Enrollment
577
Delaware · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Dover, DE
South Dover Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Dover Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 100019000055
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Dover Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Delaware schools.
- #12 of 13
- elementary schools in Dover · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.2:1
- large classes for Delaware
- 577
- students enrolled
South Dover Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Delaware schools. Computed live against every Delaware school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Dover Elementary School ranks #12 of 13 elementary schools in Dover, DE.
School address
District: Capital School District · Delaware
NCES ID 100019000055 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 13.9:1 Delaware avg
+9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Dover Elementary School compares with Delaware and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Dover Elementary School
South Dover Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Dover, Delaware, enrolling 577 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Delaware schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 577 students, its enrollment sits close to the Delaware median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 222 Delaware schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by African American (61%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 577 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Capital School District spends $24,337 per pupil, 43% above the Delaware average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Dover's elementary schools, it stands alongside W. Reily Brown Elementary School (506 students): South Dover Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.2:1 vs 12.7:1).
Capital School District also operates Dover High School (1,812 students) and Central Middle School (860 students) alongside South Dover Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How South Dover Elementary School compares
South Dover Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Delaware and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Delaware | Delaware avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 577 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
577
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 71% in Delaware - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.8%
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
$24,337
per pupil, district-wide
- above Delaware avg of $16,990
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 577 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 61.2%
Hispanic or Latino 16.1%
White 12.0%
Two or More 9.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: African American at 61.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.7, South Dover Elementary School is less mixed than the Delaware school average of 61.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Capital School District, which includes South Dover Elementary School.
$24,337
Per student
+43%
vs Delaware
Avg $16,990
+47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.9%
State 65.9%
Federal 13.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How South Dover Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| William Henry Middle School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Towne Point Elementary School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Dover Elementary School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Dover Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,812
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 860
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 432
- Students per teacher
- 8.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 341
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 333
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Dover
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
W. Reily Brown Elementary School
Standard public school
506 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Nellie Hughes Stokes Elementary School
Standard public school
487 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Academy of Dover Charter School
Standard public school
443 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
William Henry Middle School
Standard public school
432 students 8.6:1 students per teacher
Star Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
429 students 61.3:1 students per teacher
Campus Community School
Standard public school
409 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Delaware, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~577 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Dover Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Dover Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Capital School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about South Dover Elementary School
How many students attend South Dover Elementary School?
South Dover Elementary School has 577 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Dover, DE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Dover Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Dover Elementary School is 15.2:1, which is 9% higher than the Delaware average of 13.9:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Dover Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Dover Elementary School is African American at 61.2% of enrollment, in Dover, DE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Dover Elementary School?
South Dover Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Dover Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Dover?
By Resource Investment Index, South Dover Elementary School ranks #12 of 13 elementary schools in Dover, 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 Dover on the city page.
Is South Dover Elementary School a good school?
South Dover Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Delaware schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Capital School District?
Besides South Dover Elementary School, Capital School District also operates Dover High School (1,812 students), Central Middle School (860 students), and William Henry Middle School (432 students). See the Capital School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.