Best Elementary Schools in Delaware (2025-26)

Ranked elementary schools

109

Listed, not ranked

Every ranked elementary school in Delaware, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.

Delaware rankings: High Schools · Middle Schools · Elementary Schools

Delaware elementary schools ranked

Rank	Grade	School	City	District	Actual	Projected	Impact	Students
#1	A	North Star Elementary School	Hockessin	Red Clay Consolidated School District	71%	74%	Meets Expectations	610
#2	A-	Loss Olive B Elementary School	Bear	Appoquinimink School District	60%	38%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	576
#3	B+	Lewes Elementary School	Lewes	Cape Henlopen School District	53%	55%	Meets Expectations	582
#4	B+	Cedar Lane Elementary School	Middletown	Appoquinimink School District	52%	59%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	600
#5	B	Love Creek Elementary School	Lewes	Cape Henlopen School District	50%	54%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	643
#6	B	William F Cooke JR Elementary	Hockessin	Red Clay Consolidated School District	49%	52%	Meets Expectations	621
#7	B	Lake Forest East Elementary School	Frederica	Lake Forest School District	48%	45%	Exceeds Expectations	322
#8	B	Lord Baltimore Elementary School	Ocean View	Indian River School District	48%	52%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	579
#9	B	Rehoboth Elementary School	Rehoboth Beach	Cape Henlopen School District	47%	48%	Meets Expectations	525
#10	B	West Park Place Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	47%	38%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	319
#11	B	First State Montessori Academy (Charter)	Wilmington	First State Montessori Academy	45%	36%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	629
#12	B	Linden Hill Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	45%	47%	Meets Expectations	555
#13	B-	Southern Delaware School Of The Arts (Magnet)	Selbyville	Indian River School District	43%	38%	Exceeds Expectations	456
#14	B-	Lake Forest North Elementary School	Felton	Lake Forest School District	40%	39%	Meets Expectations	452
#15	B-	Lorewood Grove Elementary School	Middletown	Appoquinimink School District	40%	52%	Underperforms Expectations	763
#16	B-	Milton Elementary School	Milton	Cape Henlopen School District	40%	41%	Meets Expectations	556
#17	C+	Marshall Thurgood Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	38%	47%	Underperforms Expectations	556
#18	C+	Allen Frear Elementary School	Camden	Caesar Rodney School District	37%	33%	Exceeds Expectations	672
#19	C+	Bunker Hill Elementary School	Middletown	Appoquinimink School District	37%	48%	Underperforms Expectations	655
#20	C+	H O Brittingham Elementary School	Milton	Cape Henlopen School District	37%	40%	Meets Expectations	484
#21	C+	Brandywine Springs School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	36%	45%	Underperforms Expectations	945
#22	C+	Claymont Elementary School	Claymont	Brandywine School District	35%	34%	Meets Expectations	850
#23	C	Heritage Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	35%	42%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	476
#24	C	Major George S Welch Elementary School	Dover	Caesar Rodney School District	35%	45%	Underperforms Expectations	353
#25	C	Sunnyside Elementary School	Smyrna	Smyrna School District	35%	35%	Meets Expectations	538
#26	C	Old State Elementary School	Townsend	Appoquinimink School District	34%	52%	Underperforms Expectations	763
#27	C	Townsend Elementary School	Townsend	Appoquinimink School District	34%	53%	Underperforms Expectations	432
#28	C	Booker T Washington Elementary School	Dover	Capital School District	33%	26%	Exceeds Expectations	334
#29	C	Frederick Douglass Elementary School	Seaford	Seaford School District	32%	29%	Exceeds Expectations	411
#30	C-	Brick Mill Elementary School	Middletown	Appoquinimink School District	30%	44%	Underperforms Expectations	451
#31	C-	Clayton Elementary School	Clayton	Smyrna School District	30%	37%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	475
#32	C-	Wilson Etta J Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	30%	37%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	267
#33	C-	Clayton Intermediate School	Clayton	Smyrna School District	29%	33%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	517
#34	C-	Downes John R Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	29%	37%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	385
#35	C-	Lake Forest Central Elementary School	Felton	Lake Forest School District	29%	43%	Underperforms Expectations	570
#36	C-	Seaford Central Elementary School	Seaford	Seaford School District	29%	26%	Exceeds Expectations	452
#37	C-	Hanby Elementary School	Wilmington	Brandywine School District	28%	46%	Underperforms Expectations	530
#38	C-	Hartly Elementary School	Hartly	Capital School District	28%	46%	Underperforms Expectations	246
#39	C-	Mcvey Joseph M Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	28%	29%	Meets Expectations	330
#40	C-	Smyrna Elementary School	Smyrna	Smyrna School District	28%	29%	Meets Expectations	474
#41	C-	Lombardy Elementary School	Wilmington	Brandywine School District	27%	44%	Underperforms Expectations	464
#42	C-	Providence Creek Academy Charter School (Charter)	Clayton	Providence Creek Academy Charter School	27%	34%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	730
#43	C-	Wilbur Kathleen H Elementary	Bear	Colonial School District	27%	32%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	1,044
#44	C-	Silver Lake Elementary School	Middletown	Appoquinimink School District	26%	52%	Underperforms Expectations	602
#45	C-	W B Simpson Elementary School	Camden	Caesar Rodney School District	26%	41%	Underperforms Expectations	571
#46	C-	Maclary R Elisabeth Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	25%	39%	Underperforms Expectations	266
#47	D+	Carrcroft Elementary School	Wilmington	Brandywine School District	25%	36%	Underperforms Expectations	477
#48	D+	East Side Charter School (Charter)	Wilmington	East Side Charter School	25%	14%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	472
#49	D+	Forest Oak Elementary School	Newark	Red Clay Consolidated School District	25%	24%	Meets Expectations	465
#50	D+	Mount Pleasant Elementary School	Wilmington	Brandywine School District	25%	30%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	704
#51	D+	North Smyrna Elementary School	Smyrna	Smyrna School District	25%	28%	Meets Expectations	505
#52	D+	Clayton John M Elementary School	Frankford	Indian River School District	24%	28%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	481
#53	D+	Lancashire Elementary School	Wilmington	Brandywine School District	24%	35%	Underperforms Expectations	514
