Best Public Schools in Felton, DE

Felton, Delaware is served by the Lake Forest School District, which includes three schools: Lake Forest North Elementary School (grades K-3), Lake Forest Central Elementary School (grades 4-5), and Lake Forest High School (grades 9-12), with no standalone middle school in the city.

Lake Forest North Elementary School is the clear academic standout, with 3rd grade math proficiency at 63.11% and ELA at 62.5%—both dramatically above state averages. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the district at 10.8%, and the most favorable student-teacher ratio at 14.6:1. Lake Forest Central Elementary School sits in the middle, with 5th grade social studies a notable bright spot at 63.92% proficiency, but its 4th grade math (40%) and ELA (39.68%) are near state averages. Lake Forest High School is the struggling performer, with 11th grade math proficiency at just 19.21% and a chronic absenteeism rate of 31.6%—nearly double the state average.

The most concerning trend is the sharp academic decline as students progress: math proficiency drops from 63.11% in 3rd grade to 19.21% in 11th grade, a 70% decline, while chronic absenteeism triples from elementary to high school. The high school's graduation rate (90.3%) is above the state average, but its high absenteeism and low math scores suggest serious engagement issues. Resource allocation also varies, with North Elementary receiving the highest per-student spending ($13,665) and producing the best results, while Central Elementary receives the least ($11,702). The district's 4-star rating masks these internal disparities, making it clear that parents should weigh school-level performance carefully when evaluating options in Felton.