Summary:
Zip code 19720 is served by a single high school, Penn (William) High School, a large public institution within the Colonial School District that enrolls 2,069 students in grades 9-12.
For parents considering this area, the most important takeaway is that Penn (William) High School faces significant academic and engagement challenges compared to the rest of Delaware. The school currently ranks 32nd out of 41 high schools in the state (22nd percentile) and holds a 1-star rating. Test proficiency rates are well below state averages across all subjects: only 22.2% of students are proficient in ELA versus 44.0% statewide, and math proficiency sits at just 9.4% compared to 18.2% statewide. Science proficiency (13.6%) and essay scores (23.1%) also lag considerably. The school's graduation rate is 84.0%, below the state's 88.9%, while the dropout rate of 6.2% is notably higher than the state's 3.9%.
Perhaps the most concerning statistic is chronic absenteeism, which affects 37.0% of students—more than double the state average of 17.1%. This likely contributes to the academic struggles and the declining trend in core subjects, as ELA proficiency dropped from 33.1% to 22.2% between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years. On a more positive note, social studies proficiency (23.2%) is nearly at the state average (24.9%), suggesting a potential area of strength. The student-teacher ratio is 17.6, and per-student spending was $14,220 (2018-2019 data). While the school has a large student body and some instructional bright spots, parents should be aware that the combination of low test scores, high absenteeism, and elevated dropout rates indicates a school where many students may need additional support to succeed.
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