Discovery Elementary

Summary:

Discovery Elementary is a public elementary school located in Buffalo, Minnesota, serving 224 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools district, which is ranked 199 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Discovery Elementary has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 14.9 students per teacher, the school's academic performance is generally lower than the district and state averages. Only 40.83% of students were proficient or better in math on the MCA-III assessments, compared to 48.72% for the district and 45.47% for the state. The school's statewide ranking has also been declining, from a high of 229 out of 840 Minnesota elementary schools in 2014-2015 to a low of 541 out of 881 in 2023-2024. Interestingly, the school's rankings for male students are higher than for female students, and its rankings for low socioeconomic status students are relatively high, suggesting some disparities in academic achievement.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Little Mountain Elementary in the Monticello Public School District, Discovery Elementary generally performs worse on standardized tests, with lower proficiency rates in math, reading, and science. The Monticello district as a whole also has a higher ranking than the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose district. These comparisons suggest that Discovery Elementary may need to focus on improving its instructional practices and support systems to better serve all of its students and close the achievement gaps.


Detail:

Public K-5

 301 2nd Ave NE
       Buffalo, MN  55313-1697


(763) 682-8400

District: Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
541st of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,939 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  14.9 Help
Number of students:  224

Racial breakdown:

White:
98.2%
Two or more races:
0.9%
African American:
0.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  18.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Discovery Elementary ranks worse than 61.4% of elementary schools in Minnesota. It also ranks 5th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.45. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Discovery Elementary has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (98.2%), two or more races (0.9%), African American (0.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 18.8% 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 14.9. 3 elementary schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Discovery Elementary employs 14.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Discovery Elementary is $12,939, which is the 3rd highest among 6 elementary schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Discovery Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Elementary 541st of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Discovery Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools 199th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Discovery Elementary.

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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 MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 86.51 28th 674 95.8%
2004 85.01 41st 676 93.9%
2005 74.64 131st 685 80.9%
2006 78.18 104th 756 86.2%
2007 69.83 209th 777 73.1%
2008 67.14 252nd 781 67.7%
2010 73.32 169th 803 79.0%
2011 72.99 181st 814 77.8%
2012 75.59 146th 820 82.2%
2013 67.35 283rd 824 65.7%
2014 65.37 315th 826 61.9%
2015 72.27 229th 840 72.7%
2016 59.15 405th 848 52.2%
2017 64.60 332nd 853 61.1%
2018 54.67 448th 847 47.1%
2019 65.15 335th 870 61.5%
2021 64.06 321st 869 63.1%
2022 45.95 533rd 858 37.9%
2023 61.47 353rd 845 58.2%
2024 45.45 541st 881 38.6%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 72.78 160th 774 79.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota 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 MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.22 546th 774 29.5%
2019 59.07 371st 787 52.9%
2021 47.44 481st 783 38.6%
2022 35.56 567th 799 29.0%
2023 49.42 449th 787 42.9%
2024 36.50 558th 809 31.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.34 290th 779 62.8%
2019 66.71 276th 798 65.4%
2021 75.28 157th 784 80.0%
2022 57.10 372nd 808 54.0%
2023 71.84 211th 799 73.6%
2024 55.12 406th 826 50.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Discovery Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.86 571st 712 19.8%
2019 39.99 502nd 722 30.5%
2021 47.25 388th 710 45.4%
2022 23.80 627th 725 13.5%
2023 43.77 419th 712 41.2%
2024 20.74 647th 730 11.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota 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: Minnesota Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.5)
50%

50%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, September 11, 2020

Open Quote Love this school! Both of our kids love going here and the staff is amazing. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, June 5, 2017

Open Quote We love this school and how much their staff cares. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Discovery Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1998 134 0 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 135
1999 135 0 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 136
2000 143 1 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 145
2001 148 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 148
2002 146 1 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 147
2003 146 1 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 147
2004 146 1 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 147
2005 158 1 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 161
2006 200 1 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 205
2007 236 1 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 241
2008 241 2 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 248
2009 248 3 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 255
2010 258 3 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 267
2011 256 1 2 3 0 0 4 0 266
2012 250 1 2 4 0 0 2 0 259
2013 245 0 3 5 0 0 3 0 256
2014 238 0 4 8 0 0 6 0 256
2015 225 0 5 8 1 0 8 0 247
2016 229 0 5 6 0 0 9 0 249
2017 231 0 4 4 0 0 9 0 248
2018 232 0 4 2 0 0 8 0 246
2019 232 0 4 2 0 0 9 0 247
2020 231 0 2 3 0 0 7 0 243
2021 220 0 0 2 0 0 5 0 227
2022 204 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 208
2023 220 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 224