#54	D+	Showell Phillip C Elementary School	Selbyville	Indian River School District	24%	39%	Underperforms Expectations	279
#55	D+	Gallaher Robert S Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	23%	27%	Meets Expectations	519
#56	D+	Star Hill Elementary School	Dover	Caesar Rodney School District	23%	26%	Meets Expectations	147
#57	D+	Brader Henry M Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	22%	27%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	323
#58	D+	East Millsboro Elementary School	Millsboro	Indian River School District	22%	31%	Underperforms Expectations	815
#59	D+	Jones Albert H Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	22%	21%	Meets Expectations	301
#60	D+	Marbrook Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	22%	23%	Meets Expectations	399
#61	D+	Phillis Wheatley Elementary School	Bridgeville	Woodbridge School District	22%	25%	Meets Expectations	581
#62	D+	Long Neck Elementary School	Millsboro	Indian River School District	21%	36%	Underperforms Expectations	693
#63	D+	Ross Lulu M Elementary School	Milford	Milford School District	21%	26%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	668
#64	D+	W Reily Brown Elementary School	Dover	Caesar Rodney School District	21%	28%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	540
#65	D	Fairview Elementary School	Dover	Capital School District	20%	26%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	281
#66	D	Keene William B Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	20%	24%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	474
#67	D	Lake Forest South Elementary School	Harrington	Lake Forest School District	20%	43%	Underperforms Expectations	379
#68	D	Moore John Bassett School	Smyrna	Smyrna School District	20%	30%	Underperforms Expectations	724
#69	D	Richey Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	20%	28%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	367
#70	D	Southern Elementary School	New Castle	Colonial School District	19%	35%	Underperforms Expectations	737
#71	D	Campus Community School (Charter)	Dover	Campus Community School	18%	21%	Meets Expectations	402
#72	D	North Dover Elementary School	Dover	Capital School District	18%	17%	Meets Expectations	315
#73	D	South Dover Elementary School	Dover	Capital School District	18%	17%	Meets Expectations	610
#74	D	Brookside Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	17%	21%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	253
#75	D	Leasure May B Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	17%	19%	Meets Expectations	335
#76	D	Pleasantville Elementary School	New Castle	Colonial School District	17%	22%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	379
#77	D	Banneker Benjamin Elementary School	Milford	Milford School District	16%	21%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	484
#78	D-	Sussex Montessori School (Charter)	Seaford	Sussex Montessori School	16%	26%	Underperforms Expectations	403
#79	D-	William Henry Middle School	Dover	Capital School District	16%	22%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	857
#80	D-	Baltz Austin D Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	15%	20%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	528
#81	D-	Castle Hills Elementary School	New Castle	Colonial School District	15%	18%	Meets Expectations	492
#82	D-	Forwood Elementary School	Wilmington	Brandywine School District	15%	45%	Underperforms Expectations	351
#83	D-	Georgetown Elementary School	Georgetown	Indian River School District	15%	32%	Underperforms Expectations	840
#84	D-	Smith Jennie E Elementary School	Newark	Christina School District	15%	23%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	456
#85	D-	Mispillion Elementary	Milford	Milford School District	14%	19%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	561
#86	D-	Johnson Joseph E JR Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	13%	18%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	284
#87	D-	Laurel Elementary School	Laurel	Laurel School District	13%	25%	Underperforms Expectations	1,124
#88	D-	Nellie Hughes Stokes Elementary School	Dover	Caesar Rodney School District	13%	27%	Underperforms Expectations	461
#89	D-	North Georgetown Elementary School	Georgetown	Indian River School District	13%	22%	Underperforms Expectations	774
#90	D-	Towne Point Elementary School	Dover	Capital School District	13%	15%	Meets Expectations	334
#91	D-	Academy Of Dover Charter School (Charter)	Dover	Academy of Dover Charter School	12%	15%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	411
#92	D-	Charter School Of New Castle (Charter)	New Castle	Charter School of New Castle	12%	12%	Meets Expectations	752
#93	D-	Kuumba Academy Charter School (Charter)	Wilmington	Kuumba Academy Charter School	12%	13%	Meets Expectations	643
#94	D-	New Castle Elementary School	New Castle	Colonial School District	12%	19%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	407
#95	D-	Wilmington Manor Elementary School	New Castle	Colonial School District	12%	22%	Underperforms Expectations	482
#96	D-	Oberle William Elementary School	Bear	Christina School District	11%	15%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	543
#97	F	Downie Carrie Elementary School	New Castle	Colonial School District	10%	17%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	353
#98	F	Edison Thomas A Charter School (Charter)	Wilmington	Edison (Thomas A.) Charter School	10%	19%	Underperforms Expectations	632
#99	F	Eisenberg Harry O Elementary School	New Castle	Colonial School District	10%	14%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	399
#100	F	East Dover Elementary School	Dover	Capital School District	8%	15%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	330
#101	F	Mote Anna P Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	8%	15%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	331
#102	F	Richardson Park Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	7%	20%	Underperforms Expectations	519
#103	F	Academia Antonia Alonso (Charter)	Newark	Academia Antonia Alonso	6%	19%	Underperforms Expectations	718
#104	F	Gateway Charter School (Charter)	Wilmington	Gateway Charter School	6%	16%	Underperforms Expectations	186
#105	F	Maple Lane Elementary School	Claymont	Brandywine School District	6%	18%	Underperforms Expectations	363
#106	F	Lewis William C Dual Language Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	5%	17%	Underperforms Expectations	371
#107	F	The Bayard School	Wilmington	Christina School District	5%	8%	Meets Expectations	508
#108	F	Harlan David W Elementary School	Wilmington	Brandywine School District	3%	9%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	337
#109	F	Warner Elementary School	Wilmington	Red Clay Consolidated School District	3%	7%	Meets Expectations	360

