Summary
Newark High School is a comprehensive public high school in Newark, DE, serving 1,039 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Christina School District.
Newark High School currently ranks in the lower-middle tier of Delaware high schools, holding a 2-star rating. The school's overall academic performance is a mixed picture: it outperforms its immediate district peers in English Language Arts (36.6% proficient vs. 30.6% district average) and Math (13.1% vs. 10.4%), but falls below both district and state averages in Science and Social Studies. The school spends approximately $20,046 per student, which is higher than many nearby schools, and has improved its student-to-teacher ratio to 15.2:1, indicating smaller class sizes. One positive trend is the significant improvement among students from low socio-economic backgrounds, who have climbed from the 9th percentile to the 39th percentile over the past three years, suggesting that targeted interventions may be starting to work.
However, several challenges stand out. The graduation rate of 71.3% is well below the state average of 88.9%, and the dropout rate has spiked to 6.5%—nearly double the state average. Chronic absenteeism remains a persistent issue at 22.6%, exceeding both district and state averages. Perhaps most concerning is the dramatic decline in performance among male students, who dropped from the 48th to the 15th percentile in a single year. When compared to nearby Christiana High School—just 2.5 miles away in the same district—Newark now trails its peer in overall ranking, graduation rate (71.3% vs. 77.0%), chronic absenteeism (22.6% vs. 17.0%), and in Science and Social Studies test scores. While selective-admission schools like Charter School of Wilmington and Conrad Schools of Science dramatically outperform Newark, those schools serve a different, non-comprehensive student population. For parents considering Newark High School, the key takeaway is that the school faces real challenges with attendance, graduation rates, and achievement gaps, though it shows promise in its improving support for economically disadvantaged students.
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