- Enrollment
- 1,277
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fargo, ND
Discovery Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Discovery Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 380678000079
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery Middle School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Dakota median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Fargo · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.2:1
- students per teacher
- 20.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery Middle School has class sizes near the North Dakota median. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Fargo, ND.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+30 students YoY
Discovery Middle School held near 1,005 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+30 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 81.2 → 77.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+30 students YoY 380678000079 · Fargo, ND Middle · MID · TRAD
992 enr · 12.2:1 · 20.9% lunch · RII 50
Nearest enrollment peer: Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students)
Discovery Middle School held near 1,005 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+30 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 81.2 → 77.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Dakota schools → · Find another →
Discovery Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Fargo Davies H
Fargo Davies High School
1,277 students
- North High Sch
North High School
1,110 students
- This school
Discovery Middle School
992 students
- South High Sch
South High School
898 students
- Ben Franklin M
Ben Franklin Middle School
873 students
- Carl Ben Eiels
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School
677 students
What this shows Discovery Middle School reports 992 students on the CCD universe file.
How Discovery Middle School compares
Discovery Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Dakota | North Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.9% | ▼ 26% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 992 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
992
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
20.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% below the North Dakota average of 28.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 60% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
29.4%
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
$17,740
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $19,475
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 248 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
White 62.8%
African American 19.3%
Asian 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%
Two or More 4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 62.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.9, Discovery Middle School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Fargo 1 reports $17,740 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Discovery Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo Davies High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ben Franklin Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carl Ben Eielson Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Discovery Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,110
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 898
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 873
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 677
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar middle schools in Fargo
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle 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 (~992 students)
Frequently asked questions about Discovery Middle School
How many students attend Discovery Middle School?
Discovery Middle School has 992 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fargo, ND. CCD year-over-year: 975 (2022-23) → 1,005 (2023-24), nearly flat (+30).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Middle School is 12.2:1, which is 3% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Discovery Middle School?
20.9% of students at Discovery Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Discovery Middle School is White at 62.8% of enrollment, in Fargo, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery Middle School?
Discovery Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Fargo?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Fargo, ND. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Fargo on the city page.
What other schools are in Fargo 1?
Besides Discovery Middle School, Fargo 1 also operates Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students), North High School (1,110 students), and South High School (898 students). See the Fargo 1 district page for the complete list.