Can I use New Castle County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the New Castle County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in New Castle County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in New Castle County?

Start with the 127 listed public schools and 21 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

New Castle County Schools & Education

Name: New Castle County, Delaware Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

New Castle County, Delaware

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

71/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

90.2%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

90.2%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$10,092

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,480

School Score

71/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 62/100

State Score Position

of 3 counties by score

Education Data Brief: New Castle County

Measured School Summary

New Castle County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 71/100 and a graduation rate of 90.2%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

New Castle County spends $10,092 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 14% above the Delaware average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 6% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read New Castle County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

127 public schools and 21 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

71/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #1 of 3 Delaware counties with school score data.

Completion

90.2%

1.9 pts above the state average

Funding context

$10,092

$612 above the state average

School coverage

127

21 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

New Castle County has 127 public schools across 21 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What New Castle County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Large multi-district county

New Castle County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

of 3 Delaware counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 98% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Red Clay Consolidated School District

Elementary to high school visible

14,771 students

Elementary 15Middle 4High 5Other 4

28 listed schools in this county slice.

Christina School District

Elementary to high school visible

13,092 students

Elementary 16Middle 3High 3Other 6

28 listed schools in this county slice.

Appoquinimink School District

Elementary to high school visible

12,804 students

Elementary 12Middle 4High 2Other 2

20 listed schools in this county slice.

Brandywine School District

Elementary to high school visible

10,367 students

Elementary 9Middle 3High 3Other 2

17 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Christina School District is the largest listed district slice, with 28 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in New Castle County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different New Castle County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Which schools are missing enrollment or ratio fields, and does the district publish a newer local profile than the NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data?

Education Overview

About Schools in New Castle County, Delaware

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Delaware's Largest Public Education Hub

New Castle County manages 127 schools and 78,939 students across 21 districts, the largest volume in the state. This expansive system features 66 elementary schools and 22 high schools to meet significant regional demand.

Powerhouse Districts and Massive Charter Schools

Red Clay Consolidated and Christina are the heavy hitters, combined serving nearly 28,000 students across 56 schools. Charter schools are highly prominent here, with Newark Charter School alone hosting 2,987 students across multiple grade levels.

A Predominantly Suburban Academic Environment

Education here is primarily suburban, with 82 schools located in these settings compared to 21 in city locales. The average school size is 642 students, but massive campuses like William Penn High School serve over 2,200 learners.

School Overview

Total Schools

127

in New Castle County

Reported Enrollment

78,939

124 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

12% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary66

Middle18

High22

Other21

21 School Districts in New Castle County

Red Clay Consolidated School District

Christina School District

Appoquinimink School District

Brandywine School District

Colonial School District

New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District

Newark Charter School

1 school

2,987 students

Odyssey Charter School

1 school

2,123 students

MOT Charter School

1 school

1,383 students

Las Americas Aspira Academy

1 school

1,341 students

127 Public Schools in New Castle County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 21 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 127 matching schools

