Best High Schools in Zip Code 19804

Zip code 19804 in Wilmington, Delaware, is home to three distinct public high schools serving grades 9-12 (with one also covering grades 6-8), offering families a unique choice between vocational-technical, science-focused magnet, and military charter education models.

Conrad Schools of Science is the clear academic standout in this area, earning a 5-star rating and ranking 4th out of 41 high schools statewide for 2025-2026—a 90th percentile performance that has remained consistently in the top 6 over three consecutive years. Its middle school grades (6-8) show exceptional results, with 7th-grade social studies proficiency at 80.24% compared to the state's 59.85%. In contrast, Delcastle Technical High School has shown meaningful improvement, rising from a 1-star to a 2-star rating, though it still ranks in the bottom half of Delaware high schools. Delcastle does excel in science proficiency (29.63% vs. 23.9% statewide) and boasts a 95.3% graduation rate—well above the state average of 88.9%—with a remarkably low 7.4% chronic absenteeism rate. Delaware Military Academy presents a significant data gap, with its most recent ranking from 2018-2019 showing a 4-star, 75th percentile performance, but no current test scores or graduation data available for evaluation.

All three schools struggle with mathematics proficiency compared to other subjects, reflecting a statewide issue. Even at top-performing Conrad, 11th-grade math proficiency (38.27%) is dramatically lower than ELA (64.2%), while Delcastle's math proficiency sits at just 7.38%. Delcastle spends 47% more per student ($18,776 vs. $12,754) than Conrad, likely reflecting the higher costs of vocational equipment and smaller class sizes (13.6:1 vs. 18.1:1 student-teacher ratios). Both schools with available data show chronic absenteeism well below the state average of 17.1%, indicating strong student engagement. Families in this zip code face a genuine choice: Conrad's specialized academic focus delivers superior test outcomes, Delcastle's technical model produces strong graduation rates and applied science skills, and Delaware Military Academy offers a structured environment—though parents would have limited current data to evaluate the latter.