The Phoenix School of Discovery was originally established under the federal guidelines of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. At the time, based on the guidelines, JCPS had limited placement options for middle and high school student transfers. Through the process of examining options and reviewing existing resources, the concept of the Phoenix School of Discovery was developed as a school that relies heavily on technology.
Since 2012, Phoenix has evolved into an optional school that specializes in meeting the needs of struggling students through differentiated instruction. Classes are taught by highly qualified educators in a setting that offers a small student-to-teacher ratio. Instruction is further enhanced by technology and interventions targeting students’ social, emotional, and academic needs.
The school’s primary focus is not only to prepare students in grades six through twelve to reach state Proficiency levels but also to meet the needs of the students where they are and to equip them with the necessary skills to be successful in life after high school.
Teachers follow the Kentucky Core Content for Assessment, as well as JCPS promotion and graduation requirements. In addition, students participate in all assessments required by the Kentucky Summative Assessments (KSA) and students adhere to the district's code of student conduct and comply with attendance policies.
The Phoenix School of Discovery has no athletic teams but does offer a number of extracurricular activities, such as Academic Team, Chess Club, Robotics, Art Club, Science Club, and the Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP). Students also have the opportunity to participate in service learning.