Seaford School District

Seaford, Delaware — 7 schools

3,410
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$18,856
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Seaford School District operates 7 public schools serving 3,410 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Delaware. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 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 3,580 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 $18,856 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 15.9% local, 63.1% state, and 20.9% 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 $85,871 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 51/100, ranked #8 of 40 in Delaware against a state average of 39 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 434:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 26.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 34.9% African American, 28.6% Hispanic or Latino, 27.1% White across the district's schools.

Seaford Senior High School accounts for 26.8% of all Seaford School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Seaford 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

Seaford School District school enrollment varies 17× across entities

Seaford School District school enrollment ranges from 57 students (lowest) to 960 students (highest), a spread of 903 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

Seaford School District student-counselor ratio is 434:1 — 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

Seaford School District chronic absenteeism rate is 26.0% — 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 Seaford School District is typically wider than the Seaford 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?

20.9%
Federal
63.1%
State
15.9%
Local

Funding Equity

51
Equity Score
8 / 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

$85,871
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 7 schools in Seaford School District.

White 27.1%
Hispanic or Latino 28.6%
African American 34.9%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 8.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
434:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
26.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Seaford School District

School Enrollment
Seaford Senior High School
960
Seaford Middle School
800
Seaford Central Elementary School
473
Frederick Douglass Elementary School
456
West Seaford Elementary School
424
Blades Elementary School
410
Sussex Orthopedic Program
57

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
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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
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Compare Seaford 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 Seaford School District?

Seaford School District has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 4 elementary, 1 other. Total enrollment is 3,410 students.

How much does Seaford School District spend per student?

Seaford School District spends $18,856 per student. The district has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #8 in Delaware.

What is the average teacher salary in Seaford School District?

The average teacher salary in Seaford School District is $85,871 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Seaford 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 Seaford School District?

Seaford School District students are 34.9% African American, 28.6% Hispanic or Latino, 27.1% White, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Seaford School District?

Seaford School District has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #8 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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Full national footprint

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

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