Discovery Elementary

Summary:

Discovery Elementary is a public elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving students from kindergarten to 5th grade as part of the Kentwood Public Schools district. With a diverse student population, Discovery Elementary has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, currently ranking 479 out of 1,486 Michigan elementary schools with a 3-star rating.

One of Discovery Elementary's key strengths is its academic performance, particularly in English Language Arts, where 58.9% of 4th-grade students were proficient or better in the 2023-2024 school year, significantly higher than the district average of 49.8% and the state average of 43.3%. The school also performs well in several student subgroups, including African American, Hispanic, and English Language Learner students, often ranking in the top quartile of Michigan elementary schools for these subgroups.

However, Discovery Elementary has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 7.5% in the 2019-2020 school year to 20.5% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is an area of concern that the school and district will need to address. The school's higher spending per student, which has increased from $9,843 in 2019-2020 to $12,525 in 2022-2023, may be contributing to its academic performance, but it will be important to ensure this spending is being used effectively.


Detail:

Public K-5

 2461 60th St SE
       Grand Rapids, MI  49508-6626


(616) 871-1080

District: Kentwood Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
479th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,525 Help


Students who attend Discovery Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Crestwood Middle School
High:    East Kentwood High School

Student/teacher ratio:  18.0 Help
Number of students:  700

Racial breakdown:

African American:
29.7%
White:
26.7%
Hispanic:
18.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Discovery Elementary ranks better than 67.8% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 2nd among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Kentwood Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.34. (See more...)
Help
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
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Compare Details Discovery Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Kentwood Public Schools District. Student population at Discovery Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (29.7%), White (26.7%), Hispanic (18%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Discovery Elementary is 18, which is the highest among 10 elementary schools in the Kentwood Public Schools District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Discovery Elementary employs 38.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Discovery Elementary is $12,525, which is the lowest among 10 elementary schools in the Kentwood Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Discovery Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Elementary 479th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Discovery Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Kentwood Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Kentwood Public Schools 318th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Discovery Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 81.12 168th 1577 89.3%
2009 78.77 242nd 1589 84.8%
2010 76.54 263rd 1552 83.1%
2011 79.68 198th 1552 87.2%
2012 83.76 190th 1566 87.9%
2013 76.92 311th 1563 80.1%
2014 82.35 196th 1533 87.2%
2015 83.56 201st 1580 87.3%
2016 82.88 206th 1548 86.7%
2017 82.92 167th 1466 88.6%
2018 90.31 103rd 1448 92.9%
2019 88.60 110th 1408 92.2%
2021 73.55 243rd 1153 78.9%
2022 57.22 525th 1344 60.9%
2023 70.66 382nd 1470 74.0%
2024 65.34 479th 1486 67.8%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.99 47th 270 82.6%
2019 94.13 5th 117 95.7%
2021 75.32 13th 42 69.0%
2022 65.92 27th 98 72.4%
2023 62.22 54th 180 70.0%
2024 50.46 90th 184 51.1%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.65 23rd 403 94.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.00 34th 1397 97.6%
2019 92.27 28th 1134 97.5%
2021 75.87 104th 749 86.1%
2022 66.95 275th 1099 75.0%
2023 78.25 176th 1350 87.0%
2024 71.98 276th 1381 80.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.49 80th 1443 94.5%
2019 89.58 65th 1171 94.4%
2021 64.38 259th 902 71.3%
2022 51.48 505th 1106 54.3%
2023 56.08 513th 1321 61.2%
2024 55.95 531st 1342 60.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.04 136th 1446 90.6%
2019 82.13 154th 1196 87.1%
2021 67.80 239th 915 73.9%
2022 49.85 550th 1139 51.7%
2023 74.48 286th 1334 78.6%
2024 64.45 431st 1347 68.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.94 52nd 101 48.5%
2021 66.34 11th 29 62.1%
2022 40.07 34th 51 33.3%
2023 49.68 54th 84 35.7%
2024 44.78 58th 97 40.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 97.87 5th 475 98.9%
2019 86.48 15th 212 92.9%
2021 69.38 11th 51 78.4%
2022 70.55 32nd 158 79.7%
2023 68.29 59th 321 81.6%
2024 69.52 55th 348 84.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.54 34th 222 84.7%
2022 80.42 7th 86 91.9%
2023 65.48 50th 188 73.4%
2024 67.17 47th 201 76.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.67 27th 1253 97.8%
2019 96.94 6th 1128 99.5%
2021 85.35 91st 1005 90.9%
2022 67.78 319th 1102 71.1%
2023 81.94 172nd 1198 85.6%
2024 74.88 261st 1204 78.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan 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.

