Discovery High School

Q: Is Discovery High School a good school?

Discovery High School ranks 134 th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Discovery High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Newton, North Carolina, with a relatively small student population of 193 students. The school is part of the Newton Conover City Schools district, which is ranked 74 out of 242 districts in the state and rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Discovery High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in North Carolina, with a statewide ranking ranging from 4th to 141st out of over 600 high schools in recent years. The school's performance on End-of-Course (EOC) exams is exceptional, with significantly higher proficiency rates compared to the Newton Conover City Schools district and the state of North Carolina across various subjects. Discovery High School's performance is particularly strong for male students, Hispanic students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with these subgroups often ranking among the top in the state. However, the school's performance for gifted and talented students is relatively lower, ranking in the bottom third of North Carolina high schools.

Compared to nearby schools, Discovery High School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio and per-student spending, suggesting efficient resource allocation. While the school's racial composition has a higher percentage of White students compared to nearby schools like Newton-Conover High, the performance of other nearby schools, such as North Lincoln High and Bandys High, is also strong, with proficiency rates often exceeding the state average. Overall, Discovery High School emerges as an exceptional academic institution, consistently delivering outstanding outcomes and serving as a model for other schools in the region.

Detail:

Public 9-12

301 West 18th St
Newton, NC 28658

(828) 466-5581

District: Newton Conover City Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
134^th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,999

Student/teacher ratio: 22.4

Number of students: 193

Racial breakdown:

White:

69.4%

Hispanic:

16.6%

Two or more races:

7.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 23.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Discovery High School ranks better than 79.1% of high schools in North Carolina. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 79.81. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (69.4%), Hispanic (16.6%), two or more races (7.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 23.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Discovery High School is 22.4. (See more...)

Compare Discovery High School employs 8.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Discovery High School is $7,999.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Discovery High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery High School 134^th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Discovery High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

White students:

Newton Conover City Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Newton Conover City Schools 74^th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Discovery High School

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Rank History for all students at Discovery High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2006	72.61	52^nd	431	87.9%
2007	56.67	174^th	453	61.6%
2008	59.64	152^nd	477	68.1%
2009	58.39	187^th	490	61.8%
2010	58.55	206^th	499	58.7%
2011	68.73	96^th	506	81.0%
2012	71.05	65^th	502	87.1%
2013	67.25	56^th	505	88.9%
2015	80.29	40^th	531	92.5%
2016	85.15	21^st	507	95.9%
2018	95.47	4^th	469	99.1%
2019	89.30	28^th	514	94.6%
2021	97.33	12^th	594	98.0%
2022	92.57	53^rd	621	91.5%
2023	77.57	141^st	626	77.5%
2024	79.81	134^th	640	79.1%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Discovery High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	94.85	11^th	446	97.5%
2023	73.51	126^th	597	78.9%
2024	85.49	102^nd	613	83.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Discovery High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	95.54	2^nd	449	99.6%
2019	86.15	31^st	475	93.5%
2021	96.09	6^th	475	98.7%
2022	89.83	62^nd	594	89.6%
2023	70.26	163^rd	588	72.3%
2024	75.28	155^th	602	74.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Discovery High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	68.00	81^st	325	75.1%
2021	86.91	3^rd	337	99.1%
2022	68.90	122^nd	398	69.3%
2023	34.29	328^th	403	18.6%
2024	33.04	336^th	403	16.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Discovery High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	94.93	11^th	463	97.6%
2019	92.32	15^th	488	96.9%
2021	97.61	5^th	481	99.0%
2022	93.62	54^th	585	90.8%
2023	85.73	111^th	602	81.6%
2024	84.74	115^th	607	81.1%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Discovery High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	96.40	23^rd	436	94.7%
2023	61.67	127^th	449	71.7%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Discovery High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	90.23	15^th	427	96.5%
2019	85.62	31^st	444	93.0%
2021	96.58	6^th	439	98.6%
2022	88.06	68^th	534	87.3%
2023	71.14	158^th	537	70.6%
2024	73.54	152^nd	553	72.5%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High 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.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Discovery High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2006	16	8	12	0	n/a	n/a	36
2007	24	10	15	2	n/a	n/a	51
2008	27	16	17	4	n/a	n/a	64
2009	64	20	8	9	n/a	n/a	101
2010	86	27	6	9	n/a	n/a	128
2011	93	13	3	11	0	9	129
2012	95	16	3	17	0	6	137
2013	73	13	3	12	0	7	108
2014	98	8	3	17	0	6	132
2015	159	11	7	33	0	14	224
2016	173	13	11	34	0	16	247
2017	174	8	9	31	0	12	234
2018	161	9	8	27	0	11	216
2019	164	7	8	31	0	9	219
2020	150	9	9	32	0	10	210
2021	156	8	7	30	0	10	211
2022	151	9	7	30	0	13	210
2023	134	6	7	32	0	14	193

