Public schools in Delaware

The NCES directory lists 236 public schools operating in Delaware in 2024-25; 222 of them reported 139,679 students, averaging 14.6 students per teacher, the 18th highest of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts (the mean of its schools' ratios); Tennessee did not. Its largest district is Red Clay Consolidated School District, with 14,444 students in 2024-25.

NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · method

Schools222120 elementary, 36 middle, 41 high, 25 other
Students139,6790.3% of U.S. public-school students
Students per teacher14.6U.S. 15.3

Delaware has fewer students per teacher than the U.S. average

Delaware ranks 18th of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts, counting from the most students per teacher; below, it is shown with the states ranked just above and below it. The full ranking of all 51 is on the states page.

  1. Kentucky15.4
  2. Oklahoma15.4
  3. Indiana15.2
  4. Delaware14.6
  5. Texas14.5
  6. Minnesota14.2
  7. Wisconsin14.2

Eight in ten larger Delaware districts spent between $12,841 and $22,587 per student

Among the 24 Delaware districts with at least 1,000 students, one in ten spent less than $12,841 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 and one in ten spent more than $22,587; the median was $18,338. Each tick below is one district: the spread shows how far apart the state's districts are, which a statewide average hides.

Current spending per student, Delaware districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2324 values from $12,046 to $33,954; ; state median $18,338.$12,841$22,587the middle eight in ten1 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $18,338
Current spending per student, Delaware districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2324 values from $12,046 to $33,954; ; state median $18,338.$12,841$22,587the middle eight in ten1 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $18,338
Current spending per student, Delaware districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2324 values from $12,046 to $33,954; ; state median $18,338.$12,841$22,587the middle eight in ten1 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $18,338
Current spending per student, Delaware districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2324 values from $12,046 to $33,954; ; state median $18,338.$12,841$22,587the middle eight in ten1 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $18,338

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: mean of school ratios from 3 to 99, schools open that year; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over fall membership, districts with at least 1,000 students.

State test results, 2022-23

In 2022-23, 40.6% of the Delaware students tested met the state's reading standard and 30.7% its math standard. Delaware writes its own tests and sets its own standard, so these compare Delaware's districts and schools with each other, not with other states; each district and school page gives its own results beside these. Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 88.9% of 10,914 students.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2022-23 and four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students.

In the Delaware almanac

  1. 01Every school district

    Directory, 2024-25

  2. 02Largest schools

    Largest: Newark Charter School, 3,109 students (By 2024-25 enrollment)

  3. 03Fewest students per teacher

    Fewest: Brennen School (The), 5.0 students per teacher (Schools, 2024-25)

  4. 04Highest-spending districts

    Highest: Christina School District, $33,954 per student (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  5. 05Teacher salary spending by district

    Highest: Christina School District, $117,104 of salary spending per teacher (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  6. 06Chronic absenteeism

    Lowest: Newark Charter School, 0% chronically absent (EDFacts 2022-23)

  7. 07Schools by resource index

    Highest index: North Star Elementary School, 59 of 100 (CCD and CRDC)

  8. 08Districts by resource index

    Highest index: Christina School District, 44.9 of 100 on average (CCD and CRDC)

Largest districts in Delaware

  1. Red Clay Consolidated School District14,444
  2. Christina School District12,861
  3. Appoquinimink School District12,470
  4. Indian River School District10,753
  5. Brandywine School District10,349
  6. Colonial School District8,575
  7. Caesar Rodney School District8,343
  8. Cape Henlopen School District6,203

Every Delaware school district, with a find box →

Source: Largest districts: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, students in the district's schools open that year.

Cities with the most public schools

  1. Wilmington31,306 students51 schools
  2. Newark18,037 students28 schools
  3. Dover8,169 students19 schools
  4. Middletown10,909 students15 schools
  5. New Castle8,311 students14 schools
  6. Camden5,253 students8 schools
  7. Seaford3,553 students7 schools
  8. Georgetown7,315 students7 schools
  9. Townsend3,667 students6 schools
  10. Smyrna4,910 students6 schools
  11. Milford4,085 students5 schools
  12. Lewes4,006 students5 schools

All cities →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: a school counts under the city in its mailing address, so a large city's count takes in suburbs that share its postal name.

Questions about Delaware's public schools

  1. How many public schools are in Delaware?
    The NCES directory lists 236 operating in 2024-25; 222 of them reported students: 120 elementary, 36 middle, 41 high and 25 other, enrolling 139,679 students (NCES Common Core of Data).
  2. What is the average student-teacher ratio in Delaware?
    14.6 students per full-time teacher in 2024-25, against 15.3 for the U.S.; the mean of school ratios for schools open that year.
  3. What is the largest school district in Delaware?
    Red Clay Consolidated School District, with 14,444 students in its schools in 2024-25 (NCES Common Core of Data).
  4. How much does Delaware spend per public-school student?
    $20,525 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, summed over its districts (NCES F-33).

Sources

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District membership and spending · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .