Early College School at Del State

Q: Is Early College School at Del State a good school?

Early College School at Del State ranks 18 th of 41 Delaware high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Early College School at Del State is a public charter high school serving grades 7-12 in Dover, Delaware, with a diverse student population that is predominantly African American. The school has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking and performance over the past several years, ranging from 2 to 4 stars on the SchoolDigger rating system.

Academically, Early College School at Del State generally outperforms the state average on standardized tests, particularly in English Language Arts, where 46.38% of 11th graders were proficient or better on the SAT in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 44.73%. However, the school struggles more in mathematics, with only 18.84% of 11th graders proficient or better on the SAT Math, slightly above the state average of 18.46%. The school also performs well on science and social studies assessments, often exceeding the state averages. Notably, the school has consistently high rankings for its African American and low socioeconomic status student subgroups, often placing in the top 10 in the state, and its male students also perform well, ranking in the top 10 in the state for the past two school years. In contrast, the school's female students have a lower ranking, placing around the middle of the state's high schools.

Early College School at Del State has maintained a strong four-year graduation rate, ranging from 87.8% to 92.5% in recent years, which is generally higher than the state average. However, the school has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 9.3% to 21.1% in recent years, which is generally higher than the rates of nearby high schools, such as Middletown High School, Odessa High School, and Caesar Rodney High School. While the school has many strengths, including its college-preparatory focus and success in serving traditionally underserved populations, addressing attendance issues and improving mathematics proficiency could be key areas for improvement.

Detail:

Public, Charter 7-12

1570 North DuPont Highway
Dover, DE 19901

(302) 857-3510

District: Early College High School at Del State

SchoolDigger Rank:
18^th of 41 Delaware High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,189

Student/teacher ratio: 25.3

Number of students: 533

Racial breakdown:

African American:

78.4%

Hispanic:

9.6%

White:

8.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 33%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Early College School at Del State ranks worse than 72.2% of middle schools in Delaware. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.45. (See more...)

Compare Details Early College School at Del State ranks better than 56.1% of high schools in Delaware. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.08. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Early College School at Del State who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (78.4%), Hispanic (9.6%), White (8.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Early College School at Del State is 25.3. (See more...)

Compare Early College School at Del State employs 21 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Early College School at Del State is $10,189.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Early College School at Del State:

SchoolDigger ranks Early College School at Del State 39^th of 54 Delaware public middle schools. (See Early College School at Del State in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Early College School at Del State 18^th of 41 Delaware public high schools. (See Early College School at Del State in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Early College High School at Del State:

SchoolDigger ranks Early College High School at Del State 17^th of 32 Delaware school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Early College School at Del State

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Rank History for all middle school students at Early College School at Del State

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	28.45	39^th	54	27.8%

See the entire list of Delaware High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Early College School at Del State

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	42.56	22^nd	42	47.6%

See the entire list of Best Delaware High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Delaware Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Early College School at Del State

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Rank History for all high school students at Early College School at Del State

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	26.94	27^th	40	32.5%
2021	46.18	21^st	39	46.2%
2022	64.91	9^th	39	76.9%
2023	53.96	16^th	39	59.0%
2024	56.08	18^th	41	56.1%

See the entire list of Delaware High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Early College School at Del State

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2021	66.15	7^th	24	70.8%
2022	67.36	4^th	28	85.7%
2023	71.44	6^th	29	79.3%
2024	90.64	3^rd	32	90.6%

See the entire list of Best Delaware High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Early College School at Del State

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	18.20	35^th	41	14.6%
2021	46.51	19^th	36	47.2%
2022	52.55	15^th	37	59.5%
2023	51.07	15^th	38	60.5%
2024	50.60	17^th	39	56.4%

See the entire list of Best Delaware High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Early College School at Del State

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	36.87	24^th	41	41.5%
2021	32.70	22^nd	36	38.9%
2022	73.50	6^th	37	83.8%
2023	65.59	8^th	38	78.9%
2024	51.21	17^th	39	56.4%

See the entire list of Best Delaware High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Early College School at Del State

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	35.74	17^th	33	48.5%
2021	36.88	18^th	27	33.3%
2022	75.45	9^th	35	74.3%
2023	81.38	4^th	31	87.1%
2024	67.43	7^th	31	77.4%

See the entire list of Best Delaware High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Delaware Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Early College School at Del State

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2015	26	75	3	14	3	1	7	129
2016	25	155	2	14	1	1	11	209
2017	35	214	3	23	1	2	11	289
2018	45	328	2	30	1	2	12	420
2019	36	300	5	35	1	3	13	393
2020	43	316	4	43	2	1	12	421
2021	39	291	3	49	2	1	14	399
2022	30	255	3	39	1	3	11	342
2023	46	398	5	61	1	3	5	519
2024	47	418	2	51	3	3	9	533

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Early College School at Del State

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	129	4.0	32.2	34.1
2016	209	11.0	19.0	33
2017	289	13.0	22.2	n/a
2018	420	17.0	24.7	n/a
2019	393	18.0	21.8	n/a
2020	421	13.0	32.3	n/a
2021	399	15.0	26.6	n/a
2022	342	19.0	18.0	n/a
2023	519	27.0	19.2	n/a
2024	533	21.0	25.3	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Early College School at Del State

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	129	4.0	32.2	34.1
2016	209	11.0	19.0	33
2017	289	13.0	22.2	n/a
2018	420	17.0	24.7	n/a
2019	393	18.0	21.8	n/a
2020	421	13.0	32.3	n/a
2021	399	15.0	26.6	n/a
2022	342	19.0	18.0	n/a
2023	519	27.0	19.2	n/a
2024	533	21.0	25.3	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Early College School at Del State

