Best Public Schools in Zip Code 19802

Zip code 19802 in Wilmington, Delaware, is served by 6 schools—5 elementary schools (including K-8 charters) and 1 middle school—with no high school in the immediate area, creating a transition point for families after 8th grade.

For parents, the standout option is duPont (Pierre S.) Middle School, which ranks 20th of 59 middle schools statewide and outperforms state averages in most subjects, particularly 6th grade ELA (50.78% vs. 39.07% state) and 8th grade Science (30.77% vs. 16.36% state). Its chronic absenteeism rate of 12.1% is well below the state average of 17.1%. At the elementary level, Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School shows steady academic growth from 3rd to 5th grade in ELA (17.91% to 32.73%) and has the best student-teacher ratio in the area at 9.4:1. The two charter schools present a contrast: Edison (Thomas A.) Charter School has remarkably low absenteeism (2.5%) but ranks 105th of 106 schools academically, while East Side Charter School shows moderate performance but struggles with a 35.1% chronic absenteeism rate. Warner Elementary School is the most significant concern, ranking last in the state (106th of 106) with only 4.51-6.02% math proficiency and a 39.5% chronic absenteeism rate—despite having the highest per-student spending ($23,146) in the dataset.

The data reveals a strong correlation between attendance and achievement: schools with lower absenteeism (duPont at 12.1%, Edison at 2.5%) perform better relative to their peers, while Warner (39.5%) and East Side (35.1%) lag significantly. Notably, Brandywine School District (which includes duPont and Harlan) ranks 9th of 34 districts statewide, while Red Clay Consolidated School District (Warner and Shortlidge (Evan G.) Academy) ranks 16th. However, both districts' schools in this zip code perform below their district averages, suggesting unique local challenges. Year-over-year volatility in test scores—such as East Side's 8th grade math dropping from 43.48% to 20.41%—likely reflects small cohort sizes. For families, the strongest path is duPont for middle school, while elementary options are more variable, and the absence of a local high school means planning for a transition after 8th grade.