Discovery Academy

Q: Is Discovery Academy a good school?

Discovery Academy ranks 301 st of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Discovery Academy is a public magnet elementary school in Wethersfield, Connecticut, serving students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. With a diverse student population, the school faces challenges in academic performance compared to nearby schools in the Wethersfield School District.

While Discovery Academy has a higher per-student spending of $17,067, its academic performance, as measured by standardized tests, is generally lower than the state and district averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics ranged from 32.3% to 53.2% and 30.8% to 51.5% across grades 3-5, respectively, compared to the state averages of 45.9% to 51.4% and 43.1% to 51.3%. The school's ranking has consistently been in the bottom half of Connecticut elementary schools, with a 2 out of 5 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Interestingly, the nearby Samuel B. Webb Elementary School, Alfred W. Hanmer School, and Charles Wright School, which are part of the Wethersfield School District, generally outperform Discovery Academy on academic measures. These schools have higher proficiency rates, higher rankings, and better overall ratings from SchoolDigger. The high percentage of students from low-income families and the school's diverse racial/ethnic composition may be contributing factors to Discovery Academy's lower academic performance.

Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-5

176 Cumberland Avenue
Wethersfield, CT 06109

(860) 296-2090

District: Capitol Region Education Council

SchoolDigger Rank:
301^st of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $23,302

Student/teacher ratio: 14.8

Number of students: 520

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

51.0%

White:

23.5%

African American:

15.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 62.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Discovery Academy ranks worse than 60.6% of elementary schools in Connecticut. It also ranks first among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Capitol Region Education Council School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.33. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Discovery Academy has the largest elementary school student body size in the Capitol Region Education Council School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Discovery Academy is $23,302, which is the 2^nd highest among 7 elementary schools in the Capitol Region Education Council School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Discovery Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Academy 301^st of 497 Connecticut public elementary schools. (See Discovery Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

Capitol Region Education Council:

SchoolDigger ranks Capitol Region Education Council 146^th of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Discovery Academy

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Rank History for all students at Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2016	56.43	238^th	518	54.1%
2017	59.73	222^nd	519	57.2%
2018	62.76	223^rd	532	58.1%
2019	50.41	257^th	522	50.8%
2021	32.63	352^nd	538	34.6%
2022	29.85	329^th	490	32.9%
2023	33.60	307^th	491	37.5%
2024	36.33	301^st	497	39.4%

See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	53.37	158^th	371	57.4%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	50.39	28^th	60	53.3%
2021	53.63	127^th	302	57.9%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	52.99	144^th	259	44.4%
2021	36.08	274^th	455	39.8%
2024	27.50	172^nd	237	27.4%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2019	26.55	193^rd	247	21.9%
2021	20.21	349^th	445	21.6%
2024	12.06	202^nd	233	13.3%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2021	49.83	76^th	173	56.1%
2022	49.75	49^th	99	50.5%
2023	44.53	47^th	108	56.5%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	54.75	160^th	327	51.1%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Connecticut Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Discovery Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2012	39	35	20	44	0	0	12	0	150
2013	68	47	21	65	0	1	19	0	221
2014	106	54	23	81	0	1	17	0	282
2015	127	65	31	110	1	1	21	0	356
2016	132	75	31	138	1	2	26	0	405
2017	157	89	36	166	1	2	33	0	484
2018	173	90	38	180	1	2	34	0	518
2019	166	79	34	201	1	2	36	0	519
2020	164	76	31	223	1	0	25	0	520
2021	144	78	28	244	1	0	27	0	522
2022	128	85	28	254	0	0	26	0	521
2023	122	81	28	265	0	0	23	1	520

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Discovery Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	150	9.2	16.3	34.7
2013	221	16.9	13.0	33.9
2014	282	20.6	13.6	33.3
2015	356	24.0	14.8	37.6
2016	405	26.0	15.5	33.1
2017	484	34.0	14.2	38.6
2018	518	32.0	16.1	43.6
2019	519	34.6	14.9	48.7
2020	520	36.6	14.1	49
2021	522	34.6	15.0	55.9
2022	521	33.0	15.7	60.7
2023	520	35.0	14.8	62.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Discovery Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	150	9.2	16.3	34.7
2013	221	16.9	13.0	33.9
2014	282	20.6	13.6	33.3
2015	356	24.0	14.8	37.6
2016	405	26.0	15.5	33.1
2017	484	34.0	14.2	38.6
2018	518	32.0	16.1	43.6
2019	519	34.6	14.9	48.7
2020	520	36.6	14.1	49
2021	522	34.6	15.0	55.9
2022	521	33.0	15.7	60.7
2023	520	35.0	14.8	62.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Discovery Academy

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$16,305
2019	$17,067
2020	$18,664
2021	$20,441
2022	$22,246
2023	$23,302

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Discovery Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 257^th of 522 Elementary schools	Ranks 307^th of 491 Elementary schools	13.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Academy)	45.6	36.4	9.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Capitol Region Education Council)	44.2	31.4	12.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.3	45.5	8.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Discovery Academy)	51.5	45.5	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Capitol Region Education Council)	46.2	34.1	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	55	49.8	5.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Academy)	56.9	47.7	9.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Capitol Region Education Council)	54.4	29.9	24.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.6	48.8	5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Discovery Academy)	56.9	38.5	18.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Capitol Region Education Council)	48.1	28.6	19.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	52.5	48.3	4.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Academy)	69.4	42.2	27.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Capitol Region Education Council)	52.1	37.8	14.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	58.1	51.9	6.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Discovery Academy)	53.2	29.3	23.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Capitol Region Education Council)	38	21.5	16.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	46.5	41.8	4.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	519	520	0.2%
African American	79	81	2.5%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	34	28	17.6%
Hispanic	201	265	31.8%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	166	122	26.5%
Two or More Races	36	23	36.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48.7%	62.1%	13.4%

