- Enrollment
- 1,425
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Newark, DE
Downes (John R.) Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Downes (John R.) Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 100020000228
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Downes (John R.) Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Delaware schools.
- #11 of 15
- elementary schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- small classes for Delaware
- 346
- students enrolled
Downes (John R.) Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 80% of Delaware schools. Computed live against every Delaware school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Downes (John R.) Elementary School ranks #11 of 15 elementary schools in Newark, DE.
School address
District: Christina School District · Delaware
NCES ID 100020000228 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-28 students YoY
Downes (John R.) Elementary School shrank from 385 students in 2022-23 to 357 in 2023-24 (-7.3%).
Teacher FTE lost 32.4 → 29.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-28 students YoY 100020000228 · Newark, DE Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
346 enr · 10.8:1 · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: Christiana High School (1,425 students)
Downes (John R.) Elementary School shrank from 385 students in 2022-23 to 357 in 2023-24 (-7.3%). Teacher FTE lost 32.4 → 29.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Delaware schools → · Find another →
Downes (John R.) Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Christiana Hig
Christiana High School
1,425 students
- Newark High Sc
Newark High School
1,039 students
- Glasgow High S
Glasgow High School
908 students
- Shue-Medill Mi
Shue-Medill Middle School
763 students
- Gauger-Cobbs M
Gauger-Cobbs Middle School
681 students
- This school 346
Downes (John R.) Elementary School
346 students
What this shows Downes (John R.) Elementary School reports 346 students on the CCD universe file.
How Downes (John R.) Elementary School compares
Downes (John R.) Elementary School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Delaware and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Delaware | Delaware avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.8:1 | ▼ 22% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 346 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
346
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 20% in Delaware - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
37.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$33,954
per pupil, district-wide
- above Delaware avg of $18,304
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 346 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 38.7%
African American 24.6%
Hispanic or Latino 19.9%
Asian 10.1%
Two or More 6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 38.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.6, Downes (John R.) Elementary School is more mixed than the Delaware school average of 61.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Christina School District reports $33,954 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Downes (John R.) Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christiana High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Newark High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glasgow High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shue-Medill Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gauger-Cobbs Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Downes (John R.) Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,039
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 908
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 681
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Newark
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Academia Antonia Alonso
Standard public school
910 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Marshall (Thurgood) Elementary School
Standard public school
529 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Gallaher (Robert S.) Elementary School
Standard public school
469 students 9.8:1 students per teacher
Forest Oak Elementary School
Standard public school
429 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Smith (Jennie E.) Elementary School
Standard public school
413 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Keene (William B.) Elementary School
Standard public school
408 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~346 students)
Frequently asked questions about Downes (John R.) Elementary School
How many students attend Downes (John R.) Elementary School?
Downes (John R.) Elementary School has 346 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Newark, DE. CCD year-over-year: 385 (2022-23) → 357 (2023-24), down 28.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Downes (John R.) Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Downes (John R.) Elementary School is 10.8:1, which is 22% lower than the Delaware average of 13.9:1 and 31% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Downes (John R.) Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Downes (John R.) Elementary School is White at 38.7% of enrollment, in Newark, DE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Downes (John R.) Elementary School?
Downes (John R.) Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Downes (John R.) Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, Downes (John R.) Elementary School ranks #11 of 15 elementary schools in Newark, DE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Newark on the city page.
What other schools are in Christina School District?
Besides Downes (John R.) Elementary School, Christina School District also operates Christiana High School (1,425 students), Newark High School (1,039 students), and Glasgow High School (908 students). See the Christina School District district page for the complete list.