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$579 (5.7%)	$7,989 (78.4%)	$10,189

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Early College School at Del State

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 27^th of 40 High schools	Ranks 16^th of 39 High schools	26.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Early College School at Del State)	42.3	43.2	0.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	48.5	44.2	4.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (Early College School at Del State)	16.7	10.8	5.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	28.3	22.9	5.4%
11th Grade Essay (Early College School at Del State)	21.8	38.9	17.1%
11th Grade Essay (Delaware)	42.9	41.5	1.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	393	519	32.1%
African American	300	398	32.7%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	5	5
Hispanic	35	61	74.3%
Pacific Islander	3	3
White	36	46	27.8%
Two or More Races	13	5	61.5%

Schools Near Early College School at Del State

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				DeSSA Science (2024)		DeSSA Social Studies (2024)		SAT English Language Arts (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	SAT Essay (2024)	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	DeSSA Science 9th Grade	DeSSA Science 10th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 8th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 11th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	SAT Essay 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Early College School at Del State	Public, Charter	7-12	1570 North DuPont Highway	Dover	19901	Kent County	Early College High School at Del State	Yes	No	No	Yes	(302) 857-3510	533	21	25.3		47 (8.8%)	418 (78.4%)	51 (9.6%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	3 (0.6%)	9 (1.7%)	56.1	18^th of 41 public high schools	56.1%		54	16^th of 39 public high schools	59.0%	2		21.2	12.8	28.6	46.4	18.8	39.1	48.1	27.3	14.3	$10,189	$579	$7,989
Kent County Secondary ILC	Public	6-12	631 Ridgley Street- Suite 19	Dover	19904	Kent County	Capital School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 672-1500	86	15	5.7		28 (32.6%)	51 (59.3%)	3 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.5%)								(n/a)											$53,695	$1,462	$55,987
Dover High School	Public	9-12	One Dover High Drive	Dover	19904	Kent County	Capital School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 241-2400	1,867	99	18.8		378 (20.2%)	1,032 (55.3%)	310 (16.6%)	39 (2.1%)	8 (0.4%)	8 (0.4%)	92 (4.9%)	27.9	28^th of 41 public high schools	31.7%		30.6	26^th of 39 public high schools	33.3%	2		6.6		20.3	31.7	12.1	26.9				$13,251	$697	$13,690
Caesar Rodney High School	Public	9-12	239 Old North Road	Camden	19934	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 697-2161	2,242	134	16.7		1,043 (46.5%)	673 (30.0%)	245 (10.9%)	93 (4.1%)	8 (0.4%)	4 (0.2%)	176 (7.9%)	56.3	17^th of 41 public high schools	58.5%		70.3	8^th of 39 public high schools	79.5%	9	46.6	16.9		24.0	50.5	20.0	41.9				$11,904	$587	$11,750
Positive Outcomes Charter School	Public, Charter	7-12	3337 South DuPont Highway	Camden	19934	Kent County	Positive Outcomes Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(302) 697-8805	122	14	8.7		66 (54.1%)	38 (31.1%)	7 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (8.2%)								(n/a)					23.8						$27,254	$733	$24,440
First State Military Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	355 West Duck Creek Road	Clayton	19938	Kent County	First State Military Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(302) 223-2150	416	23	18.0		231 (55.5%)	105 (25.2%)	51 (12.3%)	11 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	14 (3.4%)	33.4	24^th of 41 public high schools	41.5%		39.5	24^th of 39 public high schools	38.5%			18.8		20.5	41.4	6.9	21.8				$12,478	$461	$11,071
Smyrna High School	Public	9-12	500 Duck Creek Parkway	Smyrna	19977	Kent County	Smyrna School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 653-8581	1,790	106	16.8		916 (51.2%)	598 (33.4%)	177 (9.9%)	25 (1.4%)	4 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	67 (3.7%)	39.8	20^th of 41 public high schools	51.2%		50.6	18^th of 39 public high schools	53.8%	2		17.4		17.5	41.8	12.4	35.8				$12,883	$362	$12,456
POLYTECH High School	Public	9-12	823 Walnut Shade Road	Woodside	19980	Kent County	POLYTECH School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 697-3255	1,225	91	13.4		682 (55.7%)	298 (24.3%)	124 (10.1%)	23 (1.9%)	7 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	89 (7.3%)	60	13^th of 41 public high schools	68.3%		62.6	12^th of 39 public high schools	69.2%	1	62.5	19.6		29.1	55.8	15.7	45.6				$16,759	$361	$17,459
Lake Forest High School	Public	9-12	5407 Killens Pond Road	Felton	19943	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 284-9291	918	51	18.0		538 (58.6%)	219 (23.9%)	72 (7.8%)	14 (1.5%)	7 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (7.4%)	33.5	23^rd of 41 public high schools	43.9%		55.8	15^th of 39 public high schools	61.5%	8		19.8		18.5	32.0	13.3	23.9				$13,224	$572	$12,868
Odessa High School	Public	9-12	570 Tony Marchio Drive	Townsend	19734	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 842-2625	1,190	74	16.0		576 (48.4%)	423 (35.5%)	89 (7.5%)	44 (3.7%)	7 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	48 (4.0%)	77.9	6^th of 41 public high schools	85.4%					(n/a)	35.3	28.3		40.4	55.6	26.8	54.9

Frequently Asked Questions about Early College School at Del State

What district is Early College School at Del State in?

Early College High School at Del State

What is the racial makeup of Early College School at Del State?

Students at Early College School at Del State are 78% African American, 10% Hispanic, 9% White, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Early College School at Del State?

In the 2023-24 school year, 533 students attended Early College School at Del State.

Is Early College School at Del State a good school?

Early College School at Del State ranks 18^th of 41 Delaware high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Delaware Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.