Enrollment
555
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Jose, CA
Discovery Charter
Federal NCES profile for Discovery Charter, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060159111792Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery Charter earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #39 of 154
- elementary schools in San Jose · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.1:1
- large classes for California
- 10.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery Charter has class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Charter ranks #39 of 154 elementary schools in San Jose, CA.
School address
District: Discovery Charter District · California
NCES ID 060159111792 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-82% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Discovery Charter compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Discovery Charter
Discovery Charter is a lower-poverty, mid-sized charter elementary school in San Jose, California, enrolling 555 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.1% free-meal eligibility runs 82% below the California average.
With 555 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 912 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #419.
Its student body is led by Asian (36%) and White (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 555 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Discovery Charter District spends $11,458 per pupil, 31% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among San Jose's elementary schools, it stands alongside Easterbrook Discovery (952 students): Discovery Charter is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.1:1 vs 22.1:1).
Discovery Charter District is a single-school charter district, so Discovery Charter operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Charter compares
Discovery Charter on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.1:1 | ▲ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.1% | ▼ 82% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 555 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.1:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
555
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 82% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.1:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 72% in California - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
11.0%
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
$11,458
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
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 555 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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
Asian 35.6%
White 24.4%
Hispanic or Latino 20.0%
Two or More 9.9%
African American 9.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 35.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.5, Discovery Charter is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Discovery Charter District, which includes Discovery Charter.
$11,458
Per student
-31%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 59.2%
State 39.4%
Federal 1.4%
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.
Similar elementary schools in San Jose
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Easterbrook Discovery
Standard public school
952 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Merritt Trace Elementary
Standard public school
829 students 23:1 students per teacher
Orchard Elementary
Standard public school
740 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Tom Matsumoto Elementary
Standard public school
727 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Herman (Leonard) Intermediate
Standard public school
723 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Booksin Elementary
Standard public school
715 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~555 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Discovery Charter's federal record.
- Compare Discovery Charter against another school. Compare schools
- Discovery Charter District'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 Charter
How many students attend Discovery Charter?
Discovery Charter has 555 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Jose, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Charter?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Charter is 24.1:1, which is 12% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Discovery Charter?
10.1% of students at Discovery Charter are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery Charter?
The largest demographic group at Discovery Charter is Asian at 35.6% of enrollment, in San Jose, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery Charter?
Discovery Charter has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Charter rank among elementary schools in San Jose?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Charter ranks #39 of 154 elementary schools in San Jose, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in San Jose on the city page.
Is Discovery Charter a good school?
Discovery Charter earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. 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 Discovery Charter District?
None; Discovery Charter District is a single-school charter district, and Discovery Charter is its only campus.
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.