Schools Near Discovery Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSS Science (2024)		SBAC English Language Arts (2024)					SBAC Mathematics (2024)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	NGSS Science 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Discovery Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	176 Cumberland Avenue	Wethersfield	06109	Hartford County	Capitol Region Education Council	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 296-2090	520	35	14.8	62.1%	122 (23.5%)	81 (15.6%)	265 (51.0%)	28 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.4%)	36.3	301^st of 497 public elementary schools	39.4%		33.6	307^th of 491 public elementary schools	37.5%	6	48.4		37.3	32.3	53.2			51.5	30.8	45.2				$23,302
Charles Wright School	Public	PK, KG-6	186 Nott St.	Wethersfield	06109	Hartford County	Wethersfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 571-8350	273	24	11.1	40.3%	138 (50.5%)	15 (5.5%)	90 (33.0%)	19 (7.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.7%)	56.3	221^st of 497 public elementary schools	55.5%		55.5	228^th of 491 public elementary schools	53.6%	7				60.7		50.0		51.4			50.0			$22,484
Naylor/CCSU Leadership Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	639 Franklin Avenue	Hartford	06114	Hartford County	Hartford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 695-4620	357	32	11.1	84.0%	35 (9.8%)	41 (11.5%)	247 (69.2%)	25 (7.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.0%)	8.8	447^th of 497 public elementary schools	10.1%		7.3	459^th of 491 public elementary schools	6.5%	12	22.9		17.3		20.8									$26,566
Alfred W. Hanmer School	Public	K-6	50 Francis St.	Wethersfield	06109	Hartford County	Wethersfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 571-8370	324	27	12.0	31.5%	228 (70.4%)	16 (4.9%)	45 (13.9%)	20 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (4.0%)	71.5	162^nd of 497 public elementary schools	67.4%		74.8	141^st of 491 public elementary schools	71.3%	21	70.0		59.1	72.1	62.5	66.0		61.4	65.1	47.5	59.6			$20,233
Dwight-Bellizzi Dual Language Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	215 South Street	Hartford	06114	Hartford County	Hartford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 695-2400	626	40	15.6	82.1%	17 (2.7%)	84 (13.4%)	500 (79.9%)	10 (1.6%)	7 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.1%)	5.8	481^st of 497 public elementary schools	3.2%					(n/a)	14.1	19.2		10.3	9.1	11.5	14.1	27.8	10.3		13.5		10.3	$20,691
Emerson-Williams School	Public	PK, KG-6	461 Wells Rd.	Wethersfield	06109	Hartford County	Wethersfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 571-8360	434	29	14.9	30.4%	271 (62.4%)	16 (3.7%)	99 (22.8%)	22 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (5.8%)	50.3	247^th of 497 public elementary schools	50.3%		56.3	223^rd of 491 public elementary schools	54.6%	24			59.6	38.9	48.6	60.3		61.5	35.2	48.6	42.9			$18,071
Kennelly School	Public	PK, KG-8	180 White Street	Hartford	06114	Hartford County	Hartford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 695-3860	598	42	14.2	84.6%	17 (2.8%)	74 (12.4%)	472 (78.9%)	22 (3.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.8%)	5.6	482^nd of 497 public elementary schools	3.0%		7.4	456^th of 491 public elementary schools	7.1%	26	15.0		11.5	18.0	15.0	7.4	16.7	23.1	16.4		10.0	8.6	11.5	$20,960
Samuel B. Webb Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	51 Willow St.	Wethersfield	06109	Hartford County	Wethersfield School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 571-8340	330	23	14.2	29.1%	200 (60.6%)	15 (4.5%)	77 (23.3%)	25 (7.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	10 (3.0%)	45.1	267^th of 497 public elementary schools	46.3%		44.3	264^th of 491 public elementary schools	46.2%	3			56.3	47.6	52.6	39.5		53.1	42.9					$19,649
M. D. Fox School	Public	PK, KG-5	470 Maple Avenue	Hartford	06114	Hartford County	Hartford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 695-7790	493	33	14.9	86.2%	16 (3.2%)	85 (17.2%)	373 (75.7%)	15 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	2.7	497^th of 497 public elementary schools	0.0%		4.7	483^rd of 491 public elementary schools	1.6%	14	8.8			6.7	7.8			6.5	8.0	6.9				$22,109
Montessori Magnet at Batchelder School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	757 New Britain Avenue	Hartford	06106	Hartford County	Hartford School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 695-2600	363	13	27.5	63.4%	55 (15.2%)	40 (11.0%)	239 (65.8%)	16 (4.4%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.0%)	9.4	443^rd of 497 public elementary schools	10.9%		9.2	441^st of 491 public elementary schools	10.2%	2	17.6			25.6				25.0	20.5					$20,529

Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery Academy

Is Discovery Academy a good school?

Discovery Academy ranks 301^st of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Discovery Academy in?

Capitol Region Education Council

What is the racial makeup of Discovery Academy?

Students at Discovery Academy are 51% Hispanic, 23% White, 16% African American, 5% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

How many students attend Discovery Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 520 students attended Discovery Academy.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.