Best High Schools in Zip Code 19801

Zip code 19801 in Wilmington, Delaware is served by three high schools—Howard High School of Technology, Freire Charter School, and Great Oaks Charter School—which together serve grades 8 through 12 and represent a mix of vocational-technical and charter school models.

Howard High School of Technology, part of the New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District, is the clear standout in this area. It has the highest graduation rate at 97.1%, far exceeding the state average of 88.9% and outpacing Freire (78.8%) and Great Oaks (50.0%) by 18 and 47 points respectively. Howard also has the lowest dropout rate (3.1%) and the lowest chronic absenteeism (13.1%), which is actually better than the state average. However, its test scores are very low—only 17.22% proficient in SAT ELA and 4.31% in math—suggesting the school prioritizes vocational training and graduation pathways over standardized test performance. Freire Charter School, operating as its own district, sits in the middle with a 78.8% graduation rate but struggles with chronic absenteeism at 36.5%, more than double the state rate. Great Oaks Charter School, also its own district, is the most concerning, with a 50% graduation rate, a 14.1% dropout rate, and 54.8% chronic absenteeism—meaning more than half its students are regularly missing school.

All three schools rank in the bottom 10% of Delaware high schools, and math proficiency is critically low across the board, with Howard at just 4.31% proficient. Spending does not clearly predict outcomes: Howard spends the most ($18,718 per student) and performs best, but Great Oaks spends more than Freire ($16,393 vs. $13,729) yet has far worse results. The data strongly links attendance to success—schools with lower absenteeism have much higher graduation rates. For parents, Howard offers the strongest graduation outcomes and a stable environment, while the two charter schools face significant challenges, particularly Great Oaks, where academic progress appears severely hampered by attendance issues.