Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 19720

There are three middle schools serving grades 6-8 in zip code 19720 (New Castle, DE), all part of the Colonial School District, which ranks in the bottom quarter of Delaware districts.

Bedford (Gunning) Middle School is the standout performer in this area, holding the highest state ranking (42nd of 59, 29th percentile) and the only school to earn 2 stars. It has shown steady improvement over three years and has the lowest student-teacher ratio among the three at 15.1:1. Read (George) Middle School sits in the middle, ranking 44th of 59 (25th percentile) with 1 star, but notably spends the most per student ($15,716) without outperforming Bedford, which spends the least ($12,575). McCullough (Calvin R.) Middle School is the most struggling, ranking 55th of 59 (7th percentile) with 0 stars and the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 39.7%—more than double the state average of 17.1%.

Academic proficiency is critically low across all three schools compared to state averages. In ELA, Bedford and Read average around 27% proficiency versus the state's 41.3%, while McCullough lags at 17.4%. Math is even more concerning: Bedford leads at 16.5% proficiency, Read at 14.1%, and McCullough at just 9.7%, compared to the state average of 30.8%. Science scores are weakest of all, with Bedford at 8.8%, Read at 7.5%, and McCullough at 3.1% proficiency versus the state's 16.4%. Chronic absenteeism strongly correlates with performance—Bedford and Read have nearly identical rates (28.5% and 28.7%) and similar outcomes, while McCullough's much higher rate aligns with its lower scores. Social Studies is a relative strength, with Bedford's 7th grade proficiency (64.4%) exceeding the state average. The data suggests that addressing attendance and foundational math skills could yield the most significant improvements across all three schools.