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Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Q: Is Lake Forest Central Elementary School a good school?

Lake Forest Central Elementary School ranks 49 th of 107 Delaware elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 4-5

49^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 107 Delaware Elementary Schools

Better than 54% of Delaware elementary schools

Summary

Lake Forest Central Elementary School in Felton, DE, serves 604 students in grades 4-5 as the upper-elementary hub for the Lake Forest School District, drawing from three K-3 feeder schools in a rural area of central Delaware. The school holds a 3-star rating and ranks 48th out of 106 Delaware elementary schools, a decline from its 4-star status in earlier years, though it remains part of a district rated 4 stars overall.

The school's standout strength is 5th grade English Language Arts, where 51.31% of students scored proficient in 2025-2026—more than 5 points above the state average—and in 2023-2024, 5th graders exceeded the state by a remarkable 12 points. Social Studies performance is also strong, with 63.92% proficiency. However, 4th grade scores tell a different story: just 39.68% proficiency in ELA, slightly below the state average. This creates an 11.63-point gap between grade levels, suggesting students may experience a challenging transition into the school but show significant growth by 5th grade. Hispanic students have been a notable success story, earning 4-star ratings and ranking in the 72nd-73rd percentile statewide in recent years. Math and science performance are more modest, hovering near state averages.

Two areas warrant attention. Chronic absenteeism sits at 19.7%, nearly double the rate at nearby Lake Forest North Elementary School (10.8%) and more than double at Allen Frear Elementary School (8.5%) in the Caesar Rodney School District, which consistently outperforms this school despite similar resources. Most concerning, Special Education services rank near the bottom statewide (4th percentile), a persistent challenge over multiple years. For parents, this school offers strong literacy instruction that pays off by 5th grade, but attendance and special education support are important factors to consider when evaluating fit.

604

Students ?

16.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,338

Per pupil spending ?

32.9%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

5424 Killens Pond Road
Felton, DE 19943

(302) 284-5810

District: Lake Forest School District

Students who attend Lake Forest Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Chipman (W.T.) Middle School
High:	Lake Forest High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

58.1%

African American:

21.2%

Hispanic:

10.4%

See top rated Delaware elementary schools

Compare Lake Forest Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 72nd percentile in 2016 → 54th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Delaware median (54th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 18 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school43%

District avg43%

Delaware avg42%

49^th of 107

Delaware public elementary schools ?

Top 46%▼ down 18 pts since 2016

From top 28% (2016) to top 46% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Delaware Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 34Lake Forest 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	52.5	49 of 107	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.2	42 of 109	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.9	42 of 106	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.9	42 of 103	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.2	47 of 104	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	45.9	45 of 95	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.5	37 of 105	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.9	26 of 85	69.4%	★★★★☆
2017	76.3	19 of 86	77.9%	★★★★☆
2016	71.3	24 of 86	72.1%	★★★★☆
2015	66.1	36 of 108	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	67.1	14 of 36	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	58.1	44 of 91	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	67.4	32 of 90	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	61.4	37 of 91	59.3%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	33.9	45 of 70	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	21.1	61 of 68	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	44.2	36 of 62	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.5	28 of 60	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	35.8	41 of 60	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	27.8	19 of 22	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	51.9	31 of 72	56.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	47.1	49 of 98	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.2	40 of 97	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.8	40 of 97	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.7	38 of 89	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	37.8	53 of 90	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	28.6	51 of 67	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	62.4	36 of 99	63.6%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	62.4	18 of 45	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.6	12 of 43	72.1%	★★★★☆
2024	63.5	10 of 37	73.0%	★★★★☆
2023	39.2	28 of 42	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	59.8	12 of 37	67.6%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	54.0	32 of 75	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	45.8	34 of 70	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.0	29 of 66	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.3	42 of 66	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.6	35 of 62	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.4	15 of 18	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	66.2	25 of 92	72.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	44.0	50 of 98	49.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	41.4	54 of 97	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.4	50 of 97	48.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	38.8	54 of 89	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.2	43 of 90	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.2	34 of 67	49.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	69.7	28 of 99	71.7%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2025	55.7	5 of 8	37.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.4	6 of 6	0.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	75.6	1 of 1	0.0%	★★★★★
2022	49.0	1 of 1	0.0%	★★★★★
2019	50.9	3 of 4	25.0%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	12.3	23 of 24	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.3	27 of 27	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	12.1	17 of 17	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.6	12 of 12	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.7	13 of 13	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	10.5	6 of 6	0.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	27.3	7 of 9	22.2%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	37.8	47 of 78	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.4	48 of 77	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.6	47 of 73	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.5	54 of 70	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	34.6	55 of 75	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.9	45 of 65	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	58.4	39 of 82	52.4%	★★★☆☆

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 (2026)60th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)57th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)50th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2026)49th percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)40th percentile-14 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)38th percentile-24 vs school

