Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Q: Is Downes (John R.) Elementary School a good school?

Downes (John R.) Elementary School ranks 37 th of 105 Delaware elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public K-5

220 Casho Mill Road
Newark, DE 19711-2699

(302) 454-2133

District: Christina School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
37^th of 105 Delaware Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,743

Students who attend Downes (John R.) Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Shue-Medill Middle School
High:	Newark High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.8

Number of students: 385

Racial breakdown:

White:

41.8%

African American:

22.1%

Hispanic:

17.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 26.2%

See top rated Delaware elementary schools

Compare Downes (John R.) Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Downes (John R.) Elementary School ranks better than 64.8% of elementary schools in Delaware. It also ranks 4^th among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Christina School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.9. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Downes (John R.) Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (41.8%), African American (22.1%), Hispanic (17.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Downes (John R.) Elementary School is 11.8. 9 elementary schools in the Christina School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Downes (John R.) Elementary School employs 32.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Downes (John R.) Elementary School is $14,743. 15 elementary schools in the Christina School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Downes (John R.) Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Downes (John R.) Elementary School 37^th of 105 Delaware public elementary schools. (See Downes (John R.) Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Christina School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Christina School District 15^th of 31 Delaware school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Downes (John R.) Elementary School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2011	76.91	19^th	91	79.1%
2012	73.86	24^th	90	73.3%
2013	76.24	21^st	91	76.9%
2015	77.27	22^nd	108	79.6%
2016	77.50	19^th	86	77.9%
2017	77.86	18^th	86	79.1%
2018	74.93	19^th	85	77.6%
2019	73.02	25^th	105	76.2%
2021	65.99	25^th	95	73.7%
2022	67.25	29^th	104	72.1%
2023	59.90	36^th	103	65.0%

See the entire list of Delaware Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	51.07	48^th	92	47.8%
2022	59.08	22^nd	62	64.5%
2023	45.55	34^th	66	48.5%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	77.11	18^th	99	81.8%
2021	75.17	13^th	67	80.6%
2022	64.48	26^th	90	71.1%
2023	70.43	21^st	89	76.4%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	61.65	41^st	99	58.6%
2021	41.33	37^th	67	44.8%
2022	56.96	30^th	90	66.7%
2023	42.45	53^rd	89	40.4%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	70.40	16^th	72	77.8%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	65.65	25^th	82	69.5%
2021	58.07	23^rd	65	64.6%
2022	69.51	21^st	75	72.0%
2023	74.93	15^th	70	78.6%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Delaware Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Downes (John R.) Elementary School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Downes (John R.) Elementary School, submit a rating!

No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	307	156	12	10	0	n/a	n/a	485
1989	292	155	14	13	0	n/a	n/a	474
1990	384	125	16	12	n/a	n/a	n/a	537
1991	372	134	19	5	0	n/a	n/a	530
1992	385	126	19	5	0	n/a	n/a	535
1993	399	129	23	4	0	n/a	n/a	555
1994	356	95	22	5	0	n/a	n/a	478
1995	362	91	18	8	0	n/a	n/a	479
1996	362	91	18	8	0	n/a	n/a	479
1997	362	103	16	7	0	n/a	n/a	488
1998	442	153	22	12	0	n/a	n/a	629
1999	440	168	23	15	0	n/a	n/a	646
2000	394	196	21	14	0	n/a	n/a	625
2001	390	181	20	12	1	n/a	n/a	604
2002	312	142	35	23	0	n/a	n/a	512
2003	312	142	35	23	0	n/a	n/a	512
2004	318	144	33	21	1	n/a	n/a	517
2005	346	145	34	18	4	n/a	n/a	547
2006	322	140	29	31	3	n/a	n/a	525
2007	338	115	34	35	3	n/a	n/a	525
2008	225	101	27	20	1	n/a	n/a	374
2009	246	78	26	25	0	n/a	n/a	375
2010	272	115	33	29	0	n/a	n/a	449
2011	338	92	30	42	2	0	13	517
2012	291	95	35	37	2	0	6	466
2013	284	91	32	41	4	1	5	458
2014	265	95	33	43	2	0	12	450
2015	285	89	35	44	1	1	19	474
2016	268	82	46	52	0	1	24	473
2017	261	89	42	58	1	1	31	483
2018	261	79	44	63	1	1	37	486
2019	242	99	56	68	1	2	40	508
2020	219	96	50	67	1	2	33	468
2021	194	73	48	55	3	1	39	413
2022	196	89	44	72	4	1	24	430
2023	161	85	42	69	2	1	25	385

