Is The Discovery School a good school?

The Discovery School ranks 182 nd of 1018 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend The Discovery School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 225 students attended The Discovery School.

What is the racial makeup of The Discovery School?

Students at The Discovery School are 72% White, 12% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 4% African American, 3% Asian.

What schools do graduates of The Discovery School attend?

Students who attend The Discovery School usually go on to attend: Middle : Dickson Middle School High : Dickson County High School

The Discovery School

Summary:

The Discovery School is a public elementary school in Dickson, Tennessee, serving 205 students in grades K-5. It is part of the Dickson County School District, which is ranked 24th out of 139 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

The Discovery School consistently outperforms the Dickson County and Tennessee state averages in proficiency rates for TNReady assessments in Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Science. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 51.3% in Mathematics, 63.7% in English Language Arts, and 54.1% in Science, compared to the Dickson County averages of 41.6%, 43%, and 52.6%, respectively. The school's performance is particularly strong in 3rd and 4th grade, where proficiency rates exceed 60% in both Mathematics and English Language Arts. Additionally, the school has a more diverse student population, with higher percentages of Hispanic and students of two or more races compared to the nearby Hickman County and Montgomery County schools, which tend to have a higher concentration of White students.

The Discovery School's consistent high performance, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, is particularly noteworthy. The school's performance has remained relatively stable over the past decade, ranking in the top 15-20% of Tennessee elementary schools. This suggests that the school is providing a high-quality education that sets it apart from its peers, even within the same district. The school's low student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending compared to the surrounding schools may contribute to its academic success and effective resource allocation.

Detail:

Public K-5

101 Henslee DR
Dickson, TN 37055

(615) 441-4163

District: Dickson County

SchoolDigger Rank:
182^nd of 1,018 Tennessee Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,649

Students who attend The Discovery School usually attend:

Middle:	Dickson Middle School
High:	Dickson County High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.6

Number of students: 225

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.4%

Two or more races:

12.4%

Hispanic:

8.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.5%

See top rated Tennessee elementary schools

Compare The Discovery School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details The Discovery School ranks better than 82.1% of elementary schools in Tennessee. It also ranks first among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Dickson County School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.32. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (72.4%), two or more races (12.4%), Hispanic (8.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at The Discovery School is 12.6. 4 elementary schools in the Dickson County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare The Discovery School employs 17.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at The Discovery School is $13,649, which is the 3^rd highest among 8 elementary schools in the Dickson County School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

The Discovery School:

SchoolDigger ranks The Discovery School 182^nd of 1018 Tennessee public elementary schools. (See The Discovery School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Dickson County:

SchoolDigger ranks Dickson County 30^th of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for The Discovery School.

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Your rating for The Discovery School?

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Rank History for The Discovery School

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Rank History for all students at The Discovery School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2010	77.73	169^th	809	79.1%
2011	97.73	21^st	818	97.4%
2012	57.68	370^th	820	54.9%
2013	90.81	40^th	846	95.3%
2014	85.41	58^th	853	93.2%
2015	87.28	74^th	855	91.3%
2017	67.05	146^th	646	77.4%
2018	85.22	108^th	997	89.2%
2019	88.03	98^th	985	90.1%
2021	79.54	142^nd	983	85.6%
2022	80.26	142^nd	1000	85.8%
2023	72.94	204^th	1020	80.0%
2024	76.32	182^nd	1018	82.1%

See the entire list of Tennessee Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	45.69	462^nd	877	47.3%
2021	80.67	64^th	823	92.2%
2023	40.62	519^th	865	40.0%
2024	75.83	112^th	853	86.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at The Discovery School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2019	83.89	113^th	926	87.8%
2021	85.65	107^th	945	88.7%
2022	74.60	169^th	975	82.7%
2023	60.24	328^th	989	66.8%
2024	71.60	219^th	990	77.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at The Discovery School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2019	81.74	125^th	916	86.4%
2021	62.72	260^th	941	72.4%
2022	78.61	150^th	980	84.7%
2023	73.44	183^rd	987	81.5%
2024	76.16	173^rd	991	82.5%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at The Discovery School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	64.54	136^th	500	72.8%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at The Discovery School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	84.02	105^th	841	87.5%
2019	87.38	94^th	812	88.4%
2021	75.43	152^nd	844	82.0%
2022	67.22	202^nd	844	76.1%
2023	64.52	226^th	852	73.5%
2024	70.73	195^th	847	77.0%

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

Data source: test scores: Tennessee 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: Tennessee Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, April 23, 2015

Overall a shadow of the dynamic open education model that it once was as a project school when it started. Still miles above other schools in the district though. Very rigid and intense program now focused on test scores and performance..... not necessarily education.... Close Quote

