Cape Henlopen High School

Q: Is Cape Henlopen High School a good school?

Cape Henlopen High School ranks 11 th of 41 Delaware high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Cape Henlopen High School is a public high school serving 1,813 students in grades 9-12 in Lewes, Delaware, which is part of the highly-ranked Cape Henlopen School District. This school consistently performs among the top high schools in the state, with strong academic metrics, high graduation rates, and favorable student-teacher ratios compared to nearby schools.

Cape Henlopen High School's academic performance is exceptional, with 60% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT/English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 44.73%. The school's performance on standardized tests and across different student subgroups, including gender, race, and special education, is consistently strong, with many subgroups ranking in the top 20 in the state. The school's four-year graduation rate ranges from 87% to 91.9%, which is higher than the state average, and its dropout rate is relatively low, ranging from 0.8% to 2.2%.

While Cape Henlopen High School outperforms nearby schools like Milford Senior High School, Sussex Technical High School, Indian River High School, and Sussex Central High School in academic metrics and graduation rates, it has a relatively high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 10.1% to 18.2%, which is an area that could benefit from further investigation and targeted interventions.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1250 Kings Highway
Lewes, DE 19958-1798

(302) 645-7711

District: Cape Henlopen School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
11^th of 41 Delaware High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,851

Feeder schools for Cape Henlopen High School:

Elementary:	H. O. Brittingham Elementary School
	Lewes Elementary School
	Milton Elementary School
	Rehoboth Elementary School
Middle:	Beacon Middle School
	Mariner Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 1,918

Racial breakdown:

White:

64.9%

Hispanic:

18.7%

African American:

9.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 28.9%

See top rated Delaware high schools

Compare Cape Henlopen High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Cape Henlopen High School ranks better than 73.2% of high schools in Delaware. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.84. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Cape Henlopen High School 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: White (64.9%), Hispanic (18.7%), African American (9.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cape Henlopen High School is 14.6. (See more...)

Compare Cape Henlopen High School employs 131 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cape Henlopen High School is $14,851.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cape Henlopen High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Cape Henlopen High School 11^th of 41 Delaware public high schools. (See Cape Henlopen High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Cape Henlopen School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Cape Henlopen School District 2^nd of 32 Delaware school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Cape Henlopen High School?

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Rank History for Cape Henlopen High School

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Rank History for all students at Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2011	65.65	8^th	27	70.4%
2012	76.75	7^th	27	74.1%
2013	73.12	6^th	26	76.9%
2015	47.32	20^th	35	42.9%
2016	67.98	12^th	31	61.3%
2017	59.86	11^th	30	63.3%
2018	70.69	9^th	30	70.0%
2019	65.13	14^th	40	65.0%
2021	65.39	12^th	39	69.2%
2022	52.19	18^th	39	53.8%
2023	75.84	6^th	39	84.6%
2024	67.84	11^th	41	73.2%

See the entire list of Delaware High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2022	33.12	5^th	7	28.6%
2023	63.43	2^nd	8	75.0%
2024	18.41	7^th	8	12.5%

See the entire list of Best Delaware High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	28.60	1^st	2	50.0%
2024	56.15	1^st	1	0.0%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	69.17	9^th	29	69.0%
2021	46.90	12^th	24	50.0%
2022	52.16	11^th	28	60.7%
2023	65.35	9^th	29	69.0%
2024	41.96	14^th	32	56.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	68.04	10^th	41	75.6%
2021	63.87	12^th	36	66.7%
2022	45.57	19^th	37	48.6%
2023	76.26	6^th	38	84.2%
2024	63.02	10^th	39	74.4%

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

Rank History for Male students at Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	61.27	16^th	41	61.0%
2021	60.27	13^th	36	63.9%
2022	50.25	17^th	37	54.1%
2023	68.05	7^th	38	81.6%
2024	66.54	11^th	39	71.8%

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

Rank History for African American students at Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	35.03	18^th	33	45.5%
2021	32.30	20^th	27	25.9%
2022	38.44	19^th	35	45.7%
2023	40.32	14^th	31	54.8%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	30.39	16^th	24	33.3%
2021	51.95	10^th	19	47.4%
2022	34.69	14^th	22	36.4%
2023	39.25	14^th	27	48.1%
2024	60.03	12^th	31	61.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	67.93	13^th	36	63.9%
2021	55.67	15^th	34	55.9%
2022	39.26	20^th	33	39.4%
2023	68.95	6^th	34	82.4%
2024	60.79	13^th	35	62.9%

