Appoquinimink School District

The Appoquinimink School District serves about 11,700 students across 20 schools in Middletown, Townsend, and Bear, Delaware, including 13 elementary schools (four of which are early childhood centers), four middle schools, and three high schools, and ranks 4th out of 34 districts statewide with a 5-star rating.

For parents, the standout elementary options are Cedar Lane Elementary School (ranked 3rd in Delaware) and Loss (Olive B.) Elementary School (ranked 6th). Cedar Lane posts a remarkable 79.67% 4th-grade math proficiency—nearly double the state average—while Loss has the district's lowest chronic absenteeism at just 4.9%. Crystal Run Elementary School is a notable newcomer, debuting at 7th place in its first eligible year. At the middle school level, Waters (Alfred G.) Middle School leads the pack (4th statewide) with exceptional 7th-grade social studies (87.89%) and 8th-grade math (69.03%) scores. Among high schools, Appoquinimink High School ranks highest (7th), though all three high schools struggle with math—even the best achieves only 26.57% proficiency in 11th-grade math.

The district consistently beats state averages in nearly every subject, especially social studies (5th-grade proficiency is 79.41% vs. 61.85% statewide) and graduation rates (95.4% vs. 88.9%). However, chronic absenteeism is a clear divide: elementary schools average about 9.5%, but high schools exceed 22%, which likely contributes to the secondary math decline. Bunker Hill Elementary School shows the most improvement, jumping from a 2-star to 3-star rating. Meanwhile, Brick Mill Elementary School (ranked 57th) and Redding (Louis L.) Middle School (ranked 29th) lag behind their peers, highlighting meaningful intra-district gaps. The district's early childhood centers provide a strong foundation, and its newest schools suggest a refined instructional model—but the high school math and absenteeism challenges remain the most urgent areas for improvement.