Mountain Discovery

Summary:

Mountain Discovery is a public charter elementary and middle school located in Bryson City, North Carolina, serving 174 students from kindergarten through 8th grade. The school has a diverse student population, with a racial makeup that includes 77.01% White, 12.07% Native American, and smaller percentages of other racial groups.

While Mountain Discovery's academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally lower than the state average across most grade levels and subject areas, the school does excel in certain areas. For example, the percentage of 5th-grade students proficient or better in Science (66.7%) and 8th-grade students proficient or better in Science (87.5%) exceeds the state average. However, the school's overall statewide ranking has declined over the years, from a high of 89th out of 1,429 schools in 2016-2017 to a current ranking of 923rd out of 1,505 schools in 2023-2024. This decline suggests that the school's performance has not kept pace with other schools in the state.

Interestingly, nearby schools such as Cartoogechaye Elementary, Cullowhee Valley School, and Fairview School generally outperform Mountain Discovery in academic measures, with higher percentages of students proficient or better in EOG tests and higher statewide rankings. This suggests that factors beyond socioeconomic status, such as school culture, teaching practices, and resource allocation, may be contributing to Mountain Discovery's academic performance, which lags behind its neighbors despite having a relatively low percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients.


Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

 890 Jenkins Branch Rd N
       Bryson City, NC  28713


(828) 488-1222

District: Mountain Discovery Charter School

SchoolDigger Rank:
923rd of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  16.0 Help
Number of students:  174

Racial breakdown:

White:
77.0%
American Indian:
12.1%
Two or more races:
8.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Mountain Discovery ranks worse than 61.3% of elementary schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.48. (See more...)
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Compare Details Mountain Discovery ranks better than 64.4% of middle schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.86. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (77%), American Indian (12.1%), two or more races (8%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mountain Discovery is 16. (See more...)
Help
Compare Mountain Discovery employs 10.8 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mountain Discovery:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountain Discovery 923rd of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Mountain Discovery in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountain Discovery 282nd of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Mountain Discovery in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
White students:


Mountain Discovery Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountain Discovery Charter School 112th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Mountain Discovery.

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Rank History for Mountain Discovery

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 28.56 1021st 1276 20.0%
2007 42.07 858th 1293 33.6%
2008 54.49 643rd 1324 51.4%
2009 49.47 773rd 1354 42.9%
2010 77.04 259th 1363 81.0%
2011 74.57 306th 1381 77.8%
2012 68.40 438th 1388 68.4%
2013 68.55 389th 1403 72.3%
2014 79.36 250th 1390 82.0%
2015 70.98 395th 1440 72.6%
2016 87.21 124th 1425 91.3%
2017 89.38 89th 1429 93.8%
2018 78.82 243rd 1434 83.1%
2019 75.00 302nd 1473 79.5%
2021 46.36 758th 1489 49.1%
2022 48.77 761st 1514 49.7%
2023 46.82 816th 1502 45.7%
2024 40.48 923rd 1505 38.7%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 38.10 877th 1366 35.8%
2023 51.88 669th 1437 53.4%
2024 41.92 895th 1450 38.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.98 100th 1405 92.9%
2019 86.49 118th 1424 91.7%
2021 56.02 589th 1440 59.1%
2022 60.10 544th 1458 62.7%
2023 71.40 367th 1459 74.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.39 267th 1413 81.1%
2019 60.15 539th 1430 62.3%
2021 49.01 700th 1444 51.5%
2024 36.00 970th 1464 33.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.81 341st 1178 71.1%
2019 66.44 370th 1183 68.7%
2021 34.88 798th 1172 31.9%
2022 31.30 900th 1194 24.6%
2023 19.10 1055th 1183 10.8%
2024 20.81 1014th 1166 13.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Mountain Discovery

