Laurel School District

Laurel, Delaware — 4 schools

2,598
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$15,805
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Laurel School District operates 4 public schools serving 2,598 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Delaware. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 2,544 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Sussex County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,805 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 16.1% local, 64.6% state, and 19.3% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $73,796 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 43/100, ranked #19 of 40 in Delaware against a state average of 39 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 367.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 26.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 39.0% White, 27.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.1% African American across the district's schools.

Laurel Elementary School accounts for 45.0% of all Laurel School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Laurel School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Laurel School District school enrollment varies 4.2× across entities

Laurel School District school enrollment ranges from 273 students (lowest) to 1,145 students (highest), a spread of 872 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Laurel School District student-counselor ratio is 367:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Laurel School District chronic absenteeism rate is 26.3% — 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 Laurel School District is typically wider than the Laurel 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?

19.3%
Federal
64.6%
State
16.1%
Local

Funding Equity

43
Equity Score
19 / 40
State Rank
39
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Sussex County county, where this district is located.

$1,059
Studio/mo
$1,066
1 BR/mo
$1,399
2 BR/mo
$1,757
3 BR/mo
$2,172
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$73,796
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Laurel School District.

White 39.0%
Hispanic or Latino 27.1%
African American 24.1%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 8.1%
Other 1.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
367.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
26.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Laurel School District

School Enrollment
Laurel Elementary School
1,145
Laurel Senior High School
753
Laurel Middle School
373
North Laurel Early Learning Academy
273

Nearby Districts in Delaware

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

Red Clay Consolidated School District
14,771 students · 28 schools · $23,101/pupil
Compare vs Laurel School District →
Christina School District
13,092 students · 28 schools · $30,267/pupil
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Appoquinimink School District
12,804 students · 20 schools · $21,233/pupil
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Indian River School District
10,799 students · 16 schools · $21,100/pupil
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Brandywine School District
10,367 students · 17 schools · $21,794/pupil
Compare vs Laurel School District →

Compare Laurel 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 Laurel School District?

Laurel School District has 4 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 other. Total enrollment is 2,598 students.

How much does Laurel School District spend per student?

Laurel School District spends $15,805 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #19 in Delaware.

What is the average teacher salary in Laurel School District?

The average teacher salary in Laurel School District is $73,796 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Laurel School District?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Sussex County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Laurel School District?

Laurel School District students are 39.0% White, 27.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.1% African American, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Laurel School District?

Laurel School District has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #19 out of 40 districts in Delaware. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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50 states + DC

Full national footprint

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Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
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Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.