First State Military Academy

First State Military Academy is the sole public charter high school serving grades 9-12 in Clayton, Delaware, with a total enrollment of 439 students. While the school boasts a relatively diverse student population, its academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally below the state averages in core subjects like English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

The school's four-year graduation rate of 89.3% in 2021-2022 is slightly below the state average, and its dropout rate of 6.4% is higher than desired. Additionally, the school faces a significant challenge with chronic absenteeism, with a rate of 31.2% in 2022-2023, indicating a substantial portion of students are missing a significant amount of instructional time. These attendance and engagement issues likely contribute to the school's academic struggles, as evidenced by the low proficiency rates in Math and other core subjects.

Despite the school's per-student spending of $12,478 being in line with state averages, the data suggests that resources may not be the primary factor in the academic performance challenges. Identifying and addressing the root causes of these issues, such as achievement gaps, student support, and instructional practices, should be a priority for First State Military Academy to ensure it provides a high-quality education and prepares its students for success.