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Rank History for all middle school students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 30.28 470th 598 21.4%
2007 40.94 424th 606 30.0%
2008 74.53 135th 620 78.2%
2009 48.02 386th 630 38.7%
2010 67.76 209th 640 67.3%
2011 77.14 115th 648 82.3%
2012 84.65 46th 662 93.1%
2013 93.07 35th 673 94.8%
2014 94.82 24th 627 96.2%
2015 88.44 59th 705 91.6%
2016 83.58 82nd 692 88.2%
2017 87.38 52nd 694 92.5%
2018 89.66 40th 691 94.2%
2019 69.27 208th 737 71.8%
2021 83.92 93rd 741 87.4%
2022 82.55 123rd 786 84.4%
2023 70.84 199th 784 74.6%
2024 60.86 282nd 793 64.4%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 65.48 185th 735 74.8%
2024 63.16 224th 743 69.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.83 139th 656 78.8%
2024 65.23 232nd 738 68.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.71 38th 665 94.3%
2019 68.37 201st 697 71.2%
2021 74.92 162nd 711 77.2%
2023 88.39 71st 747 90.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Mountain Discovery

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.86 83rd 596 86.1%
2019 50.92 307th 624 50.8%
2021 71.42 158th 632 75.0%
2022 77.53 135th 658 79.5%
2023 57.92 257th 656 60.8%
2024 42.67 380th 652 41.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, 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.

Mountain Discovery Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Open Quote Kindergarten is great! After that it goes down hill fast. The teachers are condescending, Especially the 4th grade. She has no problem cutting off your conversation when you are not saying what she wants to hear. Our son has been going here for 4 1/2 years and we will be taking him out in the middle of the school year because it has gotten so bad. She shows favoritism to her daughter who is in her class this year. There is very little experiential learning, that we were looking forward to and is the reason we started our son's education here. The individualized attention they claim is nearly non existent. The principal has no clue as to safe conditions during the winter. When other schools in the area are closed due to weather he will have the school remain open at risk of student safety. We are very disappointed with how the school is turning out. Each year we had hoped things would get better, but it seems to be going the other way and we will not subject our son to inferior education and teachers. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, March 28, 2011

Open Quote It is real funny that they accuse the staff of being a clique. This whole thing is about who goes to who's church and being social buddies. Pay no attention to the wannabes. This stuff is over. There is a small group of parents that are TRICKING other parents that do not know better. My family has been at MDCS school for years. Hands on learning is going on at MDCS school. The "EL" school thing is not a new problem. Lots of the teachers are "EL" trained. All the teachers use hands on "experiential" learning in the classes. Just ask.

We have been called and talked at by these people trying to get us to pull our kids out but their problems just keep on changing. None of these people ever gave me the time of day. They make a good point but then it just turns into GOSSIP. Their problem can be heard by joining the parents group but where are they at the meetings? The parents should support the school and request a meeting when they have problems. A small snobby group prefers to GOSSIP and burn up the phone lines. They will not even talk to me anymore just because I do not agree. Even my husband VOLUNTEERS sometimes. I do not ever see these parents doing a thing at the school. I feel real bad for the teachers. They do not have to listen to this baloney.

The parents group has never played games until these people were TRICKED by other people. Now they have changed the parents group and it looks good. We heard so many crazy LIES last summer we could not hardly stand it. We found out what was going on. A few nutty parents were throwing a fit at the board meetings. All of these people look like they have other problems going on. It is just SHAMEFUL really. Everyone at the school is real nice and they will hear your problems.

The principal is strong, the board is strong, my kids are happy and MDCS is going great. My kids love Mr. Carter! The school wants parent involvement not a parent soap opera. Shame on you for saying bad things about my children's school! Look at the example you set. For the children's sake, you should play it fair and not lie on the internet. Maybe you might feel better if you talked to a professional. SAVE THE DRAMA FOR YOUR MAMA! Close Quote


by a parent
Friday, December 10, 2010

Open Quote Really disappointing! Does not live up to it's claims to be experiential and a community. Curriculum is poor and unsupervised. Middle school is a joke. The director has anger issues and the board is dysfunctional. Very disrespectful to parents with concerns. Stay away from this place if you value your child's education. Close Quote


Facebook Profile Picture by a parent on FaceBook
Sunday, August 22, 2010

Open Quote My son is 6 years old and attends MDCS! The teachers are wonderful and supportive. Last year he was very sick and missed several days. One teacher took it upon herself to bring his schoolwork and everything he needed to our house so that I wouldn't have to leave his side. I could never thank all the wonderful people who make up Mountain Discovery Charter School. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Mountain Discovery

