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The Discovery School

Q: Is The Discovery School a good school?

The Discovery School ranks 282 nd of 1019 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

282^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,019 Tennessee Elementary Schools

Better than 72% of Tennessee elementary schools

Summary

The Discovery School is a small K–5 elementary school in Dickson, TN, serving 202 students as part of Dickson County Schools, a district ranked 54th out of 141 Tennessee districts. For 2025–2026, the school ranks 282nd out of 1,019 Tennessee elementary schools, placing it in the 72nd percentile with a 4-star rating — solidly above average both statewide and within Dickson County.

English Language Arts is the school's clear academic signature. With 61.9% of students proficient in ELA, Discovery outperforms its district (43.8%) and the state (40.6%) by roughly 20 points, and it tops nearby schools like Kingston Springs Elementary (60.6%) and Stuart Burns Elementary (58.3%). Math proficiency sits at 50.5%, above the district's 44.6% and the state's 43.0%, though it trails Stuart Burns (57.8%) and Centennial Elementary (52.6%). The school also boasts remarkably low chronic absenteeism at 8.9%, well below the district's 13.6% and the state's 18.3% — a strong indicator of student engagement and positive school climate.

Despite these strengths, 2025–2026 data reveals areas to watch. Fourth-grade scores dropped sharply across every subject, with math at 33.3% proficiency and science at 30.0%, both well below district averages. Science is the school's most inconsistent subject, and for the first time in available data, Discovery fell below the district average. With just 202 students, small cohort sizes can cause year-to-year swings. However, the favorable 12.6 student-teacher ratio and strong attendance provide a solid foundation. While the state ranking has slipped from a peak in the 90th percentile to the current 72nd, The Discovery School remains a strong choice for families, especially those prioritizing literacy instruction and a supportive, engaged school community.

202

Students ?

12.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,713

Per pupil spending ?

44.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

101 Henslee Drive
Dickson, TN 37055

(615) 441-4163

District: Dickson County Schools

Students who attend The Discovery School usually attend:

Middle:	Dickson Middle School
High:	Dickson County High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.3%

Two or more races:

13.4%

Hispanic:

7.9%

See top rated Tennessee elementary schools

Compare The Discovery School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 91st percentile in 2015 → 72nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Tennessee average (54% vs 43% meeting standards)

✓Above the Tennessee median (72nd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 19 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school54%

District avg47%

Tennessee avg43%

282^nd of 1,019

Tennessee public elementary schools ?

Top 28%▼ down 5 pts since 2017

From top 23% (2017) to top 28% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 8Elementary Schools in the Dickson County Schools

54^th of 141Dickson County Schools among Tennessee 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	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	67.7	282 of 1019	72.3%	★★★★☆
2025	76.8	179 of 1009	82.3%	★★★★☆
2024	76.3	182 of 1018	82.1%	★★★★☆
2023	72.9	204 of 1020	80.0%	★★★★☆
2022	80.3	142 of 1000	85.8%	★★★★☆
2021	79.5	142 of 983	85.6%	★★★★☆
2019	88.0	98 of 985	90.1%	★★★★★
2018	85.2	108 of 997	89.2%	★★★★☆
2017	67.1	146 of 646	77.4%	★★★★☆
2015	87.3	74 of 855	91.3%	★★★★★
2014	85.4	58 of 853	93.2%	★★★★★
2013	90.8	40 of 846	95.3%	★★★★★
2012	57.7	370 of 820	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	97.7	21 of 818	97.4%	★★★★★
2010	77.7	169 of 809	79.1%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2023	64.5	136 of 500	72.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	70.7	227 of 986	77.0%	★★★★☆
2024	71.6	219 of 990	77.9%	★★★★☆
2023	60.2	328 of 989	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	74.6	169 of 975	82.7%	★★★★☆
2021	85.7	107 of 945	88.7%	★★★★☆
2019	83.9	113 of 926	87.8%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	59.9	264 of 843	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	75.8	112 of 853	86.9%	★★★★☆
2023	40.6	519 of 865	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	80.7	64 of 823	92.2%	★★★★★
2018	45.7	462 of 877	47.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	80.2	144 of 984	85.4%	★★★★☆
2024	76.2	173 of 991	82.5%	★★★★☆
2023	73.4	183 of 987	81.5%	★★★★☆
2022	78.6	150 of 980	84.7%	★★★★☆
2021	62.7	260 of 941	72.4%	★★★★☆
2019	81.7	125 of 916	86.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	56.9	315 of 849	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.5	172 of 840	79.5%	★★★★☆
2024	70.7	195 of 847	77.0%	★★★★☆
2023	64.5	226 of 852	73.5%	★★★★☆
2022	67.2	202 of 844	76.1%	★★★★☆
2021	75.4	152 of 844	82.0%	★★★★☆
2019	87.4	94 of 812	88.4%	★★★★☆
2018	84.0	105 of 841	87.5%	★★★★☆

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)

Male (2025)85th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)77th percentile-5 vs school

African American (2023)73rd percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)69th percentile-14 vs school

White (2026)63rd percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts62%+21 vs state

Mathematics50%+8 vs state

Science50%+3 vs state

4.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, April 23, 2015

Overall a shadow of the dynamic open education model that it once was as a project school when it started. Still miles above other schools in the district though. Very rigid and intense program now focused on test scores and performance..... not necessarily education.... Close Quote

