Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School

Public Grades K-5

96^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 107 Delaware Elementary Schools

Better than 10% of Delaware elementary schools

Summary

Harlan (David W.) Elementary School is a K-5 public school in Wilmington, DE, serving 322 students as part of the Brandywine School District.

Harlan faces significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math running roughly 25 to 30 percentage points below the district average and 20 to 25 points below the state average. For example, only 17.9% of 3rd graders met ELA standards, compared to 44.1% across the district. Chronic absenteeism is also a concern, affecting 19.2% of students—higher than both the district (15.7%) and state (17.1%) averages. The school's performance for its African American students ranks in the bottom 10% statewide, while outcomes for low-income students have swung dramatically, from a 4-star rating in 2024-2025 to a 0-star rating the following year. This volatility suggests that any successful interventions have not been sustainable.

What makes Harlan particularly notable is the contrast with nearby schools. Just 1.5 miles away, Lombardy Elementary School posts proficiency rates that are often double or triple Harlan's, and First State Montessori Academy—also nearby—ranks in the 81st percentile with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 5.0%. Yet Harlan actually spends more per student ($20,957) than either of those schools and maintains a low student-teacher ratio of 9.4. This combination of higher spending, smaller classes, and lower outcomes points to challenges rooted in out-of-school factors like poverty and family instability. For parents considering this school, it's important to understand that while the school has resources and staffing in place, the data suggests that addressing the non-academic barriers students face will be essential to improving results.

322

Students ?

9.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$37,837

Per pupil spending ?

99.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3601 Jefferson Street
Wilmington, DE 19802

(302) 762-7156

District: Brandywine School District

Students who attend Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:

duPont (Pierre S.) Middle School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

77.0%

Hispanic:

9.0%

White:

7.5%

See top rated Delaware elementary schools

Compare Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 11th percentile in 2015 → 10th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Delaware average (20% vs 42% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (10th percentile)

!Social Studies scores 23 pts below the Delaware average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school20%

District avg46%

Delaware avg42%

96^th of 107

Delaware public elementary schools ?

Bottom 10%▼ down 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 17% (2016) to bottom 10% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Delaware Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

9^th of 9Elementary Schools in the Brandywine School District

9^th of 34Brandywine 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	11.7	96 of 107	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	15.2	92 of 109	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.9	94 of 106	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.7	84 of 103	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	5.7	102 of 104	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	8.8	96 of 105	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	15.0	77 of 85	9.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	17.3	73 of 86	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	25.2	71 of 86	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	14.8	96 of 108	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	7.5	85 of 91	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	10.5	80 of 90	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	17.8	80 of 91	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	18.4	62 of 70	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.0	58 of 68	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.5	58 of 62	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	27.7	46 of 60	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	5.6	59 of 60	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	18.7	65 of 72	9.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	22.6	78 of 98	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	10.5	93 of 99	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	12.3	73 of 75	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	59.4	21 of 70	70.0%	★★★★☆
2019	16.5	81 of 92	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Delaware percentile	Rating
2026	11.2	92 of 98	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	11.1	89 of 99	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Female (2026)20th percentile+10 vs school

African American (2026)11th percentile~ school

Male (2026)6th percentile-4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)3rd percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs Delaware (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies28%-23 vs state

English Language Arts22%-21 vs state

Mathematics17%-22 vs state

Science12%-18 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School and help other families decide.

