Laurel School District

The Laurel School District in Delaware serves about 2,544 students across four schools—two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school—and currently holds a 2-star rating, ranking 22nd out of 34 districts in the state.

For parents, the standout school is clearly Laurel Middle School, which has improved dramatically over the past two years, jumping from the 15th to the 42nd percentile. It boasts an extraordinary chronic absenteeism rate of just 1.7%—far below the district average of 18.7%—and its 7th grade ELA proficiency (43.5%) actually matches the state average, making it the only school in the district to achieve state-parity in any core subject. In contrast, North Laurel Early Learning Academy is a hidden concern, with a 31.9% chronic absenteeism rate that is nearly double the state average, a troubling sign for early childhood development. Laurel Elementary School shows significant academic gaps, with 3rd grade math proficiency at just 21.4% versus the state's 42.7%, while Laurel Senior High School faces a math crisis—only 4.76% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math, and its chronic absenteeism rate is 27.2%.

One fascinating pattern is the improvement students show when moving from elementary to middle school: 6th grade ELA at Laurel Elementary jumps from 27% to 43.5% in 7th grade at Laurel Middle, suggesting the middle school has effective strategies worth replicating. However, the district faces volatility year-over-year, and the high school's graduation rate (79.4%) is well below the state average (88.9%). The early learning academy receives the highest per-student funding ($19,909) yet shows the worst attendance, while Laurel Middle achieves the best outcomes with less funding ($12,007), indicating that school culture and engagement may matter more than spending alone. The district is at a critical juncture where targeted interventions in elementary education and high school math could drive meaningful, system-wide improvement.