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	485	28.0	17.3	29.3
1989	474	26.0	18.2	28.1
1990	537	26.0	20.6	19
1991	530	28.5	18.5	17.4
1992	535	29.5	18.1	19.8
1993	555	30.5	18.2	22.5
1994	478	27.5	17.4	19.5
1995	479	26.0	18.4	20.9
1996	479	26.0	18.4	20.9
1997	488	28.5	17.1	21.9
1998	629	32.5	19.4	15.1
1999	646	36.0	17.9	20.4
2000	625	35.0	17.9	21.4
2001	604	34.0	17.8	21
2002	512	32.0	16.0	33.2
2003	512	32.0	16.0	33.2
2004	517	32.0	16.2	26.9
2005	547	38.0	14.4	27.4
2006	525	32.0	16.4	28.6
2007	525	30.0	17.5	21
2008	374	26.0	14.4	29.4
2009	375	27.2	13.8	31.7
2010	449	31.0	14.4	36.7
2011	517	33.0	15.6	34.8
2012	466	33.0	14.1	35
2013	458	31.0	14.7	36.2
2014	450	27.0	16.6	30.2
2015	474	29.0	16.3	29.5
2016	473	25.0	18.9	26.2
2017	483	30.0	16.1	n/a
2018	486	33.0	14.7	n/a
2019	508	34.0	14.9	n/a
2020	468	34.0	13.7	n/a
2021	413	33.0	12.5	n/a
2022	430	31.0	13.8	n/a
2023	385	32.4	11.8	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	485	28.0	17.3	29.3
1989	474	26.0	18.2	28.1
1990	537	26.0	20.6	19
1991	530	28.5	18.5	17.4
1992	535	29.5	18.1	19.8
1993	555	30.5	18.2	22.5
1994	478	27.5	17.4	19.5
1995	479	26.0	18.4	20.9
1996	479	26.0	18.4	20.9
1997	488	28.5	17.1	21.9
1998	629	32.5	19.4	15.1
1999	646	36.0	17.9	20.4
2000	625	35.0	17.9	21.4
2001	604	34.0	17.8	21
2002	512	32.0	16.0	33.2
2003	512	32.0	16.0	33.2
2004	517	32.0	16.2	26.9
2005	547	38.0	14.4	27.4
2006	525	32.0	16.4	28.6
2007	525	30.0	17.5	21
2008	374	26.0	14.4	29.4
2009	375	27.2	13.8	31.7
2010	449	31.0	14.4	36.7
2011	517	33.0	15.6	34.8
2012	466	33.0	14.1	35
2013	458	31.0	14.7	36.2
2014	450	27.0	16.6	30.2
2015	474	29.0	16.3	29.5
2016	473	25.0	18.9	26.2
2017	483	30.0	16.1	n/a
2018	486	33.0	14.7	n/a
2019	508	34.0	14.9	n/a
2020	468	34.0	13.7	n/a
2021	413	33.0	12.5	n/a
2022	430	31.0	13.8	n/a
2023	385	32.4	11.8	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$636 (4.3%)	$17,779 (120.6%)	$14,743

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Downes (John R.) Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 25^th of 105 Elementary schools	Ranks 36^th of 103 Elementary schools	11.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)	57.9	39	18.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Christina School District)	45	32.6	12.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	50.5	38.4	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)	83.1	45	38.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Christina School District)	54.8	35.1	19.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	53	42.2	10.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)	67.1	50.9	16.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Christina School District)	41.8	33.1	8.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	53.5	39.9	13.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)	67.5	54.1	13.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Christina School District)	44.4	32.4	12%
4th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	50.8	39.1	11.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)	55.3	51.5	3.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Christina School District)	47.1	41.1	6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	56.9	44.1	12.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)	56.3	34.8	21.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Christina School District)	38.2	27.1	11.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	44.4	32.3	12.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	508	385	24.2%
African American	99	85	14.1%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	56	42	25%
Hispanic	68	69	1.5%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	242	161	33.5%
Two or More Races	40	25	37.5%

