Discovery Charter School

Summary:

Discovery Charter School is an elementary school in Philadelphia, PA that serves students from kindergarten to 8th grade, with a predominantly African American student population of over 95%. Despite being a public charter school, Discovery Charter School has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with significantly lower academic performance compared to the state average and nearby schools.

The school's performance on standardized tests is particularly concerning, with only 6.2% of students proficient or better in Math in 2022-2023, compared to the state average of 39.3%. For example, Inquiry Charter School, located just 0.2 miles away, had 25.2% of students proficient or better in Math, more than 4 times the rate of Discovery Charter School. The high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with over 55% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, may contribute to the school's academic struggles.

Despite fluctuations in per-student spending and a gradual improvement in the student-teacher ratio, Discovery Charter School's persistent low performance suggests that the school's model and approach may not be effectively serving its student population. The stark contrast in academic performance between Discovery Charter School and nearby schools, such as Inquiry Charter School, highlights the importance of understanding the unique factors and approaches that may be contributing to the success or struggles of individual schools, even within the same geographic area and district.


Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

 4700 Parkside
       Philadelphia, PA  19131


(215) 879-8182

District: Discovery Charter School

SchoolDigger Rank:
1352nd of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $24,129 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  14.1 Help
Number of students:  622

Racial breakdown:

African American:
95.8%
Two or more races:
1.9%
Hispanic:
1.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  57.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Discovery Charter School ranks worse than 88.1% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.47. (See more...)
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Compare Details Discovery Charter School ranks worse than 75.9% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.04. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (95.8%), two or more races (1.9%), Hispanic (1.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 57.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Discovery Charter School is 14.1. (See more...)
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Compare Discovery Charter School employs 44 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Discovery Charter School is $24,129.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Discovery Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Charter School 1352nd of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Discovery Charter School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Disabled students:
African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Charter School 678th of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Discovery Charter School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Disabled students:
African American students:


Discovery Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Charter School 522nd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Discovery Charter School

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Discovery Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 1.06 1268th 1308 3.1%
2005 1.29 1263rd 1299 2.8%
2006 8.22 1434th 1545 7.2%
2007 1.72 1528th 1555 1.7%
2008 4.05 1495th 1551 3.6%
2009 15.05 1394th 1549 10.0%
2010 23.68 1349th 1579 14.6%
2011 40.57 1199th 1597 24.9%
2012 46.49 1103rd 1599 31.0%
2015 16.29 1231st 1474 16.5%
2016 13.60 1323rd 1554 14.9%
2017 15.35 1299th 1547 16.0%
2018 21.14 1231st 1530 19.5%
2019 18.08 1268th 1544 17.9%
2021 10.33 1251st 1433 12.7%
2022 13.35 1297th 1534 15.4%
2023 10.47 1352nd 1534 11.9%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 15.53 1225th 1414 13.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Discovery Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 22.12 851st 1043 18.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Discovery Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 41.18 238th 437 45.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Discovery Charter School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Discovery Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 11.39 665th 736 9.6%
2007 17.53 649th 749 13.4%
2008 12.52 673rd 753 10.6%
2009 30.10 615th 770 20.1%
2010 24.13 669th 805 16.9%
2011 26.80 676th 825 18.1%
2012 39.19 600th 834 28.1%
2015 31.59 576th 835 31.0%
2016 33.42 596th 870 31.5%
2017 28.62 623rd 877 29.0%
2018 25.53 634th 861 26.4%
2019 21.23 674th 891 24.4%
2021 21.69 611th 797 23.3%
2022 22.52 653rd 883 26.0%
2023 21.04 678th 893 24.1%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 28.18 643rd 874 26.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Disabled students at Discovery Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 20.91 570th 660 13.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Discovery Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 46.34 188th 421 55.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept 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 Charter School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Discovery Charter School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2004 0 391 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 392
2005 0 478 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 478
2006 0 504 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 504
2007 0 488 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 488
2008 0 459 0 1 1 n/a n/a 0 461
2009 0 485 0 1 1 n/a n/a 0 487
2010 3 556 0 2 1 n/a n/a 0 562
2011 2 603 0 2 1 0 4 0 612
2012 2 643 0 4 1 0 4 0 654
2013 2 709 0 4 0 0 6 0 721
2014 0 759 0 1 0 0 0 0 760
2015 0 793 0 1 0 0 0 0 794
2016 0 747 0 2 0 0 0 0 749
2017 7 701 1 9 0 1 5 0 724
2018 3 701 1 10 0 1 18 0 734
2019 2 593 1 8 0 0 20 0 624
2020 4 553 1 8 0 1 15 0 582
2021 3 606 2 3 0 1 19 0 634
2022 4 607 2 3 0 0 17 0 633
2023 3 596 2 9 0 0 12 0 622

