Woodbridge School District

The Woodbridge School District in Delaware serves approximately 2,577 students across four schools—Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center (PK-2), Phillis Wheatley Elementary School (3-5), Woodbridge Middle School (6-8), and Woodbridge High School (9-12)—and ranks 18th out of 34 districts statewide with a 3-star rating.

The district’s biggest success story is attendance. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low across all schools, with the Early Childhood Center at just 2.1%, the middle school at 7.1%, and the high school at 9.8%—all far better than the state average of 17.1%. Academically, the elementary schools show relative strength: Phillis Wheatley’s 3rd grade math proficiency (43.08%) actually exceeds the state average, and its 5th grade social studies proficiency (49.54%) is solid. However, performance drops sharply in middle school. Woodbridge Middle School struggles most in 8th grade science (7.33% proficient vs. 16.36% statewide) and 8th grade math (15.18% vs. 29.39% statewide). The high school shows a positive trajectory, improving its state ranking from 32nd to 26th in one year, though 11th grade SAT math proficiency remains low at 9.74% (state: 18.16%).

Notably, the middle school receives the least funding per student ($12,778) despite showing the greatest academic challenges, while the Early Childhood Center spends the most ($14,969). Social studies is a relative bright spot district-wide, with 6th grade proficiency (50.69%) exceeding the state average. The clearest takeaway is a transition problem: students start near or above state averages in early elementary, but proficiency declines steadily through middle school and persists into high school. For parents, this means the elementary years are strong, but the middle school years are a critical intervention point—particularly in math and science—where targeted support could help reverse the downward trend before high school.