Best Public Schools in Milton, DE

Milton, Delaware is served by three schools within the highly-rated Cape Henlopen School District—two elementary schools and one middle school—totaling 1,640 students, with no high school located within city limits.

For parents, the standout performer is Milton Elementary School, which earns a 4-star rating and ranks 29th of 106 elementary schools in Delaware. Its 3rd-grade math proficiency (67.86%) is exceptional—25 points above the state average—though this advantage fades by 5th grade, where scores fall below district levels. Mariner Middle School also holds a 4-star rating and shows promising upward trends in ELA and math, but its chronic absenteeism rate of 21.4% is a significant red flag, well above the district (15.6%) and state (17.1%) averages. Its math scores lag district averages across all grades, with a particularly striking 18-point gap in 7th grade. H.O. Brittingham Elementary School is the most concerning, dropping to a 3-star rating with dramatic year-over-year volatility—its 3rd-grade ELA proficiency plunged to 30.86%, a 25.5-point gap below the district average, and 5th-grade science fell 15 points in one year.

Notably, per-student spending does not align with outcomes: H.O. Brittingham spends the most ($14,922) yet performs the weakest, while Milton Elementary spends the least ($14,028) and achieves the best results. Science is a bright spot at Mariner Middle, where 8th-grade proficiency (28.49%) exceeds both district and state averages. Both elementary schools show strength in 5th-grade social studies. The district's 5-star rating provides a solid foundation, but parents should watch Mariner's absenteeism, H.O. Brittingham's ELA struggles, and the erosion of math gains between 3rd and 5th grade at Milton Elementary.