Discovery Woods on academic measures and have higher school rankings, despite serving student populations with similar demographic characteristics. This suggests that Discovery Woods may need to examine its instructional practices and support systems to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-6

604 N 7th St
Brainerd, MN 56401-8888

(218) 828-8200

District: Discovery Woods

SchoolDigger Rank:
658^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,692

Student/teacher ratio: 9.1

Number of students: 104

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.7%

Two or more races:

11.5%

Hispanic:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 67.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Discovery Woods ranks worse than 74.7% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.4. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (82.7%), two or more races (11.5%), Hispanic (3.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 67.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Discovery Woods is 9.1. (See more...)

Compare Discovery Woods employs 11.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Discovery Woods is $9,692.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Discovery Woods:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Woods 658^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Discovery Woods in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Discovery Woods:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Woods 358^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Discovery Woods.

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Rank History for Discovery Woods

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Rank History for all students at Discovery Woods

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2014	31.24	645^th	826	21.9%
2016	22.48	709^th	848	16.4%
2017	48.57	526^th	853	38.3%
2018	17.48	725^th	847	14.4%
2019	20.52	724^th	870	16.8%
2021	25.91	674^th	869	22.4%
2023	21.77	679^th	845	19.6%
2024	29.40	658^th	881	25.3%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Discovery Woods

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	36.46	527^th	728	27.6%
2019	29.98	575^th	740	22.3%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Discovery Woods

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	32.95	596^th	787	24.3%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for White students at Discovery Woods

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	1.45	710^th	712	0.3%
2019	6.21	709^th	722	1.8%
2021	14.54	675^th	710	4.9%
2023	11.06	679^th	712	4.6%
2024	24.19	615^th	730	15.8%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota 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.

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Excellent, I strongly recommend this school. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, September 6, 2017

A wonderful caring and enriching environment for our two children. Cool old building, and their teacher, Crystal, is incredible. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Discovery Woods

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2012	91	4	1	0	1	2	99
2013	108	4	1	1	1	3	118
2014	110	1	1	0	0	2	114
2015	99	3	0	0	1	2	105
2016	84	1	0	3	1	1	90
2017	89	1	0	3	1	1	95
2018	89	1	0	3	1	2	96
2019	107	2	0	5	0	4	118
2020	104	5	0	6	2	3	120
2021	89	3	0	3	2	5	102
2022	88	3	0	2	5	11	109
2023	88	0	0	2	1	11	102
2024	86	0	0	4	2	12	104

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 Woods

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	99	5.0	19.8	59.6
2013	118	8.1	14.4	65.3
2014	114	7.2	15.7	57.9
2015	105	8.0	13.1	62.9
2016	90	10.0	9.0	66.7
2017	95	8.9	10.5	57.9
2018	96	n/a	n/a	56.3
2019	118	n/a	n/a	60.2
2020	120	9.5	12.6	53.3
2021	102	5.8	17.4	25.5
2022	109	1.6	65.2	49.5
2023	102	8.3	12.2	56.9
2024	104	11.3	9.1	67.3

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 Woods

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	99	5.0	19.8	59.6
2013	118	8.1	14.4	65.3
2014	114	7.2	15.7	57.9
2015	105	8.0	13.1	62.9
2016	90	10.0	9.0	66.7
2017	95	8.9	10.5	57.9
2018	96	n/a	n/a	56.3
2019	118	n/a	n/a	60.2
2020	120	9.5	12.6	53.3
2021	102	5.8	17.4	25.5
2022	109	1.6	65.2	49.5
2023	102	8.3	12.2	56.9
2024	104	11.3	9.1	67.3

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 Woods

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,692

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Discovery Woods

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 724^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 679^th of 845 Elementary schools	2.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Discovery Woods)	47.1	8.3	38.7%
3rd Grade Math (Discovery Woods)	47.1	8.3	38.7%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Discovery Woods)	47.1	0	47.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Discovery Woods)	47.1	0	47.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Discovery Woods)	12.5	10	2.5%
4th Grade Math (Discovery Woods)	12.5	10	2.5%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Discovery Woods)	18.8	30	11.3%
4th Grade Reading (Discovery Woods)	18.8	30	11.3%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Discovery Woods)	25	20	5%
5th Grade Math (Discovery Woods)	25	20	5%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Discovery Woods)	50	60	10%
5th Grade Reading (Discovery Woods)	50	60	10%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Discovery Woods)	50	60	10%
5th Grade Science (Discovery Woods)	50	60	10%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	118	102	13.6%
African American	2	0	100%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	5	2	60%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	107	88	17.8%
Two or More Races	4	11	175%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.2%	56.9%	3.3%