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 Cape Henlopen High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	539	196	5	4	1	n/a	n/a	745
1989	479	195	6	6	3	n/a	n/a	689
1990	459	184	7	9	2	n/a	n/a	661
1991	466	190	7	4	5	n/a	n/a	672
1992	645	221	9	17	4	n/a	n/a	896
1993	659	223	8	17	0	n/a	n/a	907
1994	677	201	6	16	0	n/a	n/a	900
1995	692	208	8	21	0	n/a	n/a	929
1996	692	208	8	21	0	n/a	n/a	929
1997	775	201	13	18	3	n/a	n/a	1010
1998	795	200	17	21	1	n/a	n/a	1034
1999	771	201	17	18	2	n/a	n/a	1009
2000	819	205	17	21	1	n/a	n/a	1063
2001	834	218	15	29	1	n/a	n/a	1097
2002	914	195	10	40	2	n/a	n/a	1161
2003	914	195	10	40	2	n/a	n/a	1161
2004	876	215	15	44	5	n/a	n/a	1155
2005	895	205	17	47	8	n/a	n/a	1172
2006	862	212	17	49	12	n/a	n/a	1152
2007	838	205	22	58	11	n/a	n/a	1134
2008	874	230	21	60	13	n/a	n/a	1198
2009	866	249	25	72	11	n/a	n/a	1223
2010	861	250	23	76	12	n/a	n/a	1222
2011	940	244	24	96	13	1	1	1319
2012	931	224	30	102	9	1	5	1302
2013	892	212	30	113	8	1	8	1264
2014	874	217	31	135	7	1	18	1283
2015	900	214	30	173	4	0	31	1352
2016	914	211	22	188	6	0	41	1382
2017	921	203	24	207	6	3	42	1406
2018	932	197	27	238	4	4	52	1454
2019	997	191	22	237	5	3	44	1499
2020	971	188	27	247	5	3	65	1506
2021	1080	199	35	252	6	4	61	1637
2022	1143	185	33	272	7	2	71	1713
2023	1187	193	31	312	9	2	79	1813
2024	1244	188	30	359	11	1	85	1918

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 Cape Henlopen High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	745	46.0	16.1	9.9
1989	689	45.0	15.3	7.7
1990	661	45.0	14.6	10.7
1991	672	47.5	14.1	9.1
1992	896	42.0	21.3	10.8
1993	907	43.5	20.9	14.2
1994	900	55.5	16.2	19.2
1995	929	52.8	17.6	21.7
1996	929	52.8	17.6	21.7
1997	1010	n/a	0.0	23.3
1998	1034	61.3	16.9	23.7
1999	1009	64.3	15.7	26
2000	1063	69.5	15.3	25.3
2001	1097	68.0	16.1	23.4
2002	1161	73.0	15.9	25.4
2003	1161	73.0	15.9	25.4
2004	1155	75.5	15.3	24.4
2005	1172	81.0	14.5	25.6
2006	1152	83.5	13.8	16.9
2007	1134	83.5	13.6	27.2
2008	1198	77.0	15.6	25.8
2009	1223	81.0	15.1	32.2
2010	1222	85.0	14.3	37.2
2011	1319	83.0	15.8	39.2
2012	1302	86.0	15.1	42.7
2013	1264	85.0	14.8	39.8
2014	1283	89.0	14.4	29.7
2015	1352	92.0	14.6	29
2016	1382	96.0	14.3	28.9
2017	1406	98.0	14.3	n/a
2018	1454	100.0	14.5	n/a
2019	1499	99.0	15.1	n/a
2020	1506	103.0	14.6	n/a
2021	1637	104.0	15.7	n/a
2022	1713	108.0	15.8	n/a
2023	1813	122.0	14.8	n/a
2024	1918	131.0	14.6	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 Cape Henlopen High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	745	46.0	16.1	9.9
1989	689	45.0	15.3	7.7
1990	661	45.0	14.6	10.7
1991	672	47.5	14.1	9.1
1992	896	42.0	21.3	10.8
1993	907	43.5	20.9	14.2
1994	900	55.5	16.2	19.2
1995	929	52.8	17.6	21.7
1996	929	52.8	17.6	21.7
1997	1010	n/a	0.0	23.3
1998	1034	61.3	16.9	23.7
1999	1009	64.3	15.7	26
2000	1063	69.5	15.3	25.3
2001	1097	68.0	16.1	23.4
2002	1161	73.0	15.9	25.4
2003	1161	73.0	15.9	25.4
2004	1155	75.5	15.3	24.4
2005	1172	81.0	14.5	25.6
2006	1152	83.5	13.8	16.9
2007	1134	83.5	13.6	27.2
2008	1198	77.0	15.6	25.8
2009	1223	81.0	15.1	32.2
2010	1222	85.0	14.3	37.2
2011	1319	83.0	15.8	39.2
2012	1302	86.0	15.1	42.7
2013	1264	85.0	14.8	39.8
2014	1283	89.0	14.4	29.7
2015	1352	92.0	14.6	29
2016	1382	96.0	14.3	28.9
2017	1406	98.0	14.3	n/a
2018	1454	100.0	14.5	n/a
2019	1499	99.0	15.1	n/a
2020	1506	103.0	14.6	n/a
2021	1637	104.0	15.7	n/a
2022	1713	108.0	15.8	n/a
2023	1813	122.0	14.8	n/a
2024	1918	131.0	14.6	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 Cape Henlopen High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$443 (3.0%)	$17,500 (117.8%)	$14,851

