Discovery Elementary

5241 36th Street North
Arlington, VA 22207

www.apsva.us/Domain/4352

489 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

Discovery Elementary, located in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, is widely recognized as a leader in sustainable educational design. As the first net-zero energy elementary school in the United States, the building itself serves as a "teaching tool," featuring solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, and energy-efficient architecture that allows students to engage directly with environmental science and conservation concepts in their daily surroundings.

Beyond its innovative facility, Discovery Elementary maintains a strong commitment to academic excellence and a student-centered learning environment. The school emphasizes a holistic approach to education, fostering curiosity, creativity, and community engagement through a collaborative curriculum. By blending modern, eco-friendly infrastructure with a robust instructional program, Discovery provides an inspiring atmosphere that prepares students to be both academically proficient and environmentally conscious global citizens.

489

Total Students

38.5

Full-Time Teachers

12.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

4.3%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Discovery Elementary
Demographic	Student Count
White	341
Hispanic	41
Black	10
Asian	32
Two or More	65

White
341 (69.7%)
Two or More
65 (13.3%)
Hispanic
41 (8.4%)
Asian
32 (6.5%)
Black
10 (2.0%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Arlington County Public Schools
Phone:	(703)288-2685
Website:	http://www.apsva.us/Domain/4352
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	489
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	38.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	12.7
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	20
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	1

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 35

Kindergarten 81

Grade 1 71

Grade 2 77

Grade 3 72

Grade 4 80

Grade 5 73