Schools Near Downes (John R.) Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				DeSSA Science (2023)	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2023)			Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2023)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	DeSSA Science 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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Downes (John R.) Elementary School	Public	K-5	220 Casho Mill Road	Newark	19711	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-2133	385	32	11.8		161 (41.8%)	85 (22.1%)	69 (17.9%)	42 (10.9%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	25 (6.5%)	59.9	37^th of 105 public elementary schools	64.8%		67.2	29^th of 104 public elementary schools	72.1%	8	22.1	39.0	50.9	51.5	45.0	54.1	34.8	$14,743	$636	$17,779
West Park Place Elementary School	Public	K-5	193 West Park Place	Newark	19711	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-2290	319	27	11.8		121 (37.9%)	97 (30.4%)	29 (9.1%)	47 (14.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	24 (7.5%)	73.1	23^rd of 105 public elementary schools	78.1%		79.9	16^th of 104 public elementary schools	84.6%	7	34.9	38.0	48.5	69.8	51.0	52.8	48.8	$16,302	$742	$19,916
McVey (Joseph M.) Elementary School	Public	K-5	908 Janice Drive	Newark	19713	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-2145	330	29	11.2		111 (33.6%)	128 (38.8%)	61 (18.5%)	17 (5.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.6%)	52.3	45^th of 105 public elementary schools	57.1%		46	53^rd of 104 public elementary schools	49.0%	8	34.0	36.2	33.9	56.0	31.3	30.4	48.0	$19,047	$1,049	$23,054
Maclary (R. Elisabeth) Elementary School	Public	K-5	300 St. Regis Drive	Newark	19711	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-2142	266	23	11.5		103 (38.7%)	72 (27.1%)	74 (27.8%)	6 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.1%)	56.8	39^th of 105 public elementary schools	62.9%		56.7	37^th of 104 public elementary schools	64.4%	2	22.0	52.2	37.2	43.6	43.8	43.2	41.5	$21,898	$1,015	$26,528
Brookside Elementary School	Public	K-5	800 Marrows Road	Newark	19713	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-5454	253	26	9.7		56 (22.1%)	77 (30.4%)	98 (38.7%)	9 (3.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.7%)	37.6	66^th of 105 public elementary schools	37.1%		45.3	56^th of 104 public elementary schools	46.2%	10		40.0	28.9	42.1	37.5	27.8	24.3	$20,812	$1,117	$24,641
Smith (Jennie E.) Elementary School	Public	K-5	142 Brennen Drive	Newark	19713	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-2174	456	37	12.1		133 (29.2%)	126 (27.6%)	122 (26.8%)	45 (9.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	28 (6.1%)	33.3	71^st of 105 public elementary schools	32.4%		21.7	79^th of 104 public elementary schools	24.0%	8	14.8	32.1	36.1	36.1	37.9	33.3	25.0	$15,306	$804	$18,274
Christina Early Education Center	Public	PK	620 East Chestnut Hill Rd	Newark	19713	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-2720	295	26	11.3		110 (37.3%)	99 (33.6%)	53 (18.0%)	28 (9.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)								(n/a)								$32,578	$1,326	$39,564
Brader (Henry M.) Elementary School	Public	K-5	350 Four Seasons Parkway	Newark	19702	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-5959	323	30	10.7		95 (29.4%)	118 (36.5%)	70 (21.7%)	8 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (9.9%)	27.6	73^rd of 105 public elementary schools	30.5%		39.6	64^th of 104 public elementary schools	38.5%	9	13.1	30.9	34.6	34.4	24.1	36.4	18.0	$18,895	$834	$22,734
Wilson (Etta J.) Elementary School	Public	K-5	14 Forge Road	Newark	19711	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-2180	267	20	13.3		129 (48.3%)	75 (28.1%)	33 (12.4%)	12 (4.5%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	15 (5.6%)	80.6	17^th of 105 public elementary schools	83.8%		72.5	24^th of 104 public elementary schools	76.9%	7	48.7	51.2	34.9	74.4	63.4	50.0	71.8	$18,138	$1,184	$21,370
Forest Oak Elementary School	Public	K-5	55 South Meadowood Drive	Newark	19711	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 454-3420	465	36	13.0		157 (33.8%)	47 (10.1%)	232 (49.9%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.9%)	56.3	40^th of 105 public elementary schools	61.9%		63.1	34^th of 104 public elementary schools	67.3%	6	23.8	30.9	46.3	57.3	34.6	46.3	44.1	$15,190	$672	$17,559

Frequently Asked Questions about Downes (John R.) Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Downes (John R.) Elementary School?

Students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School are 42% White, 22% African American, 18% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Downes (John R.) Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Downes (John R.) Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Shue-Medill Middle School
High : Newark High School

What district is Downes (John R.) Elementary School in?

Christina School District

How many students attend Downes (John R.) Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 385 students attended Downes (John R.) Elementary School.

Is Downes (John R.) Elementary School a good school?

Downes (John R.) Elementary School ranks 37^th of 105 Delaware elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Downes (John R.) Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

DEDelaware Elementary School Rankings

DEDelaware District Rankings

Schools in Newark, DE

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Downes (John R.) Elementary School!

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.

Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 13 milliseconds.