How Delaware's elementary schools compare

A: 2B: 14C: 30D: 50F: 13

15% of the 109 ranked elementary schools in Delaware earn an A or B (2 A grades, 14 B, 30 C, 50 D, 13 F), against 46% of elementary schools nationwide. 39 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (36% here, 71% nationally), and 10 exceed it. On average 25% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 31% (national averages: 39% actual, 38% projected).

The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Loss Olive B Elementary School (60% against 38%, A-), East Side Charter School (25% against 14%, D+).

Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 28): Appoquinimink School District (6), Red Clay Consolidated School District (5), Cape Henlopen School District (5), Lake Forest School District (2).

Cities with the most ranked elementary schools: Wilmington (24, 2 at A or B), Newark (15, 1 at A or B), Dover (13, 0 at A or B), New Castle (8, 0 at A or B), Middletown (5, 2 at A or B).

The largest ranked elementary schools: Laurel Elementary School (1,124 students, D-, #87), Wilbur Kathleen H Elementary (1,044 students, C-, #43), Brandywine Springs School (945 students, C+, #21).

Of the top 25, 1 is a magnet school and 1 is a charter. Selective and specialised schools tend to post high actual scores; the projection column is the fairer comparison for a neighborhood school.

Elementary schools in Delaware that are not ranked

11 graded elementary schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.

Special-purpose schools (2)

Alternative, special-education and vocational schools serve a different mission and a different student body, so they are graded but not ranked against regular schools.

C- First State School, Wilmington
D- Kent Elementary Intensive Learning Center, Camden

Not yet graded (9)

Too little test data to grade.

Blades Elementary School, Blades
Brick Mill Early Childhood Center, Middletown
David E Robinson Elementary School, Wyoming
Morris Evelyn I Early Childhood Lincoln, Lincoln
North Laurel Early Learning Academy, Laurel
Shortlidge Evan G Academy, Wilmington
Stubbs Early Education Center, Wilmington
West Seaford Elementary School, Seaford
Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center, Greenwood

About this ranking

Scope: every public elementary school in Delaware.
Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the elementary schools.
Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works

Questions about elementary schools in Delaware

What is the best elementary school in Delaware?

North Star Elementary School in Hockessin ranks first among the 109 ranked elementary schools in Delaware with a SchoolGrade of A, 71% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 74%.

How are elementary schools in Delaware ranked?

By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.

How many elementary schools does Delaware have?

SchoolGrade grades 120 public elementary schools in Delaware; 109 are ranked here and 11 are listed as not ranked.