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

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its North Carolina rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Discovery High School

Q: Is Discovery High School a good school?

Discovery High School ranks 176 th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

176^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 73% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Discovery High School is a small public high school in Newton, NC, a small city in western North Carolina's Catawba County, serving 146 students in grades 9–12 as part of the Newton Conover City Schools district, a district rated 4 stars and ranked 72nd out of 246 districts statewide. The school itself currently ranks 176th out of 662 North Carolina high schools, placing it in the 73rd percentile with a 4-star rating. That is a solid, above-average standing — but a far cry from where Discovery used to be. The school was ranked as high as #4 in the state in 2017–2018 and earned 5-star ratings in multiple years between 2017 and 2022. The trajectory since then has involved a gradual decline, yet the school remains in the top quarter of all high schools in North Carolina.

Test scores are the school's strongest asset. In the most recent testing year, Discovery students posted proficiency rates of 71.4% in Biology, 85% in English II, and 84.8% in Math I — all far above district and state averages. Math III is the exception, at 65.8%, slightly trailing the state average of 68.9%. The gap between Discovery and Newton-Conover High, its same-district neighbor located only 0.17 miles away, is enormous: in the latest comparable year, Discovery outperformed Newton-Conover High by roughly 30 to 45 percentage points in every tested subject. Attendance has also improved dramatically, with chronic absenteeism dropping from 54.5% to 16.1% in a single year — far better than the district rate of 20.7% and the state rate of 24.2%.

Discovery serves a comparatively lower-poverty student population than most schools in its area. About 29% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, compared with 60.5% at Newton-Conover High and more than 98% at nearby Bunker Hill High, Hickory High, and Saint Stephens High. Discovery also achieves its strong results while spending less — $7,999 per pupil versus Newton-Conover High's $10,228 — and with a higher student-teacher ratio of 22.1. The school's most notable red flag is its gifted and talented subgroup, which currently ranks in the bottom 2% of all North Carolina schools, a striking outlier for a school whose overall academic results are so strong.

146

Students ?

22.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

29.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

301 West 18th St
Newton, NC 28658

(828) 466-5581

District: Newton Conover City Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

58.2%

Hispanic:

19.2%

Asian:

10.3%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Discovery High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 92nd percentile in 2015 → 73rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (77% vs 60% meeting standards)

✓Above the North Carolina median (73rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 19 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Large classes — about 22 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school77%

District avg55%

North Carolina avg60%

176^th of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Top 27%▼ down 22 pts since 2016

From top 4% (2016) to top 27% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

72^nd of 246Newton Conover City Schools among North Carolina 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	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	72.0	176 of 662	73.4%	★★★★☆
2025	83.0	121 of 641	81.1%	★★★★☆
2024	79.8	134 of 640	79.1%	★★★★☆
2023	77.6	141 of 626	77.5%	★★★★☆
2022	92.6	53 of 621	91.5%	★★★★★
2021	97.3	12 of 594	98.0%	★★★★★
2019	89.3	28 of 514	94.6%	★★★★★
2018	95.5	4 of 469	99.1%	★★★★★
2016	85.1	21 of 507	95.9%	★★★★★
2015	80.3	40 of 531	92.5%	★★★★★
2013	67.2	56 of 505	88.9%	★★★★☆
2012	71.0	65 of 502	87.1%	★★★★☆
2011	68.7	96 of 506	81.0%	★★★★☆
2010	58.6	206 of 499	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2009	58.4	187 of 490	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	59.6	152 of 477	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	56.7	174 of 453	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2006	72.6	52 of 431	87.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	59.9	244 of 629	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	79.0	128 of 610	79.0%	★★★★☆
2024	75.3	155 of 602	74.3%	★★★★☆
2023	70.3	163 of 588	72.3%	★★★★☆
2022	89.8	62 of 594	89.6%	★★★★☆
2021	96.1	6 of 475	98.7%	★★★★★
2019	86.1	31 of 475	93.5%	★★★★★
2018	95.5	2 of 449	99.6%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	8.2	397 of 407	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	19.4	370 of 412	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.0	336 of 403	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	34.3	328 of 403	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	68.9	122 of 398	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	86.9	3 of 337	99.1%	★★★★★
2019	68.0	81 of 325	75.1%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	61.7	127 of 449	71.7%	★★★★☆
2022	96.4	23 of 436	94.7%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	80.6	122 of 620	80.3%	★★★★☆
2025	83.4	96 of 606	84.2%	★★★★☆
2024	85.5	102 of 613	83.4%	★★★★☆
2023	73.5	126 of 597	78.9%	★★★★☆
2019	94.9	11 of 446	97.5%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	82.3	125 of 624	80.0%	★★★★☆
2025	83.0	124 of 601	79.4%	★★★★☆
2024	84.7	115 of 607	81.1%	★★★★☆
2023	85.7	111 of 602	81.6%	★★★★☆
2022	93.6	54 of 585	90.8%	★★★★★
2021	97.6	5 of 481	99.0%	★★★★★
2019	92.3	15 of 488	96.9%	★★★★★
2018	94.9	11 of 463	97.6%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	74.8	148 of 551	73.1%	★★★★☆
2025	79.1	120 of 542	77.9%	★★★★☆
2024	73.5	152 of 553	72.5%	★★★★☆
2023	71.1	158 of 537	70.6%	★★★★☆
2022	88.1	68 of 534	87.3%	★★★★☆
2021	96.6	6 of 439	98.6%	★★★★★
2019	85.6	31 of 444	93.0%	★★★★★
2018	90.2	15 of 427	96.5%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)80th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)80th percentile+7 vs school