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 High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	36	4.0	9.0	13.9
2007	51	7.3	7.0	51
2008	64	6.0	10.7	n/a
2009	101	8.5	11.9	32.7
2010	128	9.0	14.2	34.4
2011	129	9.0	14.3	27.9
2012	137	7.9	17.3	31.4
2013	108	6.7	16.0	37
2014	132	7.1	18.5	37.1
2015	224	13.0	17.2	38.4
2016	247	14.0	17.6	33.6
2017	234	10.5	22.0	18.4
2018	216	11.0	19.5	19
2019	219	9.9	22.1	17.8
2020	210	10.1	20.7	19
2021	211	10.2	20.5	15.6
2022	210	9.8	21.2	13.8
2023	193	8.5	22.4	23.8

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 High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	36	4.0	9.0	13.9
2007	51	7.3	7.0	51
2008	64	6.0	10.7	n/a
2009	101	8.5	11.9	32.7
2010	128	9.0	14.2	34.4
2011	129	9.0	14.3	27.9
2012	137	7.9	17.3	31.4
2013	108	6.7	16.0	37
2014	132	7.1	18.5	37.1
2015	224	13.0	17.2	38.4
2016	247	14.0	17.6	33.6
2017	234	10.5	22.0	18.4
2018	216	11.0	19.5	19
2019	219	9.9	22.1	17.8
2020	210	10.1	20.7	19
2021	211	10.2	20.5	15.6
2022	210	9.8	21.2	13.8
2023	193	8.5	22.4	23.8

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 High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$741 (9.3%)	$7,259 (90.7%)	$7,999

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Discovery High School

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 28^th of 514 High schools	Ranks 141^st of 626 High schools	17.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Discovery High School)	92.6	83	9.6%
End of Course Biology (Newton Conover City Schools)	54.5	50.4	4.1%
End of Course Biology (North Carolina)	59.6	54.1	5.5%
End of Course English II (Discovery High School)	89.4	98.1	8.7%
End of Course English II (Newton Conover City Schools)	59.4	56	3.4%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.5	1.2%
End of Course Math I (Discovery High School)	97.4	80	17.4%
End of Course Math I (Newton Conover City Schools)	55.9	48.2	7.7%
End of Course Math I (North Carolina)	41.2	35.9	5.3%
End of Course Math III (Discovery High School)	66.7	54.8	11.9%
End of Course Math III (Newton Conover City Schools)	53.3	44.2	9.1%
End of Course Math III (North Carolina)	46.8	58.3	11.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	219	193	11.9%
African American	7	6	14.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	8	7	12.5%
Hispanic	31	32	3.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	164	134	18.3%
Two or More Races	9	14	55.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	17.8%	23.8%	6%

