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Very Good

#497 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 19% in state

Discovery High School

High School · Newton Conover City Schools · Newton, NC

A Newton Conover City Schools high school where students score 11 points above what's typical for similar communities.

301 West 18th St, Newton, NC 28658

  • Math 79% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 81% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 90%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress9.2Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change+0.06 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics9.1Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency79.4% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency80.8% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+23.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+27.2 pts
Overall Proficiency80% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)69% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+10.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile86th
College Readiness10.0Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate90%+
AP Participation90.7%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment1.4Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio27:1
District spending per student$12,359

Students at Discovery High School score 80% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 69%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency79%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency81%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 11 points since 2019, reaching 80% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
75%
ELA
95%
2010
Math
90%
ELA
70%
2011
Math
90%
ELA
90%
2012
Math
50%
ELA
70%
2013
Math
50%
ELA
70%
2014
Math
55%
ELA
85%
2015
Math
75%
ELA
85%
2016
Math
75%
ELA
95%
2017
Math
5%
ELA
85%
2018
Math
65%
ELA
75%
2019
Math
65%
ELA
75%
2020*
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2021*
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2025
Math
79%
ELA
81%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 69% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 83% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

24.7%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Discovery High School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 40Car-Dependent
  • Bike 36Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,322/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Newton), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$67,805

Median home value

$192,500

Median rent

$933/mo

College educated

19.3%

Homeownership

75.2%

Poverty rate

10.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28658; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
90.7% participation·State avg: 3 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Newton-conover HighEnrollment path unverified4.39–120.2 mi749Compare →
Conover Special EducationEnrollment path unverified5.0PK–121.5 mi106Compare →
Challenger Early College HighEnrollment path unverified7.39–123.9 mi362Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Newton Conover City Schools

Schools in district
7
Rank in district
#3 of 7
District spending per student
$12,359NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
19.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Discovery High School is listed in Newton Conover City Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Discovery High School

Discovery High School is a public high school in Newton, NC, part of Newton Conover City Schools, serving approximately 162 students in grades 9th-12th with a 27:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.9 out of 10 and ranks #497 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 69% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 83% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Discovery High School

What grades does Discovery High School serve?

Discovery High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Discovery High School?

Discovery High School has an enrollment of approximately 162 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Discovery High School is 27:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Discovery High School rank in NC?

Discovery High School ranks #497 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Discovery High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Discovery High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.9 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Discovery High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Discovery High School has 69% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 83% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Discovery High School a charter school?

No, Discovery High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Discovery High School a Title I school?

No, Discovery High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Discovery High School?

24.7% of students at Discovery High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
162
Student-Teacher Ratio
27:1
Teachers (FTE)
6
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Catawba County
4-Year Graduation
90%+
Area population (ZIP 28658)
25,681
Area average commute
24.2 min
Area median age
41.6
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 28658; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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