First State Military Academy

Q: Is First State Military Academy a good school?

First State Military Academy ranks 24 th of 41 Delaware high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

First State Military Academy is a public charter high school located in Clayton, Delaware, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 439 students. The school has a diverse student population, with 54.9% White, 24.37% African American, and 14.58% Hispanic students.

One of the school's notable strengths is its steady improvement in 4-year graduation rates, increasing from 75.0% in 2017-2018 to 91.1% in 2020-2021, outperforming nearby schools like Positive Outcomes Charter School (72.2% in 2021-2022). Additionally, First State Military Academy has relatively low dropout rates, ranging from 1.5% to 6.4% over the past 5 years, lower than schools like Kent County Secondary ILC (33.3% in 2021-2022). However, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 15.3% in 2018-2019 to 47.2% in 2020-2021, which is notably higher than nearby Appoquinimink High School (31.8% in 2022-2023) and Smyrna High School (18.6% in 2022-2023).

Academically, First State Military Academy's performance, as measured by proficiency rates in SAT/ELA, SAT/Math, and other state assessments, is generally lower than the state averages and the performance of nearby high-performing schools like Appoquinimink High School and Middletown High School. The school's ranking for male students is higher than for female students, and the ranking for White students is lower than for African American students, suggesting the need for targeted interventions to address the unique needs of different student populations. While the school's ranking for low socioeconomic status students was relatively high, its overall academic performance is still lower than the state average, indicating that socioeconomic factors alone do not fully explain the school's performance.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

355 West Duck Creek Road
Clayton, DE 19938

(302) 223-2150

District: First State Military Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
24^th of 41 Delaware High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,478

Student/teacher ratio: 18.0

Number of students: 416

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.5%

African American:

25.2%

Hispanic:

12.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 35.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details First State Military Academy ranks worse than 58.5% of high schools in Delaware. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.43. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at First State Military Academy 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 Student population at First State Military Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (55.5%), African American (25.2%), Hispanic (12.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at First State Military Academy is 18. (See more...)

Compare First State Military Academy employs 23 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at First State Military Academy is $12,478.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

First State Military Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks First State Military Academy 24^th of 41 Delaware public high schools. (See First State Military Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

First State Military Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks First State Military Academy 19^th of 32 Delaware school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for First State Military Academy

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Rank History for all students at First State Military Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	28.63	26^th	40	35.0%
2021	28.72	27^th	39	30.8%
2022	35.16	25^th	39	35.9%
2023	39.47	24^th	39	38.5%
2024	33.43	24^th	41	41.5%

See the entire list of Delaware High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at First State Military Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	83.80	4^th	29	86.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at First State Military Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	53.06	21^st	41	48.8%
2021	45.06	21^st	36	41.7%
2022	54.24	14^th	37	62.2%
2023	36.50	22^nd	38	42.1%
2024	32.34	24^th	39	38.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at First State Military Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	26.85	28^th	41	31.7%
2021	26.35	27^th	36	25.0%
2022	27.76	25^th	37	32.4%
2023	61.40	11^th	38	71.1%
2024	37.43	21^st	39	46.2%

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

Rank History for African American students at First State Military Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	27.33	22^nd	27	18.5%

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

Rank History for White students at First State Military Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	17.68	30^th	36	16.7%
2021	23.92	25^th	34	26.5%
2022	35.64	23^rd	33	30.3%
2023	25.61	27^th	34	20.6%
2024	20.44	31^st	35	11.4%

See the entire list of Best Delaware High Schools for White 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 First State Military Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2016	124	49	2	19	0	0	8	202
2017	140	55	8	34	1	1	4	243
2018	144	75	7	42	1	0	2	271
2019	239	120	11	56	1	0	9	436
2020	245	128	10	59	1	0	9	452
2021	247	127	8	67	1	0	8	458
2022	248	117	7	74	0	0	10	456
2023	241	107	10	64	0	4	13	439
2024	231	105	11	51	1	3	14	416

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 First State Military Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	202	10.0	20.2	35.6
2017	243	13.0	18.6	n/a
2018	271	18.0	15.0	n/a
2019	436	20.0	21.8	n/a
2020	452	24.0	18.8	n/a
2021	458	25.0	18.3	n/a
2022	456	27.0	16.8	n/a
2023	439	24.0	18.2	n/a
2024	416	23.0	18.0	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 First State Military Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	202	10.0	20.2	35.6
2017	243	13.0	18.6	n/a
2018	271	18.0	15.0	n/a
2019	436	20.0	21.8	n/a
2020	452	24.0	18.8	n/a
2021	458	25.0	18.3	n/a
2022	456	27.0	16.8	n/a
2023	439	24.0	18.2	n/a
2024	416	23.0	18.0	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 First State Military Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$461 (3.7%)	$11,071 (88.7%)	$12,478

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on First State Military Academy

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 26^th of 40 High schools	Ranks 24^th of 39 High schools	3.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (First State Military Academy)	39.7	42.7	2.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	48.5	44.2	4.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (First State Military Academy)	14.1	10.3	3.8%
11th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	28.3	22.9	5.4%
11th Grade Essay (First State Military Academy)	30.7	39	8.3%
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	436	439	0.7%
African American	120	107	10.8%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	11	10	9.1%
Hispanic	56	64	14.3%
Pacific Islander	0	4
White	239	241	0.8%
Two or More Races	9	13	44.4%

Schools Near First State Military Academy

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
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
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
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
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
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
Middletown High School	Public	9-12	120 Silver Lake Road	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 376-4141	1,235	89	13.8		528 (42.8%)	427 (34.6%)	124 (10.0%)	97 (7.9%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	55 (4.5%)	73.4	9^th of 41 public high schools	78.0%		69.2	9^th of 39 public high schools	76.9%		37.4	17.1		33.5	58.9	26.5	51.8				$12,738	$264	$15,053
Appoquinimink High School	Public	9-12	1080 Bunker Hill Road	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 449-3840	1,399	93	14.9		646 (46.2%)	426 (30.5%)	119 (8.5%)	152 (10.9%)	5 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	49 (3.5%)	74	8^th of 41 public high schools	80.5%		72	7^th of 39 public high schools	82.1%	1	34.3	16.9		33.0	60.1	29.8	48.3				$12,932	$307	$15,025
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

Frequently Asked Questions about First State Military Academy

Is First State Military Academy a good school?

First State Military Academy ranks 24^th of 41 Delaware high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is First State Military Academy in?

First State Military Academy

How many students attend First State Military Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 416 students attended First State Military Academy.

What is the racial makeup of First State Military Academy?

Students at First State Military Academy are 56% White, 25% African American, 12% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

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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.