Lake Forest School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Felton, Delaware - 7 schools

An equity score of 46/100 ranks Lake Forest School District #14 of 40 districts in Delaware (state average 39). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,646 per pupil, Lake Forest School District ranks #23 of 42 Delaware districts by per-pupil spending (Delaware districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,611
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$15,646
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lake Forest School District operates 7 public schools serving 3,611 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Delaware. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Kent County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,646 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 42 Delaware districts by per-pupil spending. See how Delaware compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 15.7% local, 65.3% state, and 19.0% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 46/100, ranked #14 of 40 in Delaware against a state average of 39, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 337.6:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 24.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 56.3% White, 22.1% African American, 11.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lake Forest East Elementary School, with a diversity index of 67.0/100.

Its largest campus is Lake Forest High School, enrolling 951 students (26% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Delaware Early Childhood Center, at 83 students, a 11x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Lake Forest High School accounts for 25.5% of all Lake Forest School District student enrollment

That concentration means Lake Forest School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Lake Forest School District school enrollment varies 11× across entities

Lake Forest School District school enrollment ranges from 83 students (lowest) to 951 students (highest), a spread of 868 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Lake Forest School District student-counselor ratio is 338:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Lake Forest School District is typically wider than the Lake Forest School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Lake Forest School District chronic absenteeism rate is 24.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Lake Forest School District is typically wider than the Lake Forest School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

19.0%
Federal
65.3%
State
15.7%
Local

Funding Equity

46
Equity Score
14 / 40
State Rank
39
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in Lake Forest School District.

White 56.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.2%
African American 22.1%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 8.7%
Other 0.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 61.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Lake Forest School District's schools, about the same as the Delaware average of 61.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lake Forest East Elementary School 67.0
  2. 2 Delaware Early Childhood Center 64.9
  3. 3 Chipman (W.T.) Middle School 61.9
  4. 4 Lake Forest High School 60.4
  5. 5 Lake Forest Central Elementary School 59.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
337.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Lake Forest School District

School Enrollment
Lake Forest High School
951
Chipman (W.T.) Middle School
905
Lake Forest Central Elementary School
604
Lake Forest North Elementary School
424
Lake Forest South Elementary School
407
Lake Forest East Elementary School
353
Delaware Early Childhood Center
83

How Lake Forest School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Delaware districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Seaford School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Newark Charter School Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Milford School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Laurel School District Smaller Similar spending Similar funding mix
New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District Larger Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Lake Forest School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Delaware

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Christina School District
13,092 students · 28 schools · $26,659/pupil
Compare vs Lake Forest School District →
Appoquinimink School District
12,804 students · 20 schools · $15,779/pupil
Compare vs Lake Forest School District →
Indian River School District
10,799 students · 16 schools · $17,680/pupil
Compare vs Lake Forest School District →
Brandywine School District
10,367 students · 17 schools · $20,248/pupil
Compare vs Lake Forest School District →

Compare Lake Forest School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Red Clay Consolidated School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Lake Forest School District?

Lake Forest School District has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 4 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 3,611 students.

How much does Lake Forest School District spend per student?

Lake Forest School District spends $15,646 per student. The district has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #14 in Delaware.

What is the demographic composition of Lake Forest School District?

Lake Forest School District students are 56.3% White, 22.1% African American, 11.2% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lake Forest School District?

Lake Forest School District has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #14 out of 40 districts in Delaware.