Schools Near Discovery Woods

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)					MCA-III Reading (2024)					MCA-III Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 3rd Grade	MCA-III Math 4th Grade	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Discovery Woods	Public, Charter	K-6	604 N 7th St	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Discovery Woods	Yes	No	No	Yes	(218) 828-8200	104	11	9.1	67.3%	86 (82.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (11.5%)	29.4	658^th of 881 public elementary schools	25.3%		21.8	679^th of 845 public elementary schools	19.6%	21	23.1		0.0		15.2	23.1		66.7		50.0	40.0	40.0	$9,692
Lowell Elementary	Public	K-4	704 3rd Ave NE	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 454-6550	369	27	13.6	40.9%	330 (89.4%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.0%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.5%)	88	62^nd of 881 public elementary schools	93.0%		92.5	15^th of 845 public elementary schools	98.2%	47	72.2	78.1			75.0	68.8	72.6			70.7			$11,809
Riverside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	220 3rd St NW	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 454-6800	461	43	10.8	62.0%	400 (86.8%)	7 (1.5%)	9 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	37 (8.0%)	41.2	573^rd of 881 public elementary schools	35.0%		42.9	552^nd of 845 public elementary schools	34.7%	21	43.1	45.0			44.1	48.6	39.5			43.8			$15,397
Harrison Elementary	Public	K-4	1515 Oak St	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 454-6500	224	19	11.9	67.4%	186 (83.0%)	6 (2.7%)	8 (3.6%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (2.2%)	1 (0.4%)	17 (7.6%)	32.3	638^th of 881 public elementary schools	27.6%		43.9	542^nd of 845 public elementary schools	35.9%	96	42.6	42.2			42.4	25.5	46.7			35.9			$14,382
Garfield Elementary	Public	K-4	1120 10th Ave NE	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 454-6450	278	27	10.3	60.4%	236 (84.9%)	3 (1.1%)	8 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.2%)	52.2	468^th of 881 public elementary schools	46.9%		39.5	580^th of 845 public elementary schools	31.4%	112	58.8	42.1			50.0	51.0	47.4			49.1			$12,674
Baxter Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	12191 Jasperwood Drive	Baxter	56425	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 454-6400	534	39	13.7	34.6%	492 (92.1%)	4 (0.7%)	11 (2.1%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.9%)	73.8	220^th of 881 public elementary schools	75.0%		74.7	206^th of 845 public elementary schools	75.6%	14	67.7	68.8			68.2	53.1	57.3			55.2			$11,504
Brainerd Early Childhood Sp. Education	Public	PK	5546 Fairview Rd	Baxter	56425	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 454-5438	199	29	6.8	66.3%	174 (87.4%)	1 (0.5%)	7 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.5%)	1 (0.5%)	13 (6.5%)								(n/a)													$28,603
Nisswa Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	5533 Lakers Lane	Nisswa	56468	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 961-6860	255	21	12.3	29.8%	235 (92.2%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.1%)	79.7	147^th of 881 public elementary schools	83.3%		74.2	215^th of 845 public elementary schools	74.6%	68	77.1	66.7			71.6	62.5	57.4			59.8			$12,324
Pillager Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	323 E 2nd St S	Pillager	56473	Cass County	Pillager Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 746-2110	522	41	12.6	47.5%	481 (92.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.7%)	63.6	329^th of 881 public elementary schools	62.7%		63.1	324^th of 845 public elementary schools	61.7%	5	65.9	67.3			66.7	40.7	51.4			46.5			$11,169
Cuyuna Range Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	509 6th Ave NE	Crosby	56441	Crow Wing County	Crosby-Ironton Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 545-8803	530	45	11.8	52.8%	488 (92.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.3%)	58.1	403^rd of 881 public elementary schools	54.3%		68.1	273^rd of 845 public elementary schools	67.7%	130	49.2	40.2	45.6	52.6	46.7	41.3	41.0	59.5	68.4	53.0	55.7	55.7	$12,452

Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery Woods

What is the racial makeup of Discovery Woods?

Students at Discovery Woods are 83% White, 12% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 2% American Indian.

How many students attend Discovery Woods?

In the 2023-24 school year, 104 students attended Discovery Woods.

What district is Discovery Woods in?

Discovery Woods

Is Discovery Woods a good school?

Discovery Woods ranks 658^th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

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