Schools Near Discovery High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOC Math III (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Discovery High School	Public	9-12	301 West 18th St	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 466-5581	193	9	22.4	23.8%	134 (69.4%)	6 (3.1%)	32 (16.6%)	7 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (7.3%)	79.8	134^th of 640 public high schools	79.1%		77.6	141^st of 626 public high schools	77.5%	7	79.2	91.2	45.5	76.5	$7,999	$741	$7,259
Newton-Conover High	Public	9-12	338 W 15th Street	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 465-0920	758	44	17.0	59.1%	332 (43.8%)	81 (10.7%)	223 (29.4%)	55 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	67 (8.8%)	44	341^st of 640 public high schools	46.7%		31.9	420^th of 626 public high schools	32.9%	79	57.5	52.6	56.9	37.7	$10,228	$626	$9,601
Challenger Early College High	Public	9-12	2550 Hwy 70 SE	Hickory	28602	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 485-2980	352	14	25.0	40.9%	142 (40.3%)	12 (3.4%)	109 (31.0%)	56 (15.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (9.1%)	95.6	21^st of 640 public high schools	96.7%		96.4	3^rd of 626 public high schools	99.5%	18	98.9	97.9	94.5	92.6	$6,093	$246	$5,847
Maiden High	Public	9-12	600 West Main Street	Maiden	28650	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 428-8197	870	49	17.7	45.9%	591 (67.9%)	47 (5.4%)	127 (14.6%)	61 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (4.9%)	59.8	235^th of 640 public high schools	63.3%		61	219^th of 626 public high schools	65.0%	16	63.1	54.6	61.0	69.0	$9,016	$684	$8,333
Saint Stephens High	Public	9-12	3205 34th Street Drive NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 256-9841	1,265	68	18.5	53.4%	613 (48.5%)	82 (6.5%)	419 (33.1%)	53 (4.2%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	95 (7.5%)	50.2	297^th of 640 public high schools	53.6%		46.9	309^th of 626 public high schools	50.6%	12	50.9	56.5	54.2	59.8	$8,502	$740	$7,761
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School	Public	9-12	409 8th Avenue NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 328-6738	229	21	10.7	59.4%	115 (50.2%)	29 (12.7%)	57 (24.9%)	6 (2.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (9.2%)	61.7	224^th of 640 public high schools	65.0%		77.2	143^rd of 626 public high schools	77.2%	81	64.4	82.3	38.5	59.2	$15,342	$1,043	$14,299
Bunker Hill High	Public	9-12	4675 Oxford School Road	Claremont	28610	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 241-3355	828	46	17.9	56.3%	467 (56.4%)	45 (5.4%)	167 (20.2%)	100 (12.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (5.9%)	38.7	377^th of 640 public high schools	41.1%		45.3	321^st of 626 public high schools	48.7%	56	48.1	53.9	37.4	52.6	$8,880	$745	$8,136
Hickory High	Public	9-12	1234 3rd Street NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 322-5860	1,014	60	17.0	62.4%	339 (33.4%)	213 (21.0%)	316 (31.2%)	40 (3.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	103 (10.2%)	37.8	390^th of 640 public high schools	39.1%		38.8	362^nd of 626 public high schools	42.2%	28	43.6	57.1	44.5	47.3	$8,704	$694	$8,010
Bandys High	Public	9-12	5040 E Bandys Road	Catawba	28609	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 241-1471	864	46	18.8	32.9%	715 (82.8%)	25 (2.9%)	75 (8.7%)	9 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (4.5%)	68.4	192^nd of 640 public high schools	70.0%		72.6	162^nd of 626 public high schools	74.1%	30	63.8	66.1	64.6	71.7	$8,843	$732	$8,111
Fred T Foard High	Public	9-12	3407 Plateau Road	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 462-1496	956	54	17.7	41.2%	714 (74.7%)	37 (3.9%)	91 (9.5%)	57 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	55 (5.8%)	57.9	245^th of 640 public high schools	61.7%		56.3	252^nd of 626 public high schools	59.7%	7	61.8	61.0	53.7	62.0	$8,769	$744	$8,025

Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery High School

How many students attend Discovery High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 193 students attended Discovery High School.

What district is Discovery High School in?

Newton Conover City Schools

What is the racial makeup of Discovery High School?

Students at Discovery High School are 69% White, 17% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 3% African American.

Is Discovery High School a good school?

Discovery High School ranks 134^th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 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.