Discovery Elementary - 26

Summary:

Discovery Elementary - 26 is a public elementary school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serving 877 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Sioux Falls School District 49-5, which is ranked 72 out of 126 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Discovery Elementary - 26 consistently outperforms the Sioux Falls School District and the state average in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics, with 60.09% of students proficient or better in the 2023-2024 school year, compared to 48.75% and 41.96% for the district, respectively. The school also has particularly strong performance among certain student subgroups, ranking 1st out of 11 South Dakota elementary schools for African American students and 3rd out of 22 for Hispanic students in ELA proficiency. Additionally, Discovery Elementary - 26 has relatively low chronic absenteeism rates and a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to many nearby schools.

When compared to other nearby schools within the Sioux Falls School District, Discovery Elementary - 26 generally outperforms them in academic achievement. For example, All City Elementary - 50 and Sonia Sotomayor Elementary - 65 also have strong academic performance, ranking among the top 50 elementary schools in the state. Despite being part of a district that is only rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger, Discovery Elementary - 26 appears to have access to sufficient funding and resources, as evidenced by its relatively high per-student spending and low student-teacher ratio compared to some of the lower-performing nearby schools.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1506 S Discovery Ave
       Sioux Falls, SD  57106


(605) 362-3530

District: Sioux Falls School District 49-5

SchoolDigger Rank:
46th of 201 South Dakota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,659 Help


Students who attend Discovery Elementary - 26 usually attend:

Middle:    Memorial Middle School - 04
High:    Jefferson High School - 67

Student/teacher ratio:  17.6 Help
Number of students:  877

Racial breakdown:

White:
79.7%
African American:
6.5%
Hispanic:
5.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  18.4% Help


 See top rated South Dakota elementary schools

 Compare Discovery Elementary - 26 to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Discovery Elementary - 26 ranks better than 77.1% of elementary schools in South Dakota. It also ranks 7th among 23 ranked elementary schools in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.63. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
Help
Compare Details Discovery Elementary - 26 has the largest elementary school student body size in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Discovery Elementary - 26 is $9,659. 23 elementary schools in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Discovery Elementary - 26:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery Elementary - 26 46th of 201 South Dakota public elementary schools. (See Discovery Elementary - 26 in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Sioux Falls School District 49-5:

SchoolDigger ranks Sioux Falls School District 49-5 72nd of 126 South Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Discovery Elementary - 26?

Rank History for Discovery Elementary - 26

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Discovery Elementary - 26

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 65.65 70th 194 63.9%
2006 71.98 37th 197 81.2%
2007 71.46 38th 194 80.4%
2008 67.42 62nd 194 68.0%
2009 76.56 23rd 196 88.3%
2010 78.34 26th 206 87.4%
2011 82.03 11th 205 94.6%
2012 85.22 5th 214 97.7%
2013 71.24 46th 201 77.1%
2015 78.30 29th 209 86.1%
2016 68.64 54th 206 73.8%
2017 64.03 69th 207 66.7%
2018 61.29 81st 204 60.3%
2019 48.24 108th 206 47.6%
2021 63.15 80th 202 60.4%
2022 71.42 51st 202 74.8%
2023 66.32 70th 204 65.7%
2024 71.63 46th 201 77.1%
See the entire list of South Dakota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Discovery Elementary - 26

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 83.75 1st 14 92.9%
2024 51.02 6th 12 50.0%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Discovery Elementary - 26

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.40 21st 62 66.1%
2022 52.38 23rd 61 62.3%
2023 44.89 37th 72 48.6%
2024 51.37 24th 72 66.7%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Discovery Elementary - 26

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.92 96th 121 20.7%
2019 17.63 113th 121 6.6%
2021 63.27 27th 106 74.5%
2022 70.65 15th 80 81.3%
2023 71.73 25th 112 77.7%
2024 66.98 25th 110 77.3%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Discovery Elementary - 26

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.59 65th 163 60.1%
2019 52.06 80th 155 48.4%
2021 65.93 48th 151 68.2%
2022 70.23 39th 150 74.0%
2023 54.36 68th 154 55.8%
2024 57.95 71st 165 57.0%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Discovery Elementary - 26

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.90 78th 170 54.1%
2019 48.03 83rd 160 48.1%
2021 59.31 63rd 157 59.9%
2022 73.16 35th 154 77.3%
2023 74.75 35th 166 78.9%
2024 81.30 25th 161 84.5%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Discovery Elementary - 26

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.89 6th 9 33.3%
2019 24.25 10th 11 9.1%
2021 63.19 2nd 10 80.0%
2024 73.64 1st 11 90.9%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Discovery Elementary - 26

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 24.89 18th 21 14.3%
2024 82.90 3rd 22 86.4%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Discovery Elementary - 26

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.46 66th 186 64.5%
2019 52.02 87th 191 54.5%
2021 61.55 66th 185 64.3%
2022 72.26 46th 184 75.0%
2023 65.77 58th 185 68.6%
2024 67.93 48th 184 73.9%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Dakota 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 - 26 Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: South Dakota 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 - 26

