Summary:
There are four elementary schools serving grades K-5 in zip code 19713 in Newark, Delaware, all part of the Christina School District, which ranks in the middle tier of Delaware districts.
For parents comparing schools in this area, Brookside Elementary School is the clear standout. It made a remarkable jump from 65th to 37th in the state rankings in just one year, making it the only 3-star school in this group. Brookside outperforms both district and state averages in nearly every subject, including 3rd grade ELA (51.52% proficient vs. 40.05% state) and 5th grade Social Studies (72.55% proficient vs. 61.85% state). It also has the highest per-student spending at $20,812. In contrast, Gallaher (Robert S.) Elementary School, Smith (Jennie E.) Elementary School, and McVey (Joseph M.) Elementary School all hold 2-star ratings and cluster together in the 56th-62nd range. Gallaher is the largest school (469 students) but maintains the lowest student-teacher ratio at 9.5:1, while McVey has the highest ratio at 11.3:1.
Attendance is a notable strength across all four schools, with every one falling below the district's 19.8% chronic absenteeism rate. Smith Elementary leads the way at just 8.2%, yet this advantage doesn't translate into top academic results. There are also some consistent patterns worth noting: all schools show strong 5th grade Social Studies performance, but math proficiency tends to decline from 3rd to 5th grade across the board. Science scores lag state averages at most schools, with only Brookside exceeding the state benchmark. The spending picture is nuanced—while Brookside's high spending correlates with strong outcomes, McVey spends nearly as much ($19,047/student) but ranks near the bottom of this group. Overall, Brookside's small size (260 students) and dramatic improvement make it the most compelling choice, while the other three schools offer similar mid-range performance with varying strengths in attendance, class sizes, and specific subjects.
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