Discovery Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Discovery Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2006 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 0
2007 248 98 36 34 3 n/a n/a 6 425
2008 239 111 43 50 3 n/a n/a 5 451
2009 243 91 45 45 3 n/a n/a 17 444
2010 235 110 56 76 3 n/a n/a 39 519
2011 223 95 42 65 1 3 28 0 457
2012 214 107 35 85 2 3 28 0 474
2013 221 113 38 63 2 3 24 0 464
2014 221 123 44 68 1 1 26 0 484
2015 220 123 50 69 0 1 25 0 488
2016 215 141 54 77 0 1 28 0 516
2017 234 142 55 83 2 1 30 0 547
2018 232 142 65 85 2 1 39 0 566
2019 234 180 78 92 2 2 58 0 646
2020 238 172 88 86 0 2 58 0 644
2021 253 187 86 86 0 1 58 0 671
2022 216 194 108 100 3 1 51 0 673
2023 205 197 112 131 3 1 62 0 711
2024 187 208 113 126 1 1 64 0 700

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 Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2006 0 0.0 0.0 n/a
2007 425 17.9 23.7 38.4
2008 451 20.4 22.1 38.3
2009 444 21.9 20.3 32.1
2010 519 26.3 19.7 55
2011 457 25.1 18.2 49.7
2012 474 23.3 20.3 56.5
2013 464 22.5 20.5 53.7
2014 484 23.1 20.9 56.6
2015 488 28.0 17.4 52.3
2016 516 28.0 18.4 54.1
2017 547 25.7 21.2 53.2
2018 566 28.4 19.9 58.7
2019 646 34.0 18.9 63.8
2020 644 31.7 20.3 58.1
2021 671 36.7 18.2 63.6
2022 673 34.2 19.6 69.4
2023 711 37.7 18.8 66.1
2024 700 38.7 18.0 70.3

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 Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2006 0 0.0 0.0 n/a
2007 425 17.9 23.7 38.4
2008 451 20.4 22.1 38.3
2009 444 21.9 20.3 32.1
2010 519 26.3 19.7 55
2011 457 25.1 18.2 49.7
2012 474 23.3 20.3 56.5
2013 464 22.5 20.5 53.7
2014 484 23.1 20.9 56.6
2015 488 28.0 17.4 52.3
2016 516 28.0 18.4 54.1
2017 547 25.7 21.2 53.2
2018 566 28.4 19.9 58.7
2019 646 34.0 18.9 63.8
2020 644 31.7 20.3 58.1
2021 671 36.7 18.2 63.6
2022 673 34.2 19.6 69.4
2023 711 37.7 18.8 66.1
2024 700 38.7 18.0 70.3

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 Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,207 (12.2%) $8,692 (87.8%) $9,899
2020 $1,020 (10.4%) $8,823 (89.6%) $9,843
2021 $1,957 (18.9%) $8,378 (81.1%) $10,336
2022 $2,112 (18.3%) $9,415 (81.7%) $11,526
2023 $1,800 (14.4%) $10,725 (85.6%) $12,525

Data source: Michigan Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Discovery Elementary

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 110th of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 382nd of 1470 Elementary schools
 18.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Elementary)64.157.9
 6.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Kentwood Public Schools)47.149.3
 2.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.140.9
 4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Discovery Elementary)6555.2
 9.8%
   3rd Grade Math (Kentwood Public Schools)49.641.8
 7.8%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Elementary)71.456.9
 14.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Kentwood Public Schools)55.447.1
 8.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (Discovery Elementary)69.447.8
 21.6%
   4th Grade Math (Kentwood Public Schools)53.239.4
 13.8%
   4th Grade Math (Michigan)41.838.6
 3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Elementary)78.254.1
 24.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Kentwood Public Schools)52.447.9
 4.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)46.243.9
 2.3%
5th Grade Math (Discovery Elementary)64.438.9
 25.5%
   5th Grade Math (Kentwood Public Schools)39.830
 9.8%
   5th Grade Math (Michigan)34.831.5
 3.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Discovery Elementary)3535.2
 0.2%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Kentwood Public Schools)16.219.2
 3%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)17.418.6
 1.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students646711
 10.1%
African American180197
 9.4%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian78112
 43.6%
Hispanic92131
 42.4%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White234205
 12.4%
Two or More Races5862
 6.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients63.8%66.1%
 2.3%


Schools Near Discovery Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery Elementary

Discovery Elementary ranks 479th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Discovery Elementary are 30% African American, 27% White, 18% Hispanic, 16% Asian, 9% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 700 students attended Discovery Elementary.

Students who attend Discovery Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Crestwood Middle School
High : East Kentwood High School


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





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