Enrollment information for The Discovery School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2000	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	111	111
2001	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	238	238
2002	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	247	247
2003	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	247	247
2004	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	260	260
2005	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	240	240
2006	216	13	1	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	243
2007	210	10	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	228
2008	218	13	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	239
2009	214	11	0	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	235
2010	222	18	1	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	251
2011	272	25	2	9	0	0	7	0	315
2012	195	26	2	11	1	0	7	0	242
2013	187	24	2	14	1	0	6	0	234
2014	181	18	2	15	1	0	8	0	225
2015	174	21	4	18	0	0	9	0	226
2016	173	17	1	20	0	0	12	0	223
2017	177	20	3	19	0	0	12	0	231
2018	174	14	2	19	0	0	20	0	229
2019	160	13	2	16	0	0	22	0	213
2020	166	5	2	16	1	0	21	0	211
2021	134	4	2	10	0	0	10	0	160
2022	153	7	7	18	0	0	15	0	200
2023	151	8	6	18	0	0	22	0	205
2024	163	8	7	19	0	0	28	0	225

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 The Discovery School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	111	n/a	0.0	n/a
2001	238	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	247	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	247	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	260	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	240	n/a	n/a	n/a
2006	243	12.5	19.4	n/a
2007	228	13.5	16.9	23.7
2008	239	13.5	17.7	21.3
2009	235	15.0	15.7	11.1
2010	251	15.0	16.7	23.9
2011	315	17.0	18.5	22.9
2012	242	15.0	16.1	36
2013	234	15.0	15.6	38.5
2014	225	15.0	15.0	36.4
2015	226	14.0	16.1	44.2
2016	223	15.0	14.8	41.3
2017	231	14.0	16.5	n/a
2018	229	15.0	15.2	n/a
2019	213	15.0	14.2	n/a
2020	211	17.0	12.4	44.5
2021	160	13.7	11.6	n/a
2022	200	16.5	12.1	n/a
2023	205	22.0	9.3	n/a
2024	225	17.8	12.6	n/a

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 The Discovery School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	111	n/a	0.0	n/a
2001	238	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	247	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	247	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	260	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	240	n/a	n/a	n/a
2006	243	12.5	19.4	n/a
2007	228	13.5	16.9	23.7
2008	239	13.5	17.7	21.3
2009	235	15.0	15.7	11.1
2010	251	15.0	16.7	23.9
2011	315	17.0	18.5	22.9
2012	242	15.0	16.1	36
2013	234	15.0	15.6	38.5
2014	225	15.0	15.0	36.4
2015	226	14.0	16.1	44.2
2016	223	15.0	14.8	41.3
2017	231	14.0	16.5	n/a
2018	229	15.0	15.2	n/a
2019	213	15.0	14.2	n/a
2020	211	17.0	12.4	44.5
2021	160	13.7	11.6	n/a
2022	200	16.5	12.1	n/a
2023	205	22.0	9.3	n/a
2024	225	17.8	12.6	n/a

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 The Discovery School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$275 (2.8%)	$9,169 (93.2%)	$9,842
2020	$569 (5.4%)	$9,409 (89.4%)	$10,520
2021	$930 (7.1%)	$11,532 (87.8%)	$13,131
2022	$1,607 (12.6%)	$10,465 (82.3%)	$12,711
2023	$1,808 (13.2%)	$11,238 (82.3%)	$13,649

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on The Discovery 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 98^th of 985 Elementary schools	Ranks 204^th of 1020 Elementary schools	10.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (The Discovery School)	58.8	39	19.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dickson County)	43.6	34.1	9.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)	43.8	40.5	3.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (The Discovery School)	47.1	56.1	9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dickson County)	38.9	42.4	3.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)	36.9	40.5	3.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (The Discovery School)	71.1	46.2	24.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dickson County)	53.7	44.1	9.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)	46	43.6	2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (The Discovery School)	50	61.5	11.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dickson County)	36.7	45.1	8.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)	34.3	43.5	9.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (The Discovery School)	84.6	70.4	14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dickson County)	61	50.7	10.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)	46.2	41.3	4.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (The Discovery School)	56.4	66.7	10.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Dickson County)	44.3	47.6	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)	35.2	37	1.8%
All Grades Mathematics (The Discovery School)	72.1	49.5	22.6%
All Grades Mathematics (Dickson County)	47.6	38.7	8.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Tennessee)	40.8	38.1	2.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (The Discovery School)	51.4	60.7	9.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Dickson County)	37.3	39.9	2.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Tennessee)	33.7	36.6	2.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	213	205	3.8%
African American	13	8	38.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	6	200%
Hispanic	16	18	12.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	160	151	5.6%
Two or More Races	22	22

