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Discovery School

Summary:

Discovery School is an elementary school located in Vernal, Utah, serving 700 students in grades K-5. It is part of the Uintah School District, which is ranked 45 out of 98 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Discovery School consistently outperforms the Uintah District and the state of Utah in standardized test scores across various grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had higher proficiency rates in RISE English Language Arts and Mathematics compared to the district and state averages. Additionally, Discovery School has a relatively high student-teacher ratio of 24 students per teacher, and a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (33.14%) compared to some nearby schools, such as Lapoint School (54.97%) and Ashley School (58.22%).

Discovery School has consistently ranked in the top half of Utah elementary schools, with a ranking of 186 out of 561 schools in the 2023-2024 school year, and has maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. While the school has a majority White student population, it has a higher percentage of Hispanic students (13.14%) compared to the nearby schools, which have lower Hispanic representation. These factors, along with the school's strong academic performance, suggest that Discovery School is providing a quality education to its diverse student population.


Detail:

Public K-5

 650 W 1200 S
       Vernal, UT  84078

(435) 781-3146

District: Uintah District

SchoolDigger Rank:
186th of 561 Utah Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,097 Help


Students who attend Discovery School usually attend:

Middle:    Uintah Middle School
    Vernal Middle
High:    Uintah High

Student/teacher ratio:  24.0 Help
Number of students:  700

Racial breakdown:

White:
82.3%
Hispanic:
13.1%
Two or more races:
2.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  33.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Discovery School ranks better than 66.8% of elementary schools in Utah. It also ranks 2nd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Uintah District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.38. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a 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 School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Uintah District.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Discovery School is $7,097. 6 elementary schools in the Uintah District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Discovery School:

SchoolDigger ranks Discovery School 186th of 561 Utah public elementary schools. (See Discovery School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
White students:


Uintah District:

SchoolDigger ranks Uintah District 45th of 98 Utah school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Discovery School

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Rank History for all students at Discovery School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools UT State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 61.65 203rd 498 59.2%
2009 61.40 203rd 509 60.1%
2010 50.63 291st 518 43.8%
2011 69.13 179th 563 68.2%
2012 78.32 72nd 579 87.6%
2013 75.77 101st 576 82.5%
2014 40.66 320th 509 37.1%
2015 52.56 263rd 537 51.0%
2016 58.30 226th 533 57.6%
2017 47.26 301st 526 42.8%
2018 51.40 264th 528 50.0%
2019 64.58 194th 572 66.1%
2021 62.97 200th 559 64.2%
2022 49.26 290th 551 47.4%
2023 58.88 228th 561 59.4%
2024 65.38 186th 561 66.8%
See the entire list of Utah Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Discovery School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools UT State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 47.09 64th 132 51.5%
2024 89.65 16th 162 90.1%
See the entire list of Best Utah Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for White students at Discovery School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools UT State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 32.52 310th 435 28.7%
2023 45.66 227th 428 47.0%
2024 50.24 225th 429 47.6%
See the entire list of Best Utah Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Utah State Board 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 School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Utah State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Discovery School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 461 0 1 9 0 n/a n/a 0 471
1989 459 0 2 5 1 n/a n/a 0 467
1990 450 0 2 4 4 n/a n/a 0 460
1991 410 0 2 7 4 n/a n/a 0 423
1992 489 0 0 5 5 n/a n/a 0 499
1993 509 0 0 7 12 n/a n/a 0 528
1994 480 0 0 9 10 n/a n/a 0 499
1995 395 0 1 10 8 n/a n/a 0 414
1996 395 0 1 10 8 n/a n/a 0 414
1997 366 0 1 8 8 n/a n/a 0 383
1998 383 1 1 10 11 n/a n/a 0 406
1999 367 0 3 8 9 n/a n/a 0 387
2000 339 2 3 8 6 n/a n/a 0 358
2001 339 1 1 10 8 n/a n/a 0 359
2002 335 1 2 19 13 n/a n/a 0 370
2003 335 1 2 19 13 n/a n/a 0 370
2004 339 0 3 10 10 n/a n/a 0 362
2005 337 1 0 12 9 n/a n/a 0 359
2006 316 0 2 15 6 n/a n/a 0 339
2007 410 4 1 27 9 n/a n/a 0 451
2008 433 3 3 28 9 n/a n/a 0 476
2009 375 1 3 33 8 n/a n/a 0 420
2010 339 3 3 30 6 n/a n/a 104 485
2011 441 21 1 35 6 0 2 0 506
2012 499 6 1 45 7 0 4 0 562
2013 531 2 2 50 4 1 6 0 596
2014 658 2 0 46 5 3 8 0 722
2015 641 1 0 71 2 4 16 0 735
2016 601 2 1 64 7 4 19 0 698
2017 616 7 1 70 9 3 16 0 722
2018 592 11 1 79 12 1 18 0 714
2019 631 12 3 73 5 0 23 0 747
2020 614 8 4 82 6 3 16 0 733
2021 520 3 4 76 8 2 12 0 625
2022 565 5 4 79 10 1 16 0 680
2023 576 4 4 92 6 1 17 0 700