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cape Henlopen High School

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 14^th of 40 High schools	Ranks 6^th of 39 High schools	19.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Cape Henlopen High School)	57.9	58.9	1.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Cape Henlopen School District)	57.7	58.9	1.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	48.5	44.2	4.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (Cape Henlopen High School)	33.4	32.1	1.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Cape Henlopen School District)	33.3	32.1	1.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	28.3	22.9	5.4%
11th Grade Essay (Cape Henlopen High School)	50.5	51.9	1.4%
11th Grade Essay (Cape Henlopen School District)	50.5	51.9	1.4%
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	1499	1813	20.9%
African American	191	193	1%
American Indian	5	9	80%
Asian	22	31	40.9%
Hispanic	237	312	31.6%
Pacific Islander	3	2	33.3%
White	997	1187	19.1%
Two or More Races	44	79	79.5%

Schools Near Cape Henlopen High School

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)	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 11th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	SAT Essay 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cape Henlopen High School	Public	9-12	1250 Kings Highway	Lewes	19958	Sussex County	Cape Henlopen School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 645-7711	1,918	131	14.6		1,244 (64.9%)	188 (9.8%)	359 (18.7%)	30 (1.6%)	11 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	85 (4.4%)	67.8	11^th of 41 public high schools	73.2%		75.8	6^th of 39 public high schools	84.6%	5	38.5	23.3	31.7	60.0	25.4	36.5	$14,851	$443	$17,500
Sussex Central High School	Public	9-12	26026 Patriots Way	Georgetown	19947	Sussex County	Indian River School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 934-3166	2,012	140	14.3		693 (34.4%)	235 (11.7%)	983 (48.9%)	22 (1.1%)	9 (0.4%)	1 (0.0%)	69 (3.4%)	32.7	25^th of 41 public high schools	39.0%		32.3	25^th of 39 public high schools	35.9%		21.6	14.4	12.9	31.8	17.6	30.9	$14,583	$627	$16,435
Indian River High School	Public	9-12	29772 Armory Road	Dagsboro	19939	Sussex County	Indian River School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 732-1500	1,092	82	13.3		665 (60.9%)	91 (8.3%)	286 (26.2%)	13 (1.2%)	3 (0.3%)	5 (0.5%)	29 (2.7%)	75.2	7^th of 41 public high schools	82.9%		66.3	10^th of 39 public high schools	74.4%	3		27.3	32.2	57.7	23.7	62.5	$17,433	$668	$19,469
Sussex Technical High School	Public	9-12	17099 County Seat Highway	Georgetown	19947	Sussex County	Sussex Technical School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 856-0961	1,323	91	14.5		655 (49.5%)	223 (16.9%)	359 (27.1%)	17 (1.3%)	10 (0.8%)	2 (0.2%)	57 (4.3%)	55.4	19^th of 41 public high schools	53.7%		47.6	20^th of 39 public high schools	48.7%	1		34.3	29.9	47.0	12.2	31.3	$18,289	$490	$20,690
Milford Senior High School	Public	9-12	1019 North Walnut Street	Milford	19963	Sussex County	Milford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 422-1610	1,315	72	18.2		555 (42.2%)	350 (26.6%)	335 (25.5%)	20 (1.5%)	5 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (3.8%)	24.6	31^st of 41 public high schools	24.4%		26.3	29^th of 39 public high schools	25.6%	2	9.1		14.7	35.2	9.3	30.5	$12,445	$673	$11,500

Frequently Asked Questions about Cape Henlopen High School

What schools feed into Cape Henlopen High School?

Cape Henlopen High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : H. O. Brittingham Elementary School
Elementary : Lewes Elementary School
Elementary : Milton Elementary School
Elementary : Rehoboth Elementary School
Middle : Beacon Middle School
Middle : Mariner Middle School

Cape Henlopen High School

Cape Henlopen High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Cape Henlopen School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Cape Henlopen High School

Rank History for all students at Cape Henlopen High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cape Henlopen High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Cape Henlopen High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cape Henlopen High School

Rank History for Female students at Cape Henlopen High School

Rank History for Male students at Cape Henlopen High School

Rank History for African American students at Cape Henlopen High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cape Henlopen High School

Rank History for White students at Cape Henlopen High School

Enrollment information for Cape Henlopen High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cape Henlopen High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Cape Henlopen High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cape Henlopen High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Cape Henlopen High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Cape Henlopen High School