Enrollment
722
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Dunedin, FL
Discovery Academy of Science
Federal NCES profile for Discovery Academy of Science, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120156008262Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery Academy of Science earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Dunedin · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- students per teacher
- 28.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery Academy of Science has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Academy of Science ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Dunedin, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.0%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Discovery Academy of Science compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Discovery Academy of Science
Discovery Academy of Science is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Dunedin, Florida, enrolling 722 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 722 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 545 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #241.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 722 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 18.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Pinellas also operates Palm Harbor University High (2,413 students) and Largo High School (2,058 students) alongside Discovery Academy of Science.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Discovery Academy of Science compares
Discovery Academy of Science on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.0% | ▼ 46% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 722 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
722
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 64% in Florida - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,582
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 722 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 66.9%
Hispanic or Latino 18.8%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 4.3%
African American 3.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 66.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.0, Discovery Academy of Science is about as mixed as the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pinellas, which includes Discovery Academy of Science.
$11,582
Per student
+4%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.7%
State 25.1%
Federal 18.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Discovery Academy of Science Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Harbor University High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Largo High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dixie M. Hollins High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. Petersburg High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Discovery Academy of Science's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,413
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,058
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,980
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,934
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,736
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~722 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Discovery Academy of Science's federal record.
- Compare Discovery Academy of Science against another school. Compare schools
- Pinellas's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Discovery Academy of Science
How many students attend Discovery Academy of Science?
Discovery Academy of Science has 722 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Dunedin, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Academy of Science?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Academy of Science is 18.1:1, which is 2% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Discovery Academy of Science?
28.0% of students at Discovery Academy of Science are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery Academy of Science?
The largest demographic group at Discovery Academy of Science is White at 66.9% of enrollment, in Dunedin, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery Academy of Science?
Discovery Academy of Science has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Discovery Academy of Science rank among elementary schools in Dunedin?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Academy of Science ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Dunedin, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Dunedin on the city page.
Is Discovery Academy of Science a good school?
Discovery Academy of Science earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Pinellas?
Besides Discovery Academy of Science, Pinellas also operates Palm Harbor University High (2,413 students), Largo High School (2,058 students), and East Lake High School (1,980 students). See the Pinellas district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.