- Enrollment
- 698
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · St. Charles, MO
Discovery Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Discovery Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 292316003177
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Missouri median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in St. Charles · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.3:1
- students per teacher
- 26.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery Elementary has class sizes near the Missouri median. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Elementary ranks #2 of 4 public schools in St. Charles, MO.
School address
District: Orchard Farm R-V · Missouri
NCES ID 292316003177 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+34 students YoY
Discovery Elementary grew from 415 students in 2022-23 to 449 in 2023-24 (+8.2%).
Teacher FTE added 32.7 → 34.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+34 students YoY 292316003177 · St. Charles, MO Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
394 enr · 12.3:1 · 26.7% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: Orchard Farm High School (698 students)
Discovery Elementary grew from 415 students in 2022-23 to 449 in 2023-24 (+8.2%). Teacher FTE added 32.7 → 34.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Missouri schools → · Find another →
Discovery Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Orchard Farm H
Orchard Farm High School
698 students
- Orchard Farm E
Orchard Farm Elementary
557 students
- This school
Discovery Elementary
394 students
- Orchard Farm M
Orchard Farm Middle School
362 students
- Early Learning 230
Early Learning Center
230 students
What this shows Discovery Elementary reports 394 students on the CCD universe file.
How Discovery Elementary compares
Discovery Elementary is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.3:1 | ▼ 4% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.7% | ▼ 42% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 394 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.3:1
Leaner classes than 73% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
394
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
26.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the Missouri average of 46.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 44% in Missouri - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
20.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,944
per pupil, district-wide
- below Missouri avg of $14,087
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 394 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 60.4%
African American 20.6%
Two or More 9.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.3%
Asian 2.8%
Largest group: White at 60.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.8, Discovery Elementary is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Orchard Farm R-V reports $13,944 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Discovery Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orchard Farm High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orchard Farm Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Orchard Farm Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Early Learning Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Discovery Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 557
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 362
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 230
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in St. Charles
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~394 students)
Frequently asked questions about Discovery Elementary
How many students attend Discovery Elementary?
Discovery Elementary has 394 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in St. Charles, MO. CCD year-over-year: 415 (2022-23) → 449 (2023-24), up 34.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Elementary is 12.3:1, which is 4% lower than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Discovery Elementary?
26.7% of students at Discovery Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Discovery Elementary is White at 60.4% of enrollment, in St. Charles, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery Elementary?
Discovery Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Discovery Elementary rank among public schools in St. Charles?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Elementary ranks #2 of 4 public schools in St. Charles, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in St. Charles on the city page.
What other schools are in Orchard Farm R-V?
Besides Discovery Elementary, Orchard Farm R-V also operates Orchard Farm High School (698 students), Orchard Farm Elementary (557 students), and Orchard Farm Middle School (362 students). See the Orchard Farm R-V district page for the complete list.