Rate Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School

Load more schools when map is moved

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	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2016)	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 Science 8th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 4th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 5th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 6th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 7th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 8th 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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School	Public	K-5	3601 Jefferson Street	Wilmington	19802	New Castle County	Brandywine School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 762-7156	322	34	9.4	99.2%	24 (7.5%)	248 (77.0%)	29 (9.0%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.3%)	11.7	96^th of 107 public elementary schools	10.3%		15.2	92^nd of 109 public elementary schools	15.6%	4	12.5		13.8	42.6				17.9	16.1	32.7				14.7	16.1	21.4				$37,837
East Side Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	3000 North Claymont Street	Wilmington	19802	New Castle County	East Side Charter School	Yes	No	No	No	(302) 762-5834	434	42	10.3	99.3%	7 (1.6%)	409 (94.2%)	12 (2.8%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	10.6	98^th of 107 public elementary schools	8.4%		22	84^th of 109 public elementary schools	22.9%	14	16.0	10.2		28.3	25.0	46.4	39.1	8.5	12.1	26.0	22.7	37.9	40.8	10.5	14.3	20.4	20.5	21.1	20.4
Edison (Thomas A.) Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	2200 North Locust Street	Wilmington	19802	New Castle County	Edison (Thomas A.) Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(302) 778-1101	557	36	15.4	99.6%	6 (1.1%)	537 (96.4%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.3%)	3.6	106^th of 107 public elementary schools	0.9%		5.1	106^th of 109 public elementary schools	2.8%				9.2	9.4	14.8	35.6	14.0				12.9	17.0	19.2	8.2	7.4			11.9
Warner Elementary School	Public	3-5	801 West 18th Street	Wilmington	19802	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 651-2740	395	40	9.8	99.3%	34 (8.6%)	307 (77.7%)	47 (11.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.0%)	2.5	107^th of 107 public elementary schools	0.0%		5.2	105^th of 109 public elementary schools	3.7%	2			9.3	19.4					6.0	12.7				5.6	6.0	4.5				$31,966
Shortlidge (Evan G.) Academy	Public	K-2	100 West 18th Street	Wilmington	19802	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 651-2710	340	33	10.3	99.2%	21 (6.2%)	265 (77.9%)	46 (13.5%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)								(n/a)																				$34,712
Kuumba Academy Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	1200 North French Street	Wilmington	19801	New Castle County	Kuumba Academy Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(302) 472-6450	594	45	13.2	71.6%	2 (0.3%)	537 (90.4%)	29 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.4%)	12.5	93^rd of 107 public elementary schools	13.1%		22.7	83^rd of 109 public elementary schools	23.9%	10	17.0		25.4	44.1	20.3	22.6	18.4	12.3	21.9	32.2	12.7	14.8	24.5			10.2	7.9
Stubbs Early Education Center	Public	PK-K	1100 North Pine Street	Wilmington	19801	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 429-4175	148	15	9.8	88.9%	1 (0.7%)	132 (89.2%)	8 (5.4%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.4%)								(n/a)
First State Montessori Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	Null	Wilmington	19801	New Castle County	First State Montessori Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(302) 576-1500	657	34	19.3	8.9%	447 (68.0%)	120 (18.3%)	14 (2.1%)	13 (2.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (9.3%)	80.7	20^th of 107 public elementary schools	81.3%		84.8	14^th of 109 public elementary schools	87.2%	6	40.8	30.4	48.6	81.3	78.5	70.6	48.2	60.8	65.8	68.4	76.9	67.7	55.4	49.4	49.3	36.8	47.7	41.2	30.4
Lombardy Elementary School	Public	K-5	412 Foulk Road	Wilmington	19803	New Castle County	Brandywine School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 762-7190	466	33	14.3	29.5%	260 (55.8%)	126 (27.0%)	36 (7.7%)	11 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (6.9%)	55.8	44^th of 107 public elementary schools	58.9%		51.6	45^th of 109 public elementary schools	58.7%	1	27.3		38.6	59.4				48.2	48.6	50.0				46.9	41.7	34.9				$23,600
Maurice Pritchett Senior Academy	Public	1-8	600 E. 7th Street	Wilmington	19801	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(302) 429-4102	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	4	105^th of 107 public elementary schools	1.9%					(n/a)			7.4	24.2	18.0	15.1	9.6	11.7			9.1		19.1

Frequently Asked Questions about Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School

How many students attend Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 322 students attended Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School.

Is Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School a good school?

Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School ranks in the bottom 10.3% of Delaware elementary schools.

What district is Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School in?

Brandywine School District

What schools do graduates of Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : duPont (Pierre S.) Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School?

Students at Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School are 77% African American, 9% Hispanic, 7% White, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Rate Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

DEDelaware Elementary School Rankings

DEDelaware District Rankings

Schools in Wilmington, DE

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School!

Latest Delaware data All new data »

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

2024–25 school spending dataMar 23, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataJan 20, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 7, 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.