Summary:
Zip code 19703 in Claymont, DE, is served by two elementary schools within the Brandywine School District, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the top quarter of Delaware districts, though the area lacks any middle or high school options.
For parents, the standout choice is Claymont Elementary School, a large K-5 school with 937 students that ranks 22nd out of 106 schools statewide (79th percentile) with a 4-star rating. Claymont shows remarkable academic growth: while its 3rd graders trail district averages in both ELA (32.85% proficient vs. 44.09%) and math (34.78% vs. 44.50%), by 5th grade students dramatically surpass district and state averages, reaching 68.04% proficiency in ELA and 63.73% in math. The school also excels in science (54.64% proficient vs. 30.13% state average) and social studies (77.25% in 5th grade vs. 61.85% state). In contrast, Maple Lane Elementary School struggles significantly, ranking 79th statewide (25th percentile) with a 1-star rating. Maple Lane's proficiency rates are roughly half of Claymont's across most subjects—for example, only 29.31% of 5th graders are proficient in ELA compared to Claymont's 68.04%, and just 22.41% in math versus 63.73%.
Several key differences stand out. Maple Lane has a slightly better student-teacher ratio (12.9:1 vs. 14.4:1) and lower per-student spending ($15,214 vs. $16,658), yet produces far weaker outcomes, raising questions about resource allocation. Chronic absenteeism is also higher at Maple Lane (16.9% vs. 14.5% at Claymont), correlating with lower achievement. Both schools have shown slight ranking shifts over three years—Claymont moving from 18th to 22nd and Maple Lane from 87th to 79th—but they remain on opposite ends of the performance spectrum. Families should note that with no secondary schools in the zip code, students will need to look outside 19703 for middle and high school education.
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