Enrollment
992
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
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
Teachers (FTE)
81.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.9%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Discovery Middle School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Discovery Middle School
Discovery Middle School is a large middle school in Fargo, North Dakota, enrolling 992 students.
At 12.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Dakota median, within a few percentage points of the 11.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 20.9% lands close to the North Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 96% of state schools at 992 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Among 30 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and African American (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 248 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Fargo's middle schools, it stands alongside Ben Franklin Middle School (873 students): Discovery Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.2:1 vs 13.6:1).
Fargo 1 also operates Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students) and North High School (1,110 students) alongside Discovery Middle 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 Middle School compares
Discovery Middle School on the metrics families compare, against 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 (what these measure)
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
$16,941
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $18,450
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.
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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fargo 1, which includes Discovery Middle School.
$16,941
Per student
-8%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
+2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.1%
State 48.6%
Federal 15.3%
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 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
- 1,277
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- 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.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~992 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Discovery Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Discovery Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Fargo 1'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 Middle School
How many students attend Discovery Middle School?
Discovery Middle School has 992 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fargo, ND.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Discovery Middle School a good school?
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. 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 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.
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.