Summary:
Zip code 19806 in Wilmington, Delaware is home to 2 elementary schools serving grades K-5 within the Red Clay Consolidated School District, with a combined enrollment of 623 students and no middle or high schools located in the area.
Both schools in this zip code face significant academic challenges, but Lewis (William C.) Dual Language Elementary School is the stronger of the two options. Lewis serves 347 students with a better student-teacher ratio (11.9:1 vs. 13.1:1) and ranks higher in the state (95th of 106, 10th percentile) compared to Johnson (Joseph E. Junior) Elementary School (102nd of 106, 4th percentile). Lewis also offers a unique dual language program and shows a notable strength in 5th-grade Social Studies, where 47.73% of students are proficient—far exceeding Johnson's 26.83% in the same subject. However, Lewis has shown a troubling downward trend, dropping from the 24th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 10th percentile in 2025-2026. Johnson, meanwhile, has remained consistently low with a 0-star designation for three consecutive years and spends more per student ($18,945 vs. $18,137) despite achieving worse outcomes.
Both schools struggle with chronic absenteeism, with rates of 22.4% at Lewis and 25.5% at Johnson—well above the state average of 17.1%. Test scores across nearly all subjects fall dramatically below district and state averages; for example, Lewis's 4th-grade math proficiency is just 8.33% compared to the state's 40.37%. Johnson also has significant data gaps, with no math scores reported for 2025-2026. The higher spending at Johnson without correspondingly better results suggests that addressing attendance and socioeconomic barriers may be more impactful than additional funding alone. Parents considering these schools should be aware that students will need to transition to schools outside the zip code for middle and high school, and that both institutions face systemic challenges requiring comprehensive community support.
Thank you for your feedback!