White (2026)73rd percentile~ school

Hispanic (2023)72nd percentile-6 vs school

Female (2026)61st percentile-12 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)2nd percentile-71 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English II85%+20 vs state

Math I85%+43 vs state

Biology71%+13 vs state

Math III66%-3 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)				EOC Biology (2026)	EOC English II (2026)	EOC Math I (2026)	EOC Math III (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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 (2025)	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	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Discovery High School	Public	9-12	301 West 18th St	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 466-5581	146	7	22.1	29.5%	85 (58.2%)	4 (2.7%)	28 (19.2%)	15 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (9.6%)	72	176^th of 662 public high schools	73.4%		83	121^st of 641 public high schools	81.1%	55	71.4	85.0	84.8	65.8	$7,999	$741	$7,259
Newton-Conover High	Public	9-12	338 W 15th Street	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 465-0920	724	44	16.5	60.5%	314 (43.4%)	71 (9.8%)	222 (30.7%)	46 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (9.8%)	32.4	461^st of 662 public high schools	30.4%		28.9	466^th of 641 public high schools	27.3%	5	44.0	48.8	48.9	58.6	$10,228	$626	$9,601
Challenger Early College High	Public	9-12	2550 Hwy 70 SE	Hickory	28602	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 485-2980	376	11	33.5	49.5%	131 (34.8%)	10 (2.7%)	122 (32.4%)	72 (19.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	40 (10.6%)	93.6	20^th of 662 public high schools	97.0%		95.5	16^th of 641 public high schools	97.5%	4	98.9	100.0	96.2	95.7	$6,093	$246	$5,847
Maiden High	Public	9-12	600 West Main Street	Maiden	28650	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 428-8197	852	41	20.7	49.1%	528 (62.0%)	54 (6.3%)	150 (17.6%)	57 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (7.4%)	48.3	342^nd of 662 public high schools	48.3%		47.8	320^th of 641 public high schools	50.1%	22	54.3	63.7	49.2	69.9	$9,016	$684	$8,333
Saint Stephens High	Public	9-12	3205 34th Street Drive NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 256-9841	1,268	57	22.0	99.8%	560 (44.2%)	109 (8.6%)	442 (34.9%)	62 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	95 (7.5%)	49.9	330^th of 662 public high schools	50.2%		58	243^rd of 641 public high schools	62.1%	87	64.7	62.9	42.2	68.9	$8,502	$740	$7,761
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School	Public	9-12	409 8th Avenue NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 328-6738	201	13	15.2	98.5%	107 (53.2%)	22 (10.9%)	45 (22.4%)	6 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (10.4%)	53.3	300^th of 662 public high schools	54.7%		56.6	253^rd of 641 public high schools	60.5%	47	60.0	64.9	38.6	83.3	$15,342	$1,043	$14,299
Bunker Hill High	Public	9-12	4675 Oxford School Road	Claremont	28610	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 241-3355	845	40	21.1	99.6%	457 (54.1%)	69 (8.2%)	179 (21.2%)	86 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (6.4%)	25.4	518^th of 662 public high schools	21.8%		30.3	441^st of 641 public high schools	31.2%	77	42.5	53.8	39.1	44.9	$8,880	$745	$8,136
Hickory High	Public	9-12	1234 3rd Street NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 322-5860	1,024	38	26.6	99.7%	358 (35.0%)	196 (19.1%)	297 (29.0%)	47 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.6%)	120 (11.7%)	28.5	487^th of 662 public high schools	26.4%		26.1	486^th of 641 public high schools	24.2%	1	45.0	54.6	30.8	56.0	$8,704	$694	$8,010
Bandys High	Public	9-12	5040 E Bandys Road	Catawba	28609	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 241-1471	935	40	23.1	40.5%	696 (74.4%)	42 (4.5%)	116 (12.4%)	17 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (6.8%)	66.7	206^th of 662 public high schools	68.9%		69.2	181^st of 641 public high schools	71.8%	25	63.8	73.8	60.2	83.0	$8,843	$732	$8,111
Fred T Foard High	Public	9-12	3407 Plateau Road	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 462-1496	930	43	21.8	46.9%	684 (73.5%)	30 (3.2%)	98 (10.5%)	48 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	67 (7.2%)	53.1	303^rd of 662 public high schools	54.2%		52.6	274^th of 641 public high schools	57.3%	29	63.5	62.7	63.7	61.1	$8,769	$744	$8,025

Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery High School

Is Discovery High School a good school?

Discovery High School ranks 176^th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Discovery High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 146 students attended Discovery High School.

What is the racial makeup of Discovery High School?

Students at Discovery High School are 58% White, 19% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 10% Two or more races, 3% African American.

What district is Discovery High School in?

Newton Conover City Schools

Rate Discovery High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina High School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Newton, NC

Sign up for updates!

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

Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesNewSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresNewSep 2, 2026

2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

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.