African American (2026)36th percentile-18 vs school

Special Education (2026)4th percentile-50 vs school

By subject vs Delaware (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies49%~ state avg

English Language Arts45%~ state avg

Mathematics40%~ state avg

Science30%~ state avg

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, May 2, 2014

The culture of this school is toxic and the reception from the administration of those students who are different is cold and unwelcoming. School choice elsewhere. Close Quote

Schools Near Lake Forest Central 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
Lake Forest Central Elementary School	Public	4-5	5424 Killens Pond Road	Felton	19943	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 284-5810	604	38	16.1	32.9%	351 (58.1%)	128 (21.2%)	63 (10.4%)	6 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	52 (8.6%)	52.5	49^th of 107 public elementary schools	54.2%		53.2	42^nd of 109 public elementary schools	61.5%	7	30.3	35.1	63.9		39.7	51.3		40.0	39.8	$16,338
Lake Forest North Elementary School	Public	K-3	319 East Main Street	Felton	19943	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 284-9611	424	29	14.6	30.2%	274 (64.6%)	78 (18.4%)	32 (7.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (9.0%)								(n/a)				62.5			63.1			$21,454
Lake Forest East Elementary School	Public	K-3	124 West Front Street	Frederica	19946	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 335-5261	353	24	14.7	28.0%	176 (49.9%)	63 (17.8%)	68 (19.3%)	3 (0.8%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	38 (10.8%)								(n/a)				33.7			43.6			$20,842
Lake Forest South Elementary School	Public	K-3	301 Dorman Street	Harrington	19952	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 398-8011	407	28	14.5	45.0%	239 (58.7%)	88 (21.6%)	35 (8.6%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	42 (10.3%)								(n/a)				38.1			45.7			$19,023
David E. Robinson Elementary School	Public	1-5	1038 Briarbush road	Wyoming	19934	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 698-4230	514	31	16.5	31.3%	220 (42.8%)	168 (32.7%)	51 (9.9%)	17 (3.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (11.1%)	57.5	40^th of 107 public elementary schools	62.6%		62.6	34^th of 109 public elementary schools	68.8%	6	34.1	40.5	75.4	40.5	37.2	56.2	44.3	41.6	31.6	$16,007
J. Ralph McIlvaine Early Childhood Center	Public	K	11 East Walnut	Magnolia	19962	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 335-5039	454	24	18.9	30.2%	233 (51.3%)	153 (33.7%)	32 (7.0%)	13 (2.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (4.6%)								(n/a)
Star Hill Elementary School	Public	1-5	594 Voshells Mill/Star Hill Ro	Dover	19901	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 697-6117	429	29	14.7	30.5%	192 (44.8%)	149 (34.7%)	55 (12.8%)	8 (1.9%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.7%)	20 (4.7%)	28.3	76^th of 107 public elementary schools	29.0%		24.5	80^th of 109 public elementary schools	26.6%	4	26.5	25.4	53.7	24.2	31.9	45.6	19.1	26.1	25.0	$17,773
Nellie Hughes Stokes Elementary School	Public	1-5	3874 Upper King Road	Dover	19904	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 697-3205	487	30	16.2	26.7%	248 (50.9%)	144 (29.6%)	55 (11.3%)	7 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.6%)	56.7	43^rd of 107 public elementary schools	59.8%		48.8	50^th of 109 public elementary schools	54.1%	7	32.4	44.5	64.3	45.7	44.6	43.7	44.8	38.0	42.3	$17,106
Allen Frear Elementary School	Public	1-5	238 Sorghum Mill Road	Camden	19934	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 697-3279	504	41	12.2	17.9%	256 (50.8%)	115 (22.8%)	49 (9.7%)	30 (6.0%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	51 (10.1%)	90.6	9^th of 107 public elementary schools	91.6%		87.6	9^th of 109 public elementary schools	91.7%		51.8	50.9	85.5	60.2	65.5	69.0	67.4	68.1	62.5	$18,309
Banneker (Benjamin) Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	449 North Street	Milford	19963	Kent County	Milford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 422-1630	540	31	17.4	41.3%	232 (43.0%)	157 (29.1%)	107 (19.8%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (7.0%)								(n/a)										$20,639

Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Forest Central Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Lake Forest Central Elementary School?

Students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School are 58% White, 21% African American, 10% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races.

What district is Lake Forest Central Elementary School in?

Lake Forest School District

What schools do graduates of Lake Forest Central Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Lake Forest Central Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Chipman (W.T.) Middle School
High : Lake Forest High School

How many students attend Lake Forest Central Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 604 students attended Lake Forest Central Elementary School.

Is Lake Forest Central Elementary School a good school?

Lake Forest Central Elementary School ranks 49^th of 107 Delaware elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Lake Forest Central Elementary School!

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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.