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 Charter School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 392 22.0 17.8 0
2005 478 25.0 19.1 0
2006 504 26.0 19.4 0
2007 488 28.0 17.4 0
2008 461 28.0 16.5 n/a
2009 487 27.0 18.0 n/a
2010 562 34.0 16.5 63.9
2011 612 33.0 18.5 54.6
2012 654 36.0 18.1 65.6
2013 721 35.0 20.6 54.4
2014 760 35.0 21.7 69.2
2015 794 36.0 22.0 79.3
2016 749 36.0 20.8 79.8
2017 724 39.0 18.5 71.3
2018 734 35.0 20.9 99.7
2019 624 33.0 18.9 63
2020 582 30.0 19.4 62.4
2021 634 33.0 19.2 55.4
2022 633 36.0 17.5 56.2
2023 622 44.0 14.1 57.9

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 Charter School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 392 22.0 17.8 0
2005 478 25.0 19.1 0
2006 504 26.0 19.4 0
2007 488 28.0 17.4 0
2008 461 28.0 16.5 n/a
2009 487 27.0 18.0 n/a
2010 562 34.0 16.5 63.9
2011 612 33.0 18.5 54.6
2012 654 36.0 18.1 65.6
2013 721 35.0 20.6 54.4
2014 760 35.0 21.7 69.2
2015 794 36.0 22.0 79.3
2016 749 36.0 20.8 79.8
2017 724 39.0 18.5 71.3
2018 734 35.0 20.9 99.7
2019 624 33.0 18.9 63
2020 582 30.0 19.4 62.4
2021 634 33.0 19.2 55.4
2022 633 36.0 17.5 56.2
2023 622 44.0 14.1 57.9

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 Charter School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,112 (9.3%) $10,895 (90.7%) $12,007
2020 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00
2021 $2,258 (13.9%) $13,946 (86.1%) $16,204
2022 $3,461 (14.3%) $20,667 (85.7%) $24,129

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Discovery Charter 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 1268th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 1352nd of 1534 Elementary schools
 6%
Ranks 674th of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 678th of 893 Middle schools
 0.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Discovery Charter School)507.9
 42.1%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Charter School)52.923.8
 29.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Discovery Charter School)11.410.6
 0.8%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Discovery Charter School)61.245.4
 15.8%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Charter School)5224.6
 27.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Discovery Charter School)9.36.7
 2.6%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Charter School)33.629.3
 4.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
6th Grade Math (Discovery Charter School)1.72.7
 1%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Charter School)32.836.5
 3.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Discovery Charter School)9.57.6
 1.9%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Charter School)61.952.3
 9.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Discovery Charter School)1.42.8
 1.4%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Discovery Charter School)32.820.2
 12.6%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Charter School)42.939.4
 3.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Discovery Charter School)13.76.2
 7.5%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Discovery Charter School)49.432.6
 16.8%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Discovery Charter School)45.534.4
 11.1%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students624622
 0.3%
African American593596
 0.5%
American Indian00
Asian12
 100%
Hispanic89
 12.5%
Pacific Islander00
White23
 50%
Two or More Races2012
 40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients63%57.9%
 5.1%


Schools Near Discovery Charter School









Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery Charter School

Students at Discovery Charter School are 96% African American, 2% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

Discovery Charter School ranks in the bottom 11.9% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 622 students attended Discovery Charter 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 Pennsylvania 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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