Colonial School District

318 East Basin Road
New Castle, DE 19720-4214
(District boundaries shown in map)
3/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Colonial School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Delaware for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 5 public middle schools serving 2,675 students in Colonial School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in Delaware.
Public Middle Schools in Colonial School District have an average math proficiency score of 12% (versus the Delaware public middle school average of 28%), and reading proficiency score of 29% (versus the 43% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 75% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the Delaware public middle school average of 63% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (DE)
# Schools
15 Schools
74 Schools
# Students
8,778 Students
51,448 Students
# Teachers
609 Teachers
3,541 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Colonial School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 42 school districts in Delaware (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 84% has increased from 80% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (DE)
#32 out of 42 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
15%
31%
29%
42%
11%
21%
84%
88%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.69
0.72
% American Indian
1%
n/a
% Asian
2%
5%
% Hispanic
22%
19%
% Black
45%
33%
% White
25%
38%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $23,415 is higher than the state median of $20,306. The school district revenue/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $21,634 is higher than the state median of $18,388. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
This School District
This State (DE)
Total Revenue
$206 MM
$2,882 MM
Spending
$190 MM
$2,610 MM
Revenue / Student
$23,415
$20,306
Spending / Student
$21,634
$18,388

Best Colonial School District Public Middle Schools (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Leach (John G.) School
Special Education School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
10 Landers Lane
New Castle, DE 19720
(302) 429-4055
Gr: PK-12 | 86 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Minority enrollment: 66%
Rank: #22.
Wilmington Manor Elementary School
(Math: 22% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
200 East Roosevelt Avenue
New Castle, DE 19720
(302) 323-2901
Gr: K-8 | 368 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 66%
Rank: #33.
Bedford (Gunning) Middle School
(Math: 15% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
801 Cox Neck Road
New Castle, DE 19720
(302) 832-6280
Gr: 6-8 | 908 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 74%
Rank: #44.
Read (George) Middle School
(Math: 11% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
314 East Basin Road
New Castle, DE 19720
(302) 323-2760
Gr: 6-8 | 688 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #55.
Mccullough (Calvin R. ) Middle School
(Math: 5% | Reading: 17%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
20 Chase Avenue
New Castle, DE 19720
(302) 429-4000
Gr: 6-8 | 625 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 86%

Recent Articles

2025 Classroom Size Trends: Are Classes Still Growing?
2025 Classroom Size Trends: Are Classes Still Growing?
A 2025 update on U.S. classroom sizes, policy battles, student outcomes, and whether class sizes continue to expand.
Personalized Learning in 2025: Revolutionizing Education
Personalized Learning in 2025: Revolutionizing Education
Explore how personalized learning is reshaping education in 2025—insights, policy, impact, and real-world models for students, parents, and educators.
How Bullying Impacts Student Academic Performance in 2025
How Bullying Impacts Student Academic Performance in 2025
Explore how bullying harms student achievement, attendance, and well-being — and strategies schools use in 2025 to mitigate its effects.

Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 15 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 8,778 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 75%
  • : 84% (Top 50% in DE)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 15% (Btm 50%)
  • : 29% (Btm 50%)
  • : 11% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), DE Dept. of Education

Quick Links