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 71 0 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 72
2003 71 0 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 72
2004 72 3 0 0 7 n/a n/a 0 82
2005 102 5 0 0 9 n/a n/a 0 116
2006 113 4 0 1 8 n/a n/a 0 126
2007 113 1 2 0 9 n/a n/a 4 129
2008 118 14 4 0 11 n/a n/a 0 147
2009 123 15 3 0 10 n/a n/a 0 151
2010 124 14 5 1 18 n/a n/a 0 162
2011 138 2 5 5 19 0 6 0 175
2012 144 1 4 8 12 0 5 0 174
2013 139 1 3 7 11 0 10 0 171
2014 153 0 4 6 9 0 6 0 178
2015 163 0 3 8 9 0 7 0 190
2016 153 2 4 6 12 0 9 0 186
2017 154 3 2 5 12 0 10 0 186
2018 156 2 1 3 10 0 8 0 180
2019 151 1 2 5 12 0 11 0 182
2020 143 5 1 4 18 0 10 0 181
2021 145 4 1 4 22 0 12 0 188
2022 133 3 1 2 26 0 9 0 174
2023 134 3 1 1 21 0 14 0 174

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 Mountain Discovery

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 72 7.0 10.3 2.8
2003 72 7.0 10.3 2.8
2004 82 8.0 10.3 0
2005 116 12.0 9.7 n/a
2006 126 12.0 10.5 n/a
2007 129 n/a n/a n/a
2008 147 11.0 13.4 n/a
2009 151 11.0 13.7 n/a
2010 162 13.0 12.4 n/a
2011 175 12.0 14.5 0
2012 174 13.0 13.3 42
2013 171 12.5 13.6 49.1
2014 178 12.2 14.5 50.6
2015 190 14.0 13.5 54.2
2016 186 15.0 12.4 22
2017 186 12.9 14.3 43.5
2018 180 14.4 12.4 16.1
2019 182 12.7 14.3 16.5
2020 181 12.0 15.0 n/a
2021 188 12.0 15.5 n/a
2022 174 10.4 16.6 n/a
2023 174 10.8 16.0 n/a

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 Mountain Discovery

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 72 7.0 10.3 2.8
2003 72 7.0 10.3 2.8
2004 82 8.0 10.3 0
2005 116 12.0 9.7 n/a
2006 126 12.0 10.5 n/a
2007 129 n/a n/a n/a
2008 147 11.0 13.4 n/a
2009 151 11.0 13.7 n/a
2010 162 13.0 12.4 n/a
2011 175 12.0 14.5 0
2012 174 13.0 13.3 42
2013 171 12.5 13.6 49.1
2014 178 12.2 14.5 50.6
2015 190 14.0 13.5 54.2
2016 186 15.0 12.4 22
2017 186 12.9 14.3 43.5
2018 180 14.4 12.4 16.1
2019 182 12.7 14.3 16.5
2020 181 12.0 15.0 n/a
2021 188 12.0 15.5 n/a
2022 174 10.4 16.6 n/a
2023 174 10.8 16.0 n/a

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.
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mountain Discovery

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 302nd of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 816th of 1502 Elementary schools
 33.8%
Ranks 208th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 199th of 784 Middle schools
 2.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mountain Discovery)57.156.3
 0.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Mountain Discovery)85.731.3
 54.4%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Discovery)66.750
 16.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Mountain Discovery)8170
 11%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Discovery)84.247.6
 36.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Mountain Discovery)94.742.9
 51.8%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Mountain Discovery)94.771.4
 23.3%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Discovery)57.150
 7.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Mountain Discovery)57.138.9
 18.2%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Discovery)70.662.5
 8.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Mountain Discovery)88.262.5
 25.7%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Discovery)63.257.9
 5.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (Mountain Discovery)57.973.7
 15.8%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (Mountain Discovery)94.794.7
   8th Grade Science (North Carolina)78.670.3
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students182174
 4.4%
African American13
 200%
American Indian1221
 75%
Asian21
 50%
Hispanic51
 80%
Pacific Islander00
White151134
 11.3%
Two or More Races1114
 27.3%


Schools Near Mountain Discovery









Frequently Asked Questions about Mountain Discovery

Students at Mountain Discovery are 77% White, 12% American Indian, 8% Two or more races, 2% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 174 students attended Mountain Discovery.

Mountain Discovery ranks 923rd of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

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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