- Enrollment
- 1,337
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Dickson, TN
The Discovery School
Federal NCES profile for The Discovery School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 470102001102
👥 S:T ratio 63
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
The Discovery School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Tennessee schools.
- #2 of 7
- public schools in Dickson · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 9.2:1
- small classes for Tennessee
- 202
- students enrolled
The Discovery School has class sizes smaller than 94% of Tennessee schools. Computed live against every Tennessee school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, The Discovery School ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Dickson, TN.
School address
District: Dickson County · Tennessee
NCES ID 470102001102 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+20 students YoY
The Discovery School grew from 205 students in 2022-23 to 225 in 2023-24 (+9.8%).
Teacher FTE lost 22.0 → 17.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+20 students YoY 470102001102 · Dickson, TN Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
202 enr · 9.2:1 · RII 54
Nearest enrollment peer: Dickson County High School (1,337 students)
The Discovery School grew from 205 students in 2022-23 to 225 in 2023-24 (+9.8%). Teacher FTE lost 22.0 → 17.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Tennessee schools → · Find another →
The Discovery School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Dickson County
Dickson County High School
1,337 students
- Creek Wood Hig
Creek Wood High School
919 students
- Centennial Ele
Centennial Elementary
713 students
- Stuart Burns E
Stuart Burns Elementary
706 students
- Charlotte Elem
Charlotte Elementary
601 students
- This school 202
The Discovery School
202 students
What this shows The Discovery School reports 202 students on the CCD universe file.
How The Discovery School compares
The Discovery School is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Tennessee and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Tennessee | Tennessee avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 9.2:1 | ▼ 40% | 15.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 202 | top 89% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.2:1
Leaner classes than 92% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
202
Bigger than 20% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
9.2:1
students per teacher
- 40% below state mean
Top 6% in Tennessee - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$10,729
per pupil, district-wide
- below Tennessee avg of $11,532
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 202 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
28
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
White 73.3%
Two or More 13.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%
African American 3.5%
Asian 2.0%
Largest group: White at 73.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.7, The Discovery School is more mixed than the Tennessee school average of 38.3.
Programs
District finance for Dickson County reports $10,729 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How The Discovery School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dickson County High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Creek Wood High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stuart Burns Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Charlotte Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to The Discovery School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 919
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 713
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 706
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 601
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
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 (~202 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.2:1)
Frequently asked questions about The Discovery School
How many students attend The Discovery School?
The Discovery School has 202 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Dickson, TN. CCD year-over-year: 205 (2022-23) → 225 (2023-24), up 20.
What is the student-teacher ratio at The Discovery School?
The student-teacher ratio at The Discovery School is 9.2:1, which is 40% lower than the Tennessee average of 15.3:1 and 41% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of The Discovery School?
The largest demographic group at The Discovery School is White at 73.3% of enrollment, in Dickson, TN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for The Discovery School?
The Discovery School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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 The Discovery School rank among public schools in Dickson?
By Resource Investment Index, The Discovery School ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Dickson, TN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Dickson on the city page.
What other schools are in Dickson County?
Besides The Discovery School, Dickson County also operates Dickson County High School (1,337 students), Creek Wood High School (919 students), and Centennial Elementary (713 students). See the Dickson County district page for the complete list.