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
1998 135 n/a 0.0 4.4
1999 136 8.1 16.8 3.7
2000 145 11.3 12.8 20.7
2001 148 10.0 14.8 21.6
2002 147 8.6 17.1 23.8
2003 147 8.6 17.1 23.8
2004 147 8.8 16.7 20.4
2005 161 9.1 17.7 23
2006 205 12.0 17.1 20
2007 241 14.8 16.3 14.1
2008 248 14.5 17.1 17.3
2009 255 13.1 19.5 18.8
2010 267 13.5 19.7 19.5
2011 266 13.3 20.0 23.7
2012 259 14.0 18.4 15.1
2013 256 13.3 19.2 19.1
2014 256 13.0 19.5 18.8
2015 247 14.0 17.6 15
2016 249 14.0 17.7 18.5
2017 248 14.1 17.5 14.9
2018 246 13.9 17.6 16.3
2019 247 14.4 17.0 13
2020 243 14.4 16.8 13.6
2021 227 14.7 15.3 12.3
2022 208 14.4 14.3 11.5
2023 224 14.9 14.9 18.8

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
1998 135 n/a 0.0 4.4
1999 136 8.1 16.8 3.7
2000 145 11.3 12.8 20.7
2001 148 10.0 14.8 21.6
2002 147 8.6 17.1 23.8
2003 147 8.6 17.1 23.8
2004 147 8.8 16.7 20.4
2005 161 9.1 17.7 23
2006 205 12.0 17.1 20
2007 241 14.8 16.3 14.1
2008 248 14.5 17.1 17.3
2009 255 13.1 19.5 18.8
2010 267 13.5 19.7 19.5
2011 266 13.3 20.0 23.7
2012 259 14.0 18.4 15.1
2013 256 13.3 19.2 19.1
2014 256 13.0 19.5 18.8
2015 247 14.0 17.6 15
2016 249 14.0 17.7 18.5
2017 248 14.1 17.5 14.9
2018 246 13.9 17.6 16.3
2019 247 14.4 17.0 13
2020 243 14.4 16.8 13.6
2021 227 14.7 15.3 12.3
2022 208 14.4 14.3 11.5
2023 224 14.9 14.9 18.8

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

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $12,939

Data source: Minnesota 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 335th of 870 Elementary schoolsRanks 353rd of 845 Elementary schools
 3.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Discovery Elementary)81.147.6
 33.5%
   3rd Grade Math (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)78.267.3
 10.9%
   3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)65.659.1
 6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Discovery Elementary)64.969.1
 4.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)62.159.3
 2.8%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)54.647.4
 7.2%
4th Grade Math (Discovery Elementary)57.844.1
 13.7%
   4th Grade Math (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)7359.4
 13.7%
   4th Grade Math (Minnesota)63.957.1
 6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Discovery Elementary)57.840
 17.8%
   4th Grade Reading (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)68.243.9
 24.3%
   4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)55.448.4
 7.1%
5th Grade Math (Discovery Elementary)48.736.6
 12.1%
   5th Grade Math (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)60.148.7
 11.4%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Discovery Elementary)74.480.5
 6.1%
   5th Grade Reading (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)77.468.8
 8.6%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (Discovery Elementary)64.165.9
 1.8%
   5th Grade Science (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)70.459.2
 11.2%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students247224
 9.3%
African American01
American Indian00
Asian40
 100%
Hispanic21
 50%
Pacific Islander00
White232220
 5.2%
Two or More Races92
 77.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients13%18.8%
 5.8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery Elementary

Students at Discovery Elementary are 98% White.

Discovery Elementary ranks 541st of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 224 students attended Discovery Elementary.


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