Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Discovery High School

Public, Charter Grades 9-12

630^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 838 Florida High Schools

Better than 25% of Florida high schools

Summary

Discovery High School in Lake Alfred, FL, is a public high school serving 898 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Polk County School District. The school stands out for its exceptionally high graduation rate of 97.4% for the 2024-2025 school year, which surpasses the district average of 87.7% and the state average of 92.2%, and is higher than nearby schools like Winter Haven Senior High School (94.9%) and Haines City Senior High School (91.2%). However, this success is paired with significant challenges, including a chronic absenteeism rate of 39.4% (2023-2024), which is well above the state average of 31.4% and nearly identical to the district average.

Academically, the school shows mixed results. A notable strength is in 9th-grade English Language Arts (ELA), where 54% of students were proficient in the 2025-2026 school year, outperforming the district average of 50% and approaching the state average of 60%. In contrast, math proficiency is a major weakness, with only 24% of students proficient in Algebra 1 and 25% in Geometry—roughly half the state averages of 63% and 56%, respectively. Performance in Biology 1 (57%) and US History (59%) is closer to district averages but still below state levels. The school's overall state ranking has declined from the 55th percentile in 2021-2022 to the 25th percentile for the 2025-2026 school year, now holding a 1-star rating.

Compared to nearby schools, Discovery High School spends $8,644 per student, which is lower than Tenoroc High School ($10,140) and Auburndale Senior High School ($9,387), but higher than Chain of Lakes Collegiate High ($7,080), a magnet school with a 5-star rating and 100% graduation rate. The contrast between Discovery's high graduation rate and low test scores suggests the school may prioritize credit recovery and flexible pathways to ensure students complete requirements, even if academic proficiency on state exams remains a challenge. For parents, this school offers a strong commitment to graduating students but may require extra support in core subjects like math.

898

Students ?

19.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,644

Per pupil spending ?

63.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1000 N Buena Vista Dr
Lake Alfred, FL 33850

(863) 268-7178

District: Polk

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

54.3%

White:

21.7%

African American:

20.6%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare Discovery High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 36th percentile in 2019 → 25th in 2026

Strengths

✓97% graduate in 4 years — above the Florida average (92%)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (43% vs 64% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (25th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (39% vs 31% Florida)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school43%

District avg53%

Florida avg64%

630^th of 838

Florida public high schools ?

Bottom 25%▼ down 12 pts since 2019

From bottom 36% (2019) to bottom 25% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

17^th of 25High Schools in the Polk

61^st of 70Polk among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	25.1	630 of 838	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.0	660 of 844	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.5	559 of 807	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.6	474 of 792	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.5	347 of 774	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	29.6	475 of 746	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	32.2	467 of 734	36.4%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

US History59%-15 vs state

Biology 157%-17 vs state

English Language Arts47%-14 vs state

Geometry25%-31 vs state

Algebra 124%-39 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Discovery High School and help other families decide.

Rate Discovery High School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Discovery High School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)			FAST Math (2026)	EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC US History (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Discovery High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1000 N Buena Vista Dr	Lake Alfred	33850	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 268-7178	898	45	19.9	63.7%	195 (21.7%)	185 (20.6%)	488 (54.3%)	7 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	18 (2.0%)	25.1	630^th of 838 public high schools	24.8%		21	660^th of 844 public high schools	21.8%	30		54.0	38.0		24.0	25.0	57.0	59.0	$8,644	$909	$7,735
Auburndale Senior High School	Public	9-12	1 Bloodhound Trl	Auburndale	33823	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 965-6200	1,770	74	23.9	63.6%	682 (38.5%)	411 (23.2%)	605 (34.2%)	19 (1.1%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	48 (2.7%)	24.1	637^th of 838 public high schools	24.0%		21.8	653^rd of 844 public high schools	22.6%	16		47.0	48.0		14.0	18.0	57.0	60.0	$9,387	$1,368	$8,020
Ridge Teen Parent Program	Public	6-12	7700 Lucerne Park Rd	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 299-2512	11	0		63.6%	3 (27.3%)	3 (27.3%)	5 (45.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Ridge Technical Academy	Public	6-12	7700 State Road 544	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 419-3060	103	8	12.8	68.9%	32 (31.1%)	17 (16.5%)	53 (51.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)								(n/a)								77.0	$12,338	$1,136	$11,203
Chain Of Lakes Collegiate High	Public, Charter	10-12	999 Avenue H NE	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 298-6800	340	7	48.5		139 (40.9%)	65 (19.1%)	121 (35.6%)	8 (2.4%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	4 (1.2%)	94.5	2^nd of 838 public high schools	99.8%		96.2	1^st of 844 public high schools	99.9%	1			97.0					95.0	$7,080	$08	$7,072
Ridge Community High School	Public	9-12	500 Orchid Dr	Davenport	33837	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 419-3315	2,632	114	23.0	61.7%	232 (8.8%)	596 (22.6%)	1,725 (65.5%)	31 (1.2%)	6 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	40 (1.5%)	26.5	616^th of 838 public high schools	26.5%		25.6	625^th of 844 public high schools	25.9%	9		43.0	46.0		27.0	21.0	60.0	70.0	$8,108	$1,041	$7,066
New Beginnings High School	Public, Charter	6-12	250 Magnolia Ave SW	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 268-5666	997	15	66.4	77.3%	184 (18.5%)	327 (32.8%)	445 (44.6%)	5 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	33 (3.3%)	2.2	793^rd of 838 public high schools	5.4%		2.5	794^th of 844 public high schools	5.9%	1	13.0	11.0	9.0	0.0	11.0	3.0		8.0	$9,680	$307	$9,374
Winter Haven Senior High School	Public	9-12	600 6th St SE	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5330	2,648	109	24.2	60.2%	816 (30.8%)	801 (30.2%)	888 (33.5%)	56 (2.1%)	5 (0.2%)	7 (0.3%)	75 (2.8%)	35.6	526^th of 838 public high schools	37.2%		37.2	495^th of 844 public high schools	41.4%	31		52.0	58.0		24.0	34.0	65.0	66.0	$8,762	$1,062	$7,698
Haines City Senior High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	2800 Hornet Dr	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 421-3281	3,105	122	25.4	69.6%	285 (9.2%)	951 (30.6%)	1,773 (57.1%)	38 (1.2%)	13 (0.4%)	9 (0.3%)	36 (1.2%)	27.2	611^th of 838 public high schools	27.1%		29.3	590^th of 844 public high schools	30.1%	21		45.0	47.0		29.0	35.0	57.0	67.0	$7,978	$1,130	$6,847
Tenoroc High School	Public	9-12	4905 Saddle Creek Rd	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 614-9183	1,141	48	23.7	72.7%	403 (35.3%)	214 (18.8%)	478 (41.9%)	10 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.4%)	31 (2.7%)	20.5	663^rd of 838 public high schools	20.9%		22	652^nd of 844 public high schools	22.7%	11		37.0	42.0		20.0	21.0	47.0	68.0	$10,140	$1,312	$8,828

Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery High School

Is Discovery High School a good school?

Discovery High School ranks in the bottom 24.8% of Florida high schools.

How many students attend Discovery High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 898 students attended Discovery High School.

What is the racial makeup of Discovery High School?

Students at Discovery High School are 54% Hispanic, 22% White, 21% African American, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Discovery High School in?

Polk

Rate Discovery High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

FLFlorida High School Rankings

FLFlorida District Rankings

Schools in Lake Alfred, FL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Discovery High School!

Latest Florida data All new data »

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department 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.