- Enrollment
- 526
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Houston, TX
Discovery Middle
Federal NCES profile for Discovery Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 480012511234Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery Middle earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Texas schools.
- #86 of 116
- middle schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.8:1
- large classes for Texas
- 92.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery Middle has class sizes larger than 85% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Middle ranks #86 of 116 middle schools in Houston, TX.
School address
District: Southwest Public Schools · Texas
NCES ID 480012511234 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-14 students YoY
Discovery Middle shrank from 263 students in 2022-23 to 249 in 2023-24 (-5.3%).
Teacher FTE lost 16.7 → 15.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-14 students YoY 480012511234 · Houston, TX Middle · SMALL · CHARTER
284 enr · 17.8:1 · 92.8% lunch · RII 37
Nearest enrollment peer: Southwest Schools Bissonnet El Campus (526 students)
Discovery Middle shrank from 263 students in 2022-23 to 249 in 2023-24 (-5.3%). Teacher FTE lost 16.7 → 15.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Discovery Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Southwest Scho
Southwest Schools Bissonnet El Campus
526 students
- Southwest Scho
Southwest Schools Mangum El Campus
487 students
- Empowerment H
Empowerment H S
462 students
- This school
Discovery Middle
284 students
- Phoenix School 107
Phoenix School at Southwest Schools
107 students
What this shows Discovery Middle reports 284 students on the CCD universe file.
How Discovery Middle compares
Discovery Middle is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.8:1 | ▲ 21% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.8% | ▲ 50% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 284 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
284
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
92.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above the Texas average of 61.9%
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
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 85% in Texas - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,416
per pupil, district-wide
- above Texas avg of $14,348
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 88.7%
African American 9.5%
White 1.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.4, Discovery Middle is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
District finance for Southwest Public Schools reports $17,416 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Discovery Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Schools Bissonnet El Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Schools Mangum El Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Empowerment H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phoenix School at Southwest Schools | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Discovery Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 487
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 462
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 107
- Students per teacher
- 5.6:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
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 (~284 students)
Frequently asked questions about Discovery Middle
How many students attend Discovery Middle?
Discovery Middle has 284 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Houston, TX. CCD year-over-year: 263 (2022-23) → 249 (2023-24), down 14.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Middle is 17.8:1, which is 21% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Discovery Middle?
92.8% of students at Discovery Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery Middle?
The largest demographic group at Discovery Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 88.7% of enrollment, in Houston, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery Middle?
Discovery Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Discovery Middle rank among middle schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Middle ranks #86 of 116 middle schools in Houston, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Houston on the city page.
What other schools are in Southwest Public Schools?
Besides Discovery Middle, Southwest Public Schools also operates Southwest Schools Bissonnet El Campus (526 students), Southwest Schools Mangum El Campus (487 students), and Empowerment H S (462 students). See the Southwest Public Schools district page for the complete list.