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Old State Elementary School

Q: Is Old State Elementary School a good school?

Old State Elementary School ranks 26 th of 107 Delaware elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 1-5

26^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 107 Delaware Elementary Schools

Better than 76% of Delaware elementary schools

Summary

Old State Elementary School in Townsend, DE, is a mid-sized elementary school serving 765 students in grades 1 through 5 as part of the highly-rated Appoquinimink School District, which ranks 4th out of 34 districts statewide.

What truly sets Old State apart is its remarkable success with students who often face the greatest challenges. The school ranks 4th in the state (95th percentile) for its effectiveness with low socio-economic status students—a dramatic jump from a 3-star rating just three years ago to a 5-star rating today. It also earns 4-star ratings for its work with African American students and male students, ranking in the 81st-84th percentile for both groups. This consistent, targeted success suggests the school has implemented effective strategies to close achievement gaps. Another standout metric is attendance: Old State's chronic absenteeism rate is just 6.7%, less than half the district rate (14.0%) and far below the state average (17.1%). With a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of 13.9, the school provides a supportive, engaging environment where students show up ready to learn.

However, the picture is nuanced when comparing Old State to nearby schools. While its overall state ranking (top 25) is strong, its proficiency rates on state assessments are generally on par with or slightly above district averages—but not always the highest in the area. For example, 4th-grade math proficiency is 47.71% versus the district's 51.75%. Cedar Lane Elementary, just under 5 miles away, is the academic standout in the region, ranking 3rd in the state with significantly higher proficiency in nearly every subject (e.g., 4th-grade math at 79.67%). Townsend Elementary, a close peer ranking 16th, outperforms Old State in most ELA and science metrics. This suggests Old State's high ranking is heavily driven by its exceptional work with specific student subgroups—a powerful testament to its equity focus—while there remains an opportunity to elevate overall achievement to match its top-tier neighbors.

765

Students ?

13.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,990

Per pupil spending ?

9.5%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

580 Tony Marchio Drive
Townsend, DE 19734

(302) 378-6720

District: Appoquinimink School District

Students who attend Old State Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Meredith (Everett) Middle School
High:	Middletown High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

53.3%

African American:

25.6%

Hispanic:

7.6%

See top rated Delaware elementary schools

Compare Old State Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 65th percentile in 2015 → 76th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Delaware average (55% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 24% of Delaware elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 11 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school55%

District avg55%

Delaware avg42%

26^th of 107

Delaware public elementary schools ?

Top 24%▲ up 20 pts since 2019

From top 44% (2019) to top 24% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Delaware Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 9Elementary Schools in the Appoquinimink School District

4^th of 34Appoquinimink School District among Delaware districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	78.5	26 of 107	75.7%	★★★★☆
2025	80.9	22 of 109	79.8%	★★★★☆
2024	74.2	25 of 106	76.4%	★★★★☆
2023	69.8	26 of 103	74.8%	★★★★☆
2022	63.9	33 of 104	68.3%	★★★★☆
2021	63.0	29 of 95	69.5%	★★★★☆
2019	63.0	46 of 105	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2015	65.1	38 of 108	64.8%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	73.5	14 of 70	80.0%	★★★★☆
2025	79.5	9 of 68	86.8%	★★★★☆
2024	57.5	22 of 62	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	73.7	9 of 60	85.0%	★★★★☆
2022	69.6	12 of 60	80.0%	★★★★☆
2021	66.5	5 of 22	77.3%	★★★★☆
2019	62.4	24 of 72	66.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	65.5	33 of 98	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	76.5	22 of 97	77.3%	★★★★☆
2024	71.3	21 of 97	78.4%	★★★★☆
2023	69.7	23 of 89	74.2%	★★★★☆
2022	56.9	34 of 90	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	53.3	24 of 67	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.0	33 of 99	66.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2024	96.5	1 of 37	97.3%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	85.7	4 of 75	94.7%	★★★★★
2024	68.1	10 of 66	84.8%	★★★★☆
2023	57.7	25 of 66	62.1%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	80.5	16 of 98	83.7%	★★★★☆
2025	77.2	23 of 97	76.3%	★★★★☆
2024	65.4	28 of 97	71.1%	★★★★☆
2023	56.9	34 of 89	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.0	32 of 90	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	51.0	29 of 67	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.2	47 of 99	52.5%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2025	61.9	10 of 27	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	15.0	16 of 17	5.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	45.2	6 of 13	53.8%	★★★★☆
2021	24.3	4 of 6	33.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	65.5	27 of 78	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	70.7	22 of 77	71.4%	★★★★☆
2024	68.1	23 of 73	68.5%	★★★★☆
2023	52.4	34 of 70	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	38.9	52 of 75	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.2	37 of 65	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.2	52 of 82	36.6%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Hispanic (2024)97th percentile+21 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)95th percentile+19 vs school

Male (2026)84th percentile+8 vs school

African American (2026)80th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2026)66th percentile-9 vs school

