Enrollment
83
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Colorado Springs, CO
Discovery High School
Federal NCES profile for Discovery High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080648000051
👥 S:T ratio 45
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 92
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #13 of 29
- high schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 47.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery High School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery High School ranks #13 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080648000051 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.6%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Discovery High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Discovery High School
Discovery High School is a small high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 83 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 47.6% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 91% of Colorado schools, with 83 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 55 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #34.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 63/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 42 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of spends $11,395 per pupil, 30% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 55 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 83 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of also operates Mesa Ridge High School (1,304 students) and Widefield High School (1,193 students) alongside Discovery High School.
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 High School compares
Discovery High School on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▼ 17% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.6% | ▲ 24% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 83 | top 91% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
83
Bigger than 8% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 31% in Colorado - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
49.4%
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
$11,395
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 42 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 55 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 66.3 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 51.8%
Hispanic or Latino 28.9%
Two or More 14.5%
African American 3.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
Largest group: White at 51.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.6, Discovery High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of, which includes Discovery High School.
$11,395
Per student
-30%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 56.9%
Federal 12.4%
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.
How Discovery High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Widefield High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grand Mountain School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Janitell Junior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Webster Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Discovery High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,304
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,193
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,044
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 658
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 582
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Colorado, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~83 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Discovery High School's federal record.
- Compare Discovery High School against another school. Compare schools
- School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of'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 High School
How many students attend Discovery High School?
Discovery High School has 83 students enrolled. It is a high school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery High School is 13.8:1, which is 17% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 12% 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 High School?
47.6% of students at Discovery High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery High School?
The largest demographic group at Discovery High School is White at 51.8% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery High School?
Discovery High School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Discovery High School rank among high schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery High School ranks #13 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Colorado Springs on the city page.
Is Discovery High School a good school?
Discovery High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado 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 School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of?
Besides Discovery High School, School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of also operates Mesa Ridge High School (1,304 students), Widefield High School (1,193 students), and Grand Mountain School (1,044 students). See the School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of district page for the complete list.
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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.