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2005 533 9 8 13 8 n/a n/a 0 571
2006 610 15 14 16 6 n/a n/a 0 661
2007 668 15 14 17 9 n/a n/a 0 723
2008 710 13 10 18 13 n/a n/a 0 764
2009 729 23 15 20 25 n/a n/a 0 812
2010 539 22 15 10 12 n/a n/a 0 598
2011 571 14 12 13 10 0 8 0 628
2012 604 18 11 10 8 0 13 0 664
2013 615 22 10 16 7 0 29 0 699
2014 617 29 12 15 2 0 34 0 709
2015 654 31 11 15 4 0 30 0 745
2016 685 46 16 44 4 0 38 0 833
2017 715 53 20 65 7 0 48 0 908
2018 693 68 17 68 8 1 49 0 904
2019 692 71 20 66 5 2 46 0 902
2020 706 82 17 67 6 2 48 0 928
2021 690 57 17 39 10 1 41 0 855
2022 686 62 11 36 16 1 45 0 857
2023 699 57 14 48 18 1 40 0 877

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 - 26

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 571 31.4 18.2 14.2
2006 661 35.0 18.9 15
2007 723 37.0 19.5 15.8
2008 764 39.2 19.5 n/a
2009 812 42.7 19.0 16.9
2010 598 33.7 17.7 17.4
2011 628 34.9 17.9 16.9
2012 664 33.5 19.8 17.2
2013 699 34.5 20.2 20
2014 709 37.2 19.0 19.7
2015 745 38.0 19.6 17.7
2016 833 45.0 18.5 20.8
2017 908 49.1 18.4 22.9
2018 904 52.3 17.2 21.1
2019 902 48.2 18.7 21.2
2020 928 49.7 18.6 20.3
2021 855 46.4 18.4 18.7
2022 857 45.4 18.8 17.6
2023 877 49.7 17.6 18.4

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 - 26

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 571 31.4 18.2 14.2
2006 661 35.0 18.9 15
2007 723 37.0 19.5 15.8
2008 764 39.2 19.5 n/a
2009 812 42.7 19.0 16.9
2010 598 33.7 17.7 17.4
2011 628 34.9 17.9 16.9
2012 664 33.5 19.8 17.2
2013 699 34.5 20.2 20
2014 709 37.2 19.0 19.7
2015 745 38.0 19.6 17.7
2016 833 45.0 18.5 20.8
2017 908 49.1 18.4 22.9
2018 904 52.3 17.2 21.1
2019 902 48.2 18.7 21.2
2020 928 49.7 18.6 20.3
2021 855 46.4 18.4 18.7
2022 857 45.4 18.8 17.6
2023 877 49.7 17.6 18.4

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 - 26

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020 $511 (6.0%) $7,938 (94.0%) $8,449
2021 $624 (7.3%) $7,970 (92.7%) $8,595
2022 $720 (7.9%) $8,418 (92.1%) $9,138
2023 $929 (9.6%) $8,730 (90.4%) $9,659

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Discovery Elementary - 26

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 108th of 206 Elementary schoolsRanks 70th of 204 Elementary schools
 18.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Elementary - 26)46.147.9
 1.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)43.641.2
 2.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)49.145.3
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Discovery Elementary - 26)55.759.3
 3.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)4947.7
 1.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)52.751.1
 1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Elementary - 26)49.758.9
 9.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)46.245.1
 1.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)50.347.2
 3.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Discovery Elementary - 26)40.565.6
 25.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)43.745.3
 1.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)4947.7
 1.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery Elementary - 26)57.255.9
 1.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)51.345.9
 5.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)54.148.7
 5.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Discovery Elementary - 26)49.754.2
 4.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)39.137.5
 1.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)40.539.4
 1.2%
5th Grade Science (Discovery Elementary - 26)49.744.1
 5.6%
   5th Grade Science (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)34.937.7
 2.8%
   5th Grade Science (South Dakota)42.139.9
 2.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Discovery Elementary - 26)50.754.3
 3.5%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)49.747
 2.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (South Dakota)53.249.7
 3.5%
All Grades Mathematics (Discovery Elementary - 26)48.660.2
 11.5%
   All Grades Mathematics (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)43.141.3
 1.8%
   All Grades Mathematics (South Dakota)44.941.9
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students902877
 2.8%
African American7157
 19.7%
American Indian518
 260%
Asian2014
 30%
Hispanic6648
 27.3%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White692699
 1%
Two or More Races4640
 13%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients21.2%18.4%
 2.8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery Elementary - 26

In the 2022-23 school year, 877 students attended Discovery Elementary - 26.

Discovery Elementary - 26 ranks 46th of 201 South Dakota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Discovery Elementary - 26 usually go on to attend:

Middle : Memorial Middle School - 04
High : Jefferson High School - 67

Students at Discovery Elementary - 26 are 80% White, 6% African American, 5% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 2% Asian.


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