Enrollment
525
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Vancouver, WA
Discovery Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Discovery Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530927002018
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #3 of 6
- middle schools in Vancouver · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- students per teacher
- 70.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery Middle School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Middle School ranks #3 of 6 middle schools in Vancouver, WA.
School address
District: Vancouver School District · Washington
NCES ID 530927002018 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.8%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Discovery Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Discovery Middle School
Discovery Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Vancouver, Washington, enrolling 525 students.
At 16.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Washington median, within a few percentage points of the 17.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 70.8% of students qualify for free meals, 57% above the Washington average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 525 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 353 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #136.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 175 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.7% 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 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Vancouver's middle schools, it stands alongside Covington Middle School (830 students): Discovery Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.9:1 vs 17.7:1).
Vancouver School District also operates Skyview High School (1,869 students) and Fort Vancouver High School (1,507 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 Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.9:1 | ▼ 4% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.8% | ▲ 57% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 525 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
525
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 55% in Washington - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.5%
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
$17,087
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 175 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 87 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
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 42.3%
Hispanic or Latino 36.0%
Two or More 11.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.0%
Asian 2.9%
African American 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 42.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Discovery Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vancouver School District, which includes Discovery Middle School.
$17,087
Per student
-12%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.9%
State 61.3%
Federal 15.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skyview High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort Vancouver High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hudson's Bay High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Columbia River High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcloughlin Middle School | Larger | Similar 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
- 1,869
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,507
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,197
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 849
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar middle schools in Vancouver
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Covington Middle School
Standard public school
830 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Pacific Middle School
Standard public school
817 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Cascade Middle School
Standard public school
815 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Frontier Middle School
Standard public school
767 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Wyeast Middle School
Standard public school
747 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Shahala Middle School
Standard public school
732 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~525 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Discovery Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Discovery Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Vancouver School 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 Middle School
How many students attend Discovery Middle School?
Discovery Middle School has 525 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Vancouver, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Middle School is 16.9:1, which is 4% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 8% higher 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 Middle School?
70.8% of students at Discovery Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Discovery Middle School is White at 42.3% of enrollment, in Vancouver, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery Middle School?
Discovery Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Vancouver?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Middle School ranks #3 of 6 middle schools in Vancouver, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Vancouver on the city page.
Is Discovery Middle School a good school?
Discovery Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington 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 Vancouver School District?
Besides Discovery Middle School, Vancouver School District also operates Skyview High School (1,869 students), Fort Vancouver High School (1,507 students), and Hudson's Bay High School (1,197 students). See the Vancouver School District 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.