Public schools in New Castle County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Newark Charter School	Profile	Newark Charter School	Newark, 19711Suburb: Large	KG–12	Charter	2,987
Penn (William) High School	Profile	Colonial School District	New Castle, 19720Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,239
Odyssey Charter School	Profile	Odyssey Charter School	Wilmington, 19805Suburb: Large	KG–12	Charter	2,123
Delcastle Technical High School	Profile	New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District	Wilmington, 19804Suburb: Large	9–12	Vocational	1,585
Appoquinimink High School	Profile	Appoquinimink School District	Middletown, 19709Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,484
MOT Charter School	Profile	MOT Charter School	Middletown, 19709Rural: Fringe	KG–12	Charter	1,383
Middletown High School	Profile	Appoquinimink School District	Middletown, 19709Town: Fringe	9–12	High	1,355
Las Americas ASPIRA Academy	Profile	Las Americas Aspira Academy	Newark, 19711Suburb: Large	KG–11	Charter	1,341
Christiana High School	Profile	Christina School District	Newark, 19713Suburb: Large	6–12	High	1,256
Conrad Schools of Science	Profile	Red Clay Consolidated School District	Wilmington, 19804Suburb: Large	6–12	High	1,169
St. Georges Technical High School	Profile	New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District	Middletown, 19709Rural: Fringe	9–12	Vocational	1,153
Mount Pleasant High School	Profile	Brandywine School District	Wilmington, 19809Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,107
Newark High School	Profile	Christina School District	Newark, 19711Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,105
Hodgson (Paul M.) Vocational Technical High School	Profile	New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District	Newark, 19702Suburb: Large	9–12	Vocational	1,061
Dickinson (John) School	Profile	Red Clay Consolidated School District	Wilmington, 19808Suburb: Large	6–12	High	1,058
Wilbur (Kathleen H.) Elementary	Profile	Colonial School District	Bear, 19701Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	1,044
Concord High School	Profile	Brandywine School District	Wilmington, 19810Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,014
Charter School of Wilmington	Profile	Charter School of Wilmington	Wilmington, 19807City: Small	9–12	Charter	968
Brandywine High School	Profile	Brandywine School District	Wilmington, 19803Suburb: Large	9–12	High	950
Brandywine Springs School	Profile	Red Clay Consolidated School District	Wilmington, 19808Suburb: Large	KG–8	Primary	945

Newark Charter School

Newark, 19711 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–12Charter2,987 students

Penn (William) High School

Colonial School District

New Castle, 19720 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,239 students

Odyssey Charter School

Wilmington, 19805 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–12Charter2,123 students

Delcastle Technical High School

New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District

Wilmington, 19804 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12Vocational1,585 students

Appoquinimink High School

Appoquinimink School District

Middletown, 19709 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,484 students

MOT Charter School

Middletown, 19709 / Rural: Fringe

ProfileKG–12Charter1,383 students

Middletown High School

Appoquinimink School District

Middletown, 19709 / Town: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,355 students

Las Americas ASPIRA Academy

Las Americas Aspira Academy

Newark, 19711 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–11Charter1,341 students

Christiana High School

Christina School District

Newark, 19713 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–12High1,256 students

Conrad Schools of Science

Red Clay Consolidated School District

Wilmington, 19804 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–12High1,169 students

St. Georges Technical High School

New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District

Middletown, 19709 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12Vocational1,153 students

Mount Pleasant High School

Brandywine School District

Wilmington, 19809 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,107 students

Newark High School

Christina School District

Newark, 19711 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,105 students

Hodgson (Paul M.) Vocational Technical High School

New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District

Newark, 19702 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12Vocational1,061 students

Dickinson (John) School

Red Clay Consolidated School District

Wilmington, 19808 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–12High1,058 students

Wilbur (Kathleen H.) Elementary

Colonial School District

Bear, 19701 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–5Primary1,044 students

Concord High School

Brandywine School District

Wilmington, 19810 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,014 students

Charter School of Wilmington

Wilmington, 19807 / City: Small

Profile9–12Charter968 students

Brandywine High School

Brandywine School District

Wilmington, 19803 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High950 students

Brandywine Springs School

Red Clay Consolidated School District

Wilmington, 19808 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–8Primary945 students

Additional School Profiles

Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.

1 more profiles

Bedford (Gunning) Middle School

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$10,092

State avg $9,480

Compare Nearby Counties

Review New Castle County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Delaware counties have the highest graduation rates?

New Castle County (90.2%), Kent County (87.5%), and Sussex County (87.1%) currently lead Delaware among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Delaware?

Across Delaware counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,480. The highest current county values are New Castle County ($10,092), Kent County ($9,215), and Sussex County ($9,133). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in New Castle County?

New Castle County has a school score of 71/100, which is a higher measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in New Castle County?

The high school graduation rate in New Castle County is 90.2%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does New Castle County spend per student?

New Castle County spends $10,092 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in New Castle County, Delaware — FAQ

What does the school system look like in New Castle County, Delaware?

What are the major school districts in New Castle County, Delaware?

What is the school experience like in New Castle County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Kent County

Delaware

-12 pts

58/100

School score

Sussex County

Delaware

-13 pts

58/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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