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 School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 471 19.0 24.7 n/a
1989 467 17.0 27.4 n/a
1990 460 17.5 26.2 13.5
1991 423 17.0 24.8 14.9
1992 499 20.5 24.3 20.6
1993 528 21.5 24.6 18.6
1994 499 20.5 24.3 23.6
1995 414 18.0 23.0 31.2
1996 414 18.0 23.0 31.2
1997 383 17.0 22.5 27.9
1998 406 18.0 22.6 30
1999 387 18.0 21.5 43.7
2000 358 16.3 22.0 43
2001 359 17.0 21.1 46.2
2002 370 19.0 19.5 46.8
2003 370 19.0 19.5 46.8
2004 362 16.0 22.6 49.7
2005 359 17.0 21.1 45.7
2006 339 17.0 19.9 42.8
2007 451 21.0 21.5 99.3
2008 476 20.3 23.4 30
2009 420 20.0 15.5 22.9
2010 485 19.8 24.4 54.6
2011 506 21.9 23.0 36.2
2012 562 21.8 25.7 40.7
2013 596 24.5 24.3 65.1
2014 722 26.5 27.2 32.7
2015 735 n/a n/a 28.2
2016 698 n/a n/a 39.3
2017 722 26.5 27.2 42.8
2018 714 n/a n/a 42.6
2019 747 27.7 26.8 37.9
2020 733 29.3 24.9 34.9
2021 625 n/a n/a 30.6
2022 680 28.5 23.8 27.2
2023 700 29.1 24.0 33.1

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 School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 471 19.0 24.7 n/a
1989 467 17.0 27.4 n/a
1990 460 17.5 26.2 13.5
1991 423 17.0 24.8 14.9
1992 499 20.5 24.3 20.6
1993 528 21.5 24.6 18.6
1994 499 20.5 24.3 23.6
1995 414 18.0 23.0 31.2
1996 414 18.0 23.0 31.2
1997 383 17.0 22.5 27.9
1998 406 18.0 22.6 30
1999 387 18.0 21.5 43.7
2000 358 16.3 22.0 43
2001 359 17.0 21.1 46.2
2002 370 19.0 19.5 46.8
2003 370 19.0 19.5 46.8
2004 362 16.0 22.6 49.7
2005 359 17.0 21.1 45.7
2006 339 17.0 19.9 42.8
2007 451 21.0 21.5 99.3
2008 476 20.3 23.4 30
2009 420 20.0 15.5 22.9
2010 485 19.8 24.4 54.6
2011 506 21.9 23.0 36.2
2012 562 21.8 25.7 40.7
2013 596 24.5 24.3 65.1
2014 722 26.5 27.2 32.7
2015 735 n/a n/a 28.2
2016 698 n/a n/a 39.3
2017 722 26.5 27.2 42.8
2018 714 n/a n/a 42.6
2019 747 27.7 26.8 37.9
2020 733 29.3 24.9 34.9
2021 625 n/a n/a 30.6
2022 680 28.5 23.8 27.2
2023 700 29.1 24.0 33.1

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 School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $436 (6.1%) $6,661 (93.9%) $7,097

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Discovery 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 194th of 572 Elementary schoolsRanks 228th of 561 Elementary schools
 6.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Discovery School)53.649.5
 4.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Uintah District)34.442.3
 7.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Utah)46.846.2
 0.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Discovery School)62.452.8
 9.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Uintah District)41.744.2
 2.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Utah)50.249
 1.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery School)5145.8
 5.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Uintah District)40.736.3
 4.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Utah)47.344.2
 3.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Discovery School)5056.8
 6.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Uintah District)43.540.2
 3.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Utah)49.350.1
 0.8%
4th Grade Science (Discovery School)63.563.1
 0.4%
   4th Grade Science (Uintah District)51.645.1
 6.5%
   4th Grade Science (Utah)51.149.6
 1.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Discovery School)47.642.3
 5.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Uintah District)36.341.7
 5.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Utah)47.949
 1.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Discovery School)46.843.2
 3.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Uintah District)36.541.8
 5.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Utah)4945.3
 3.7%
5th Grade Science (Discovery School)65.158.1
 7%
   5th Grade Science (Uintah District)46.949.2
 2.3%
   5th Grade Science (Utah)51.951.2
 0.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students747700
 6.3%
African American124
 66.7%
American Indian56
 20%
Asian34
 33.3%
Hispanic7392
 26%
Pacific Islander01
White631576
 8.7%
Two or More Races2317
 26.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients37.9%33.1%
 4.7%

Schools Near Discovery School








Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery School

Discovery School ranks 186th of 561 Utah elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Discovery School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Uintah Middle School
Middle : Vernal Middle
High : Uintah High

Students at Discovery School are 82% White, 13% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 700 students attended Discovery 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 Utah State Board 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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