Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 25 schools in district

DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL

1717 40th Ave S, Fargo, ND 58104FARGO 1
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0608Non-Charter
975
Students
Total enrolled
$18,390
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
28% vs nat'l
12.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
22% vs nat'l
Large public school
Serves 975 students in grades 06–08 in Fargo, North Dakota.
28% above average funding
District spends $18,390 per pupil, 28% more than the national average of $14,347.
12.0 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL is a large middle in Fargo, North Dakota, serving grades 06–08 with 975 students. The district invests $18,390 per student — 28% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 26% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL

975
Total Students
12.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
26%
Free Lunch
81
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 Distribution498 male · 477 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility26%
National avg 52% · 257 students
Student Composition
69%
18%
Asian4%
White69%
Hispanic / Latino4%
Black18%
Multiracial4%
Native American2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 380678000079

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,390Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,390
State avg
$22,170
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,092
Student Support$3,494
Administration$2,207
Operations$2,759
Other$1,839
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,390 spent per student, an estimated $8,147 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
49%
36%
State government
48.6%
Local (property tax)
36.1%
Federal programs
15.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $18,390/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location
CountyCass County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFARGO 1
Phone: (701)446-3300
NCES ID: 380678000079
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Fargo seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
1717 40th Ave S, Fargo, ND 58104
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.