| # | District | City | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Cape Henlopen School District | Lewes | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Appoquinimink School District | Middletown | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #3 | Caesar Rodney School District | Dover Afb | 9/10 Excellent | 88th |
| #4 | Indian River School District | Bethany Beach | 9/10 Excellent | 81th |
| #5 | Red Clay Consolidated School District | Newark | 8/10 Good | 75th |
| #6 | Delmar School District | Delmar | 7/10 Good | 69th |
| #7 | Brandywine School District | Claymont | 7/10 Good | 62th |
| #8 | Seaford School District | Seaford | 6/10 Average | 56th |
| #9 | Lake Forest School District | Felton | 5/10 Average | 50th |
| #10 | Smyrna School District | Clayton | 5/10 Average | 44th |
| #11 | Woodbridge School District | Bridgeville | 4/10 Below Average | 38th |
| #12 | Christina School District | Newark | 4/10 Below Average | 31th |
| #13 | Laurel School District | Bethel | 3/10 Below Average | 25th |
| #14 | Milford School District | Ellendale | 2/10 Poor | 19th |
| #15 | Capital School District | Dover | 2/10 Poor | 12th |
| #16 | Colonial School District | Bear | 1/10 Poor | 6th |
Best School Districts in Delaware (2026)
This ranking covers 16 rated public school districts in Delaware, scored using NCES EDFacts state assessment data (2021–22 for 90% of districts, 2017–18 fallback for the rest). Each district's reading and math proficiency rates are averaged, then ranked against other districts in the same state to produce a 1–10 score.
A district's score reflects how its students perform on state assessments relative to same-state peers — it is not a direct measure of teaching quality, school culture, or individual student outcomes. Always visit schools, talk to local families, and contact districts directly before making decisions. Learn how ratings are calculated →
How to Use This List
Click any district name to see its zip code page and confirm your exact assignment with the district office. Boundaries don't always follow city or neighborhood lines — the zip code search gives you the most accurate result.