First State Military Academy

First State Military Academy is the sole public high school in the First State Military Academy district, serving grades 9 through 12 in Clayton, Delaware, with 433 students and a 18:1 student-teacher ratio.

This military-focused school holds a mid-tier position in Delaware, ranked 17th out of 34 schools statewide with a 3-star rating, though its own three-year history shows a consistent 2-star rating (ranking 23rd, 24th, and 25th out of 41 schools). The school’s greatest strength is student retention: its dropout rate of 2.7% beats the state average of 3.9%, and its graduation rate of 84.3% is close to the state’s 88.9%. However, chronic absenteeism is a serious concern at 24.6%, well above the state’s 17.1%. Academically, the school shows a stark split. ELA proficiency is nearly on par with the state (43.62% vs. 44.02% in 2025-2026), but math proficiency is alarmingly low at just 6.38%—nearly three times worse than the state’s 18.16%. Writing is another weak spot, with SAT Essay scores 17.69 points below the state average, a gap that widened from the prior year. Science and social studies also trail the state, with gaps of 3.69 and 8.07 points respectively.

For parents, the picture is one of contradictions. The school keeps students enrolled and graduating at reasonable rates, and reading skills are solid, but math and writing instruction appear critically underperforming. The severe math deficit—fewer than 1 in 15 students proficient—suggests a fundamental curriculum or instructional misalignment, possibly compounded by high absenteeism. The school’s stable ranking over three years indicates consistent, if unspectacular, performance relative to peers, though its percentile has slipped slightly. With per-student spending of $12,478 (from 2018-2019) and no reported free/reduced lunch data, it’s hard to assess resource equity. Overall, this is a school that excels at keeping students on track to graduate but urgently needs intervention in math and writing to prepare them for college or careers.