White (2026)65th percentile-10 vs school

Special Education (2025)63rd percentile-17 vs school

By subject vs Delaware (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies69%+19 vs state

English Language Arts54%+12 vs state

Mathematics52%+13 vs state

Science41%+11 vs state

★

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Schools Near Old State Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				DeSSA Science (2026)	DeSSA Social Studies (2026)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2026)			Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Directly certified (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	DeSSA Science 5th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 4th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
Old State Elementary School	Public	1-5	580 Tony Marchio Drive	Townsend	19734	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 378-6720	765	55	13.9	9.5%	408 (53.3%)	196 (25.6%)	58 (7.6%)	45 (5.9%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	54 (7.1%)	78.5	26^th of 107 public elementary schools	75.7%		80.9	22^nd of 109 public elementary schools	79.8%	4	41.1	57.2	81.4	51.6	51.6	58.6	55.5	47.7	52.9	$19,990
Spring Meadow Early Childhood Center	Public	K	611 Campus Drive	Townsend	19734	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 378-6760	185	17	10.8	16.8%	84 (45.4%)	54 (29.2%)	16 (8.6%)	14 (7.6%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (8.6%)								(n/a)										$33,153
Brick Mill Elementary School	Public	1-5	378 Brick Mill Road	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 378-5288	524	37	14.1	21.4%	180 (34.4%)	175 (33.4%)	95 (18.1%)	33 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (7.6%)	46.9	57^th of 107 public elementary schools	46.7%		43.7	55^th of 109 public elementary schools	49.5%	2	27.7	41.4	66.3	38.8	46.0	49.5	40.4	27.4	21.8	$21,157
Brick Mill Early Childhood Center	Public	PK-K	378 Brick Mill Road	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 378-5288	280	29	9.6	12.1%	101 (36.1%)	87 (31.1%)	47 (16.8%)	26 (9.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.4%)								(n/a)
Silver Lake Elementary School	Public	1-5	200 East Cochran Street	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 378-5023	552	40	13.8	19.2%	215 (38.9%)	193 (35.0%)	83 (15.0%)	11 (2.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (8.7%)	59.8	36^th of 107 public elementary schools	66.4%		58.9	37^th of 109 public elementary schools	66.1%	1	27.9	40.9	74.2	51.5	42.7	50.0	59.2	38.1	35.3	$20,180
Townsend Early Childhood Center	Public	K	10 Brook Ramble Lane	Townsend	19734	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 378-9960	176	11	16.0	11.9%	74 (42.0%)	50 (28.4%)	32 (18.2%)	9 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (6.3%)								(n/a)										$26,927
Townsend Elementary School	Public	1-5	126 Main Street	Townsend	19734	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 378-5020	435	32	13.5	13.3%	250 (57.5%)	85 (19.5%)	59 (13.6%)	7 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.6%)	85.5	16^th of 107 public elementary schools	85.0%		84.5	16^th of 109 public elementary schools	85.3%		57.0	63.3	82.6	64.1	62.5	61.3	54.4	53.8	46.2	$20,122
Cedar Lane Elementary School	Public	1-5	1259 Cedar Lane Road	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 378-5045	634	40	15.8	3.9%	239 (37.7%)	99 (15.6%)	34 (5.4%)	214 (33.8%)	8 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.3%)	93.5	3^rd of 107 public elementary schools	97.2%		92.8	3^rd of 109 public elementary schools	97.2%		54.6	83.1	79.4	62.7	75.6	63.6	71.8	79.7	59.9	$20,019
Cedar Lane Early Childhood Center	Public	K	1221 Cedar Lane Road	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 449-5873	265	15	17.6	6.4%	113 (42.6%)	40 (15.1%)	13 (4.9%)	73 (27.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (9.8%)								(n/a)										$18,014
Bunker Hill Elementary School	Public	1-5	1070 Bunker Hill Road	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 378-5135	566	38	14.8	15.7%	193 (34.1%)	193 (34.1%)	67 (11.8%)	68 (12.0%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (7.2%)	53.4	45^th of 107 public elementary schools	57.9%		46.8	53^rd of 109 public elementary schools	51.4%	8	40.4	43.4	75.0	39.3	39.3	44.4	39.3	33.0	35.4	$22,648

Frequently Asked Questions about Old State Elementary School

What district is Old State Elementary School in?

Appoquinimink School District

How many students attend Old State Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 765 students attended Old State Elementary School.

Is Old State Elementary School a good school?

Old State Elementary School ranks 26^th of 107 Delaware elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Old State Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Old State Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Meredith (Everett) Middle School
High : Middletown High School

What is the racial makeup of Old State Elementary School?

Students at Old State Elementary School are 53% White, 26% African American, 8% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 6% Asian.

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Schools in Townsend, DE

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Latest Delaware data All new data »

2023–24 dropout ratesNewNov 2, 2026

2023–24 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 29, 2026

2025–26 DeSSA, SAT & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresAug 18, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 23, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Delaware Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.