Schools in Zip Code 19956

Zip code 19956 in Laurel, Delaware, is served by the Laurel School District, which includes four schools—two elementary, one middle, and one high school—covering pre-kindergarten through 12th grade for roughly 2,544 students.

The clear standout is Laurel Middle School, which has improved dramatically, jumping from the 15th to 42nd percentile in state rankings over two years. Its chronic absenteeism rate of just 1.7% is exceptional compared to the district average of 18.7%, and its 7th grade English proficiency (43.5%) actually matches the state average—the only school in the district to achieve parity in any core subject. Math gaps also narrow significantly at this level, from roughly -20 points in elementary grades to just -1.5 points in 8th grade. In contrast, Laurel Senior High School faces serious challenges: only 4.76% of 11th graders are proficient in math, the dropout rate is 8.0% (double the state's 3.9%), and chronic absenteeism sits at 27.2%. The graduation rate of 79.4% trails the state by nearly 10 points. Laurel Elementary School consistently scores below state averages across all subjects, with gaps of 12 to 22 points in reading and math.

Perhaps the most puzzling finding involves North Laurel Early Learning Academy, which spends nearly $20,000 per student—almost double the elementary school's $10,110—yet has the district's highest chronic absenteeism rate at 31.9%. This high spending may reflect its low 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio, but the attendance issue is concerning for a school meant to build foundational habits. Overall, the district shows a mixed picture: middle school improvements are encouraging, but the pipeline from elementary through high school reveals cumulative learning loss, particularly in math and social studies, that will require coordinated intervention across all grade levels.