- Enrollment
- 1,843
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Vernal, UT
Discovery School
Federal NCES profile for Discovery School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 490108000736
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Utah median.
- #3 of 6
- elementary schools in Vernal · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.6:1
- students per teacher
- 25.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery School has class sizes near the Utah median. Computed live against every Utah school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery School ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Vernal, UT.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-25 students YoY
Discovery School held near 675 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-25 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 29.1 → 28.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-25 students YoY 490108000736 · Vernal, UT Elementary · MID · TRAD
656 enr · 22.6:1 · 25.0% lunch · RII 28
Nearest enrollment peer: Uintah High (1,843 students)
Discovery School held near 675 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-25 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 29.1 → 28.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Utah schools → · Find another →
Discovery School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Uintah High
Uintah High
1,843 students
- Vernal Middle
Vernal Middle
842 students
- This school 656
Discovery School
656 students
- Uintah Middle 579
Uintah Middle School
579 students
- Maeser School 473
Maeser School
473 students
- Naples School 456
Naples School
456 students
What this shows Discovery School reports 656 students on the CCD universe file.
How Discovery School compares
Discovery School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Utah and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Utah | Utah avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.6:1 | ▲ 6% | 21.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.0% | ▼ 11% | 28.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 656 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.6:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
656
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
25.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% below the Utah average of 28.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 63% in Utah - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
38.0%
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
$11,207
per pupil, district-wide
- above Utah avg of $10,678
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 80.9%
Hispanic or Latino 14.2%
Two or More 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
African American 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 80.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.4, Discovery School is less mixed than the Utah school average of 40.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Uintah District reports $11,207 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Discovery School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uintah High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vernal Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Uintah Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Maeser School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Naples School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Discovery School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 842
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 473
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 456
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Nationwide elementary 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 (~656 students)
Frequently asked questions about Discovery School
How many students attend Discovery School?
Discovery School has 656 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Vernal, UT. CCD year-over-year: 700 (2022-23) → 675 (2023-24), nearly flat (-25).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery School?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery School is 22.6:1, which is 6% higher than the Utah average of 21.4:1 and 44% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Discovery School?
25.0% of students at Discovery School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Utah average of 28.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery School?
The largest demographic group at Discovery School is White at 80.9% of enrollment, in Vernal, UT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery School?
Discovery School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 School rank among elementary schools in Vernal?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery School ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Vernal, UT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Vernal on the city page.
What other schools are in Uintah District?
Besides Discovery School, Uintah District also operates Uintah High (1,843 students), Vernal Middle (842 students), and Uintah Middle School (579 students). See the Uintah District district page for the complete list.