Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 11 schools in district

Discovery Middle School

1304 Hughes Rd, Madison, AL 35758Madison City
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0608Non-Charter
1,334
Students
Total enrolled
$14,105
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
16.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
8% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
29% vs nat'l
Large public school
Serves 1,334 students in grades 06–08 in Madison, Alabama.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,105 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Discovery Middle School is a very large middle in Madison, Alabama, serving grades 06–08 with 1,334 students. The district invests $14,105 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 25% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Discovery Middle School

1,334
Total Students
16.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
25%
Free Lunch
80
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0608) are served by this school
Gender Distribution694 male · 640 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility25%
National avg 52% · 338 students
Student Composition
8%
58%
8%
19%
Asian8%
White58%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black19%
Multiracial7%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010000800495

Academic Outcomes at Discovery Middle School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 11th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 35758

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,105Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,105
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,206
Student Support$2,680
Administration$1,693
Operations$2,116
Other$1,411
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,105 spent per student, an estimated $6,249 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
48%
44%
State government
47.9%
Local (property tax)
44.2%
Federal programs
7.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location
CountyMadison County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (256)837-3735
NCES ID: 010000800495
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Madison seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
1304 Hughes Rd, Madison, AL 35758
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.