DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

As an average-sized K-5 school in MERIDIAN, Idaho, DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL educates 416 students from grades pre-K through 5, part of JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2. Compared to the state average of about 332 students per school, that is 25% above typical.

JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 runs 61 schools in total, collectively educating 38,740 students. DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL records that 73% of the student body identifies as White. The remainder looks like 17% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 4% multiracial. That is visibly less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 83%.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 24 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 17.6:1 students per teacher. That tracks the state average closely. About 31% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

Around the school, the surrounding county (Ada County) logs that the typical household earns roughly $91,502 per year, about 45% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 5%. In all, Ada County runs 156 public schools (combined enrollment of about 80,006 students), of which DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one.

Nearest neighbor: PATHWAYS MIDDLE SCHOOL, around 0.2 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The campus sits in a commuter-belt setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has declined 26%, going from 565 students in 2018 to 416 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share ticked down from 84% to 73%. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 20.8:1 in 2018 to 17.6:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.