Schools Near The Discovery School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				TNReady Mathematics (2024)				TNReady English Language Arts (2024)				TNReady Science (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	TNReady Mathematics 3rd Grade	TNReady Mathematics 4th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 5th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 3rd Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 4th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 5th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Science 3rd Grade	TNReady Science 4th Grade	TNReady Science 5th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
The Discovery School	Public	K-5	101 Henslee DR	Dickson	37055	Dickson County	Dickson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 441-4163	225	18	12.6		163 (72.4%)	8 (3.6%)	19 (8.4%)	7 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (12.4%)	76.3	182^nd of 1018 public elementary schools	82.1%		72.9	204^th of 1020 public elementary schools	80.0%	22	52.8	55.6	46.3	51.3	72.2	69.4	51.2	63.7	66.7	61.1	35.9	54.1	$13,649	$1,808	$11,238
Dickson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	120 W Broad ST	Dickson	37055	Dickson County	Dickson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 740-5837	225	22	10.1		150 (66.7%)	10 (4.4%)	44 (19.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	19 (8.4%)	54.8	410^th of 1018 public elementary schools	59.7%		50.9	459^th of 1020 public elementary schools	55.0%	49	40.0	50.0	67.9	51.0	36.6	40.5	31.0	36.4	37.5	50.0	53.6	46.2	$15,191	$1,801	$12,386
Oakmont Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	630 Hwy 46 South	Dickson	37055	Dickson County	Dickson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 446-2435	482	42	11.4		306 (63.5%)	52 (10.8%)	56 (11.6%)	11 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (11.8%)	48.5	492^nd of 1018 public elementary schools	51.7%		48.1	498^th of 1020 public elementary schools	51.2%	6	22.9	51.6	36.2	36.3	31.4	56.5	47.8	44.8	22.9	43.5	50.7	38.8	$13,561	$1,917	$10,842
Centennial Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	198 Upper Lake DR	Dickson	37055	Dickson County	Dickson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 446-0355	705	54	13.0		551 (78.2%)	29 (4.1%)	59 (8.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (8.8%)	71.9	223^rd of 1018 public elementary schools	78.1%		69.9	232^nd of 1020 public elementary schools	77.3%	9	31.5	64.4	60.3	52.0	47.7	56.7	52.6	52.3	44.5	63.1	57.4	54.9	$11,740	$1,615	$9,499
Stuart Burns Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3201 Highway 96	Burns	37029	Dickson County	Dickson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 446-2791	717	49	14.5		580 (80.9%)	15 (2.1%)	73 (10.2%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (6.4%)	75	193^rd of 1018 public elementary schools	81.0%		70.1	231^st of 1020 public elementary schools	77.4%	38	47.8	40.4	73.1	54.5	47.8	55.3	52.1	52.0	54.3	58.4	65.3	59.8	$10,523	$1,520	$8,352
Charlotte Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Humphries ST	Charlotte	37036	Dickson County	Dickson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 740-5803	591	48	12.3		510 (86.3%)	12 (2.0%)	31 (5.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.1%)	65.7	272^nd of 1018 public elementary schools	73.3%		57.4	378^th of 1020 public elementary schools	62.9%	106	31.4	48.8	66.3	48.3	42.9	57.5	51.0	50.0	46.2	54.7	49.5	49.8	$11,406	$1,626	$9,151
White Bluff Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	377 School RD	White Bluff	37187	Dickson County	Dickson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 740-5775	483	41	11.9		416 (86.1%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (9.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.3%)	56.5	395^th of 1018 public elementary schools	61.2%		47.2	507^th of 1020 public elementary schools	50.3%	112	45.0	35.1	48.1	42.7	53.3	36.0	32.9	39.7	60.0	55.4	40.5	51.2	$13,336	$1,912	$10,595
East Hickman Intermediate School	Public	3-5	5198 East Eagle DR	Lyles	37098	Hickman County	Hickman County	No	No	No	Yes	(931) 670-0227	366	23	16.2		329 (89.9%)	3 (0.8%)	24 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.5%)	42.3	580^th of 1018 public elementary schools	43.0%		46.8	515^th of 1020 public elementary schools	49.5%	65	47.7	47.1	36.3	44.2	30.3	45.5	21.2	32.9	32.0	43.5	29.7	35.2	$12,066	$2,187	$9,165
East Hickman Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	5191 Hwy 100	Lyles	37098	Hickman County	Hickman County	No	No	No	Yes	(931) 670-3044	385	29	13.5		365 (94.8%)	4 (1.0%)	12 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)								(n/a)													$13,587	$2,679	$10,158
Vanleer Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4456 Highway 49 West	Vanleer	37181	Dickson County	Dickson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 740-5760	264	20	13.0		237 (89.8%)	1 (0.4%)	7 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (7.2%)	61.8	324^th of 1018 public elementary schools	68.2%		50.7	462^nd of 1020 public elementary schools	54.7%	138	51.4	48.7	30.8	43.4	62.9	56.4	35.9	51.3	51.4	51.3	38.5	46.9	$14,144	$1,836	$11,266

The Discovery School

The Discovery School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Dickson County:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for The Discovery School

Rank History for all students at The Discovery School

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

Rank History for Female students at The Discovery School

Rank History for Male students at The Discovery School

Rank History for African American students at The Discovery School

Rank History for White students at The Discovery School

Review counts

Enrollment information for The Discovery School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at The Discovery School

Student/Teacher Ratio The Discovery School

Per Pupil Expenditures for The Discovery School

Impact of COVID-19 on The Discovery School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near The Discovery School

Frequently Asked Questions about The Discovery School

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