- Enrollment
- 2,069
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · New Castle, DE
Southern Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Southern Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 100023000118
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 74% of Delaware schools.
- #5 of 8
- elementary schools in New Castle · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.8:1
- small classes for Delaware
- 729
- students enrolled
Southern Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 74% of Delaware schools. Computed live against every Delaware school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Elementary School ranks #5 of 8 elementary schools in New Castle, DE.
School address
District: Colonial School District · Delaware
NCES ID 100023000118 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+6 students YoY
Southern Elementary School held near 743 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+6 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 62.0 → 61.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+6 students YoY 100023000118 · New Castle, DE Elementary · MID · TRAD
729 enr · 11.8:1 · RII 27
Nearest enrollment peer: Penn (William) High School (2,069 students)
Southern Elementary School held near 743 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+6 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 62.0 → 61.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Delaware schools → · Find another →
Southern Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Penn (William)
Penn (William) High School
2,069 students
- Wilbur (Kathle
Wilbur (Kathleen H.) Elementary
1,052 students
- Bedford (Gunni
Bedford (Gunning) Middle School
846 students
- This school 729
Southern Elementary School
729 students
- Read (George) 662
Read (George) Middle School
662 students
- Mccullough (Ca 615
Mccullough (Calvin R. ) Middle School
615 students
What this shows Southern Elementary School reports 729 students on the CCD universe file.
How Southern Elementary School compares
Southern Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Delaware and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Delaware | Delaware avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.8:1 | ▼ 15% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 729 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.8:1
Leaner classes than 77% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
729
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
11.8:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 26% in Delaware - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
43.3%
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
$23,018
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 365 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 49.7%
White 34.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%
Two or More 4.0%
Asian 2.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 49.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.4, Southern Elementary School is about as mixed as the Delaware school average of 61.3.
Programs
District finance for Colonial School District reports $23,018 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Southern Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn (William) High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wilbur (Kathleen H.) Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bedford (Gunning) Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Read (George) Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mccullough (Calvin R. ) Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southern Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,052
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 846
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 662
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in New Castle
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Charter School of New Castle
Standard public school
788 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Castle Hills Elementary School
Standard public school
462 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Eisenberg (Harry O.) Elementary School
Standard public school
436 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Pleasantville Elementary School
Standard public school
389 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
New Castle Elementary School
Standard public school
383 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Downie (Carrie) Elementary School
Standard public school
324 students 13:1 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 (~729 students)
Frequently asked questions about Southern Elementary School
How many students attend Southern Elementary School?
Southern Elementary School has 729 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in New Castle, DE. CCD year-over-year: 737 (2022-23) → 743 (2023-24), nearly flat (+6).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern Elementary School is 11.8:1, which is 15% lower than the Delaware average of 13.9:1 and 25% 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 Southern Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Southern Elementary School is African American at 49.7% of enrollment, in New Castle, DE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern Elementary School?
Southern Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Southern Elementary School rank among elementary schools in New Castle?
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Elementary School ranks #5 of 8 elementary schools in New Castle, 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 New Castle on the city page.
What other schools are in Colonial School District?
Besides Southern Elementary School, Colonial School District also operates Penn (William) High School (2,069 students), Wilbur (Kathleen H.) Elementary (1,052 students), and Bedford (Gunning) Middle School (846 students). See the Colonial School District district page for the complete list.