Schools Near The Discovery School

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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)				TNReady Mathematics (2026)				TNReady English Language Arts (2026)				TNReady Science (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	TNReady Mathematics 3rd Grade	TNReady Mathematics 4th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 5th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 3rd Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 4th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 5th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Science 3rd Grade	TNReady Science 4th Grade	TNReady Science 5th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
The Discovery School	Public	K-5	101 Henslee Drive	Dickson	37055	Dickson County	Dickson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 441-4163	225	18	12.6		163 (72.4%)	8 (3.6%)	19 (8.4%)	7 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (12.4%)	67.7	282^nd of 1019 public elementary schools	72.3%		76.8	179^th of 1009 public elementary schools	82.3%	103	60.0	33.3	55.0	50.5	77.1	46.7	60.0	61.9	54.3	30.0	61.5	50.0	$14,713	$1,468	$12,579
Dickson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	120 W Broad Street	Dickson	37055	Dickson County	Dickson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 740-5837	225	22	10.1		150 (66.7%)	10 (4.4%)	44 (19.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	19 (8.4%)	43.7	585^th of 1019 public elementary schools	42.6%		40.2	607^th of 1009 public elementary schools	39.8%	22	35.3	46.2	55.9	45.8	32.4	33.3	50.0	38.3	38.2	35.9	44.1	39.3	$16,716	$1,218	$14,285
Oakmont Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	630 Hwy 46 South	Dickson	37055	Dickson County	Dickson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 446-2435	482	42	11.4		306 (63.5%)	52 (10.8%)	56 (11.6%)	11 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (11.8%)	48.1	514^th of 1019 public elementary schools	49.6%		48.6	504^th of 1009 public elementary schools	50.0%	10	47.5	63.1	29.9	45.8	42.6	47.7	28.6	38.9	42.6	47.6	43.2	44.4	$15,474	$1,461	$13,152
Centennial Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	198 Upper Lake Drive	Dickson	37055	Dickson County	Dickson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 446-0355	705	54	13.0		551 (78.2%)	29 (4.1%)	59 (8.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (8.8%)	68.8	268^th of 1019 public elementary schools	73.7%		70.4	233^rd of 1009 public elementary schools	76.9%	35	34.4	59.5	61.8	52.6	44.1	58.6	58.4	54.1	39.8	66.7	59.8	56.2	$12,933	$1,096	$11,126
Stuart Burns Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3201 Highway 96	Burns	37029	Dickson County	Dickson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 446-2791	717	49	14.5		580 (80.9%)	15 (2.1%)	73 (10.2%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (6.4%)	78.8	165^th of 1019 public elementary schools	83.8%		68.3	254^th of 1009 public elementary schools	74.8%	89	50.0	55.4	69.5	57.8	57.0	62.7	54.7	58.3	61.1	74.1	53.8	63.6	$12,290	$979	$10,610
Charlotte Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Humphries Street	Charlotte	37036	Dickson County	Dickson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 740-5803	591	48	12.3		510 (86.3%)	12 (2.0%)	31 (5.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.1%)	57.8	399^th of 1019 public elementary schools	60.8%		62.9	330^th of 1009 public elementary schools	67.3%	69	46.5	47.9	35.6	43.5	53.0	57.4	39.1	50.0	49.5	52.6	45.9	49.5	$13,344	$1,338	$11,301
White Bluff Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	377 School Road	White Bluff	37187	Dickson County	Dickson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 740-5775	483	41	11.9		416 (86.1%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (9.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.3%)	53.2	462^nd of 1019 public elementary schools	54.7%		63.1	325^th of 1009 public elementary schools	67.8%	137	28.6	49.4	31.3	36.7	45.5	41.6	53.7	46.6	39.0	61.3	63.6	54.1	$14,196	$1,143	$12,260
East Hickman Intermediate School	Public	3-5	5198 East Eagle Drive	Lyles	37098	Hickman County	Hickman County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(931) 670-0227	366	23	16.2		329 (89.9%)	3 (0.8%)	24 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.5%)	45.6	555^th of 1019 public elementary schools	45.5%		35.3	675^th of 1009 public elementary schools	33.1%	120	37.1	48.1	63.2	50.9	31.9	33.6	40.8	35.9	40.4	33.3	44.8	39.8	$13,315	$1,696	$10,607
East Hickman Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	5191 Hwy 100	Lyles	37098	Hickman County	Hickman County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(931) 670-3044	385	29	13.5		365 (94.8%)	4 (1.0%)	12 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)								(n/a)													$15,473	$2,146	$12,235
Vanleer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4456 Highway 49 West	Vanleer	37181	Dickson County	Dickson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 740-5760	264	20	13.0		237 (89.8%)	1 (0.4%)	7 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (7.2%)	55.4	434^th of 1019 public elementary schools	57.4%		42.7	572^nd of 1009 public elementary schools	43.3%	138	56.4	38.8	47.4	46.8	61.5	36.7	50.0	48.4	59.0	38.8	43.2	46.4	$14,931	$1,063	$12,874

Frequently Asked Questions about The Discovery School

How many students attend The Discovery School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 202 students attended The Discovery School.

What district is The Discovery School in?

Dickson County Schools

Is The Discovery School a good school?

The Discovery School ranks 282^nd of 1019 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of The Discovery School?

Students at The Discovery School are 73% White, 13% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 3% African American, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of The Discovery School attend?

Students who attend The Discovery School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Dickson Middle School
High : Dickson County High School

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Latest Tennessee data All new data »

2025–26 TNReady test scoresNewAug 25, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesApr 2, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataFeb 27, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataDec 18, 2025

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