1. Home
  2. Delaware
  3. Newark
  4. Christina School District
  5. Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Summary:

Downes (John R.) Elementary School is a public elementary school in Newark, Delaware, serving 385 students from kindergarten to 5th grade as part of the Christina School District. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the district and state averages in academic assessments, ranking among the top 30 elementary schools in Delaware.

Downes Elementary's academic achievements are impressive, with higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics compared to the district and state across all grade levels. For example, in 5th grade English Language Arts, Downes had a 50% proficiency rate, significantly higher than the 37.1% district average and 43.42% state average. The school's strong statewide ranking, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, is a testament to its success in supporting diverse student populations, including those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Downes Elementary's performance for its African American students and students from low-income families ranks among the top schools in Delaware.

While Downes Elementary faces some challenges, such as increasing chronic absenteeism rates, the school's academic achievements are noteworthy, especially when compared to nearby schools like Gallaher (Robert S.) Elementary, Smith (Jennie E.) Elementary, and Brader (Henry M.) Elementary. Downes Elementary's success in supporting its diverse student population and maintaining high academic performance, despite lower spending per student compared to some nearby schools, suggests effective resource allocation and teaching practices.


Detail:

Public K-5

 220 Casho Mill Road
       Newark, DE  19711-2699

(302) 454-2133

District: Christina School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
30th of 106 Delaware Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,743 Help


Students who attend Downes (John R.) Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Shue-Medill Middle School
High:    Newark High School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.8 Help
Number of students:  385

Racial breakdown:

White:
41.8%
African American:
22.1%
Hispanic:
17.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  26.2% Help


 See top rated Delaware elementary schools

 Compare Downes (John R.) Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Downes (John R.) Elementary School ranks better than 71.7% of elementary schools in Delaware. It also ranks 4th among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Christina School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.23. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Student population at Downes (John R.) Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (41.8%), African American (22.1%), Hispanic (17.9%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Downes (John R.) Elementary School is 11.8. 8 elementary schools in the Christina School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Downes (John R.) Elementary School employs 32.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Downes (John R.) Elementary School is $14,743. 14 elementary schools in the Christina School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Downes (John R.) Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Downes (John R.) Elementary School 30th of 106 Delaware public elementary schools. (See Downes (John R.) Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:


Christina School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Christina School District 18th of 32 Delaware school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Downes (John R.) Elementary School?

Rank History for Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 76.91 19th 91 79.1%
2012 73.86 24th 90 73.3%
2013 76.24 21st 91 76.9%
2015 77.27 22nd 108 79.6%
2016 77.50 19th 86 77.9%
2017 77.86 18th 86 79.1%
2018 74.93 19th 85 77.6%
2019 73.02 25th 105 76.2%
2021 65.99 25th 95 73.7%
2022 67.25 29th 104 72.1%
2023 59.90 36th 103 65.0%
2024 65.23 30th 106 71.7%
See the entire list of Delaware Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 51.07 48th 92 47.8%
2022 59.08 22nd 62 64.5%
2023 45.55 34th 66 48.5%
2024 67.48 11th 66 83.3%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 77.11 18th 99 81.8%
2021 75.17 13th 67 80.6%
2022 64.48 26th 90 71.1%
2023 70.43 21st 89 76.4%
2024 64.11 28th 97 71.1%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 61.65 41st 99 58.6%
2021 41.33 37th 67 44.8%
2022 56.96 30th 90 66.7%
2023 42.45 53rd 89 40.4%
2024 48.34 44th 97 54.6%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 70.40 16th 72 77.8%
2024 57.89 21st 62 66.1%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 65.65 25th 82 69.5%
2021 58.07 23rd 65 64.6%
2022 69.51 21st 75 72.0%
2023 74.93 15th 70 78.6%
2024 40.94 46th 73 37.0%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary 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.

Downes (John R.) Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
Help





Data source: Delaware Department of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Downes (John R.) Elementary School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Downes (John R.) Elementary School, submit a rating!


Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 307 156 12 10 0 n/a n/a 0 485
1989 292 155 14 13 0 n/a n/a 0 474
1990 384 125 16 12 n/a n/a n/a 0 537
1991 372 134 19 5 0 n/a n/a 0 530
1992 385 126 19 5 0 n/a n/a 0 535
1993 399 129 23 4 0 n/a n/a 0 555
1994 356 95 22 5 0 n/a n/a 0 478
1995 362 91 18 8 0 n/a n/a 0 479
1996 362 91 18 8 0 n/a n/a 0 479
1997 362 103 16 7 0 n/a n/a 0 488
1998 442 153 22 12 0 n/a n/a 0 629
1999 440 168 23 15 0 n/a n/a 0 646
2000 394 196 21 14 0 n/a n/a 0 625
2001 390 181 20 12 1 n/a n/a 0 604
2002 312 142 35 23 0 n/a n/a 0 512
2003 312 142 35 23 0 n/a n/a 0 512
2004 318 144 33 21 1 n/a n/a 0 517
2005 346 145 34 18 4 n/a n/a 0 547
2006 322 140 29 31 3 n/a n/a 0 525
2007 338 115 34 35 3 n/a n/a 0 525
2008 225 101 27 20 1 n/a n/a 0 374
2009 246 78 26 25 0 n/a n/a 0 375
2010 272 115 33 29 0 n/a n/a 0 449
2011 338 92 30 42 2 0 13 0 517
2012 291 95 35 37 2 0 6 0 466
2013 284 91 32 41 4 1 5 0 458
2014 265 95 33 43 2 0 12 0 450
2015 285 89 35 44 1 1 19 0 474
2016 268 82 46 52 0 1 24 0 473
2017 261 89 42 58 1 1 31 0 483
2018 261 79 44 63 1 1 37 0 486
2019 242 99 56 68 1 2 40 0 508
2020 219 96 50 67 1 2 33 0 468
2021 194 73 48 55 3 1 39 0 413
2022 196 89 44 72 4 1 24 0 430
2023 161 85 42 69 2 1 25 0 385

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 Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 485 28.0 17.3 29.3
1989 474 26.0 18.2 28.1
1990 537 26.0 20.6 19
1991 530 28.5 18.5 17.4
1992 535 29.5 18.1 19.8
1993 555 30.5 18.2 22.5
1994 478 27.5 17.4 19.5
1995 479 26.0 18.4 20.9
1996 479 26.0 18.4 20.9
1997 488 28.5 17.1 21.9
1998 629 32.5 19.4 15.1
1999 646 36.0 17.9 20.4
2000 625 35.0 17.9 21.4
2001 604 34.0 17.8 21
2002 512 32.0 16.0 33.2
2003 512 32.0 16.0 33.2
2004 517 32.0 16.2 26.9
2005 547 38.0 14.4 27.4
2006 525 32.0 16.4 28.6
2007 525 30.0 17.5 21
2008 374 26.0 14.4 29.4
2009 375 27.2 13.8 31.7
2010 449 31.0 14.4 36.7
2011 517 33.0 15.6 34.8
2012 466 33.0 14.1 35
2013 458 31.0 14.7 36.2
2014 450 27.0 16.6 30.2
2015 474 29.0 16.3 29.5
2016 473 25.0 18.9 26.2
2017 483 30.0 16.1 n/a
2018 486 33.0 14.7 n/a
2019 508 34.0 14.9 n/a
2020 468 34.0 13.7 n/a
2021 413 33.0 12.5 n/a
2022 430 31.0 13.8 n/a
2023 385 32.4 11.8 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 Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 485 28.0 17.3 29.3
1989 474 26.0 18.2 28.1
1990 537 26.0 20.6 19
1991 530 28.5 18.5 17.4
1992 535 29.5 18.1 19.8
1993 555 30.5 18.2 22.5
1994 478 27.5 17.4 19.5
1995 479 26.0 18.4 20.9
1996 479 26.0 18.4 20.9
1997 488 28.5 17.1 21.9
1998 629 32.5 19.4 15.1
1999 646 36.0 17.9 20.4
2000 625 35.0 17.9 21.4
2001 604 34.0 17.8 21
2002 512 32.0 16.0 33.2
2003 512 32.0 16.0 33.2
2004 517 32.0 16.2 26.9
2005 547 38.0 14.4 27.4
2006 525 32.0 16.4 28.6
2007 525 30.0 17.5 21
2008 374 26.0 14.4 29.4
2009 375 27.2 13.8 31.7
2010 449 31.0 14.4 36.7
2011 517 33.0 15.6 34.8
2012 466 33.0 14.1 35
2013 458 31.0 14.7 36.2
2014 450 27.0 16.6 30.2
2015 474 29.0 16.3 29.5
2016 473 25.0 18.9 26.2
2017 483 30.0 16.1 n/a
2018 486 33.0 14.7 n/a
2019 508 34.0 14.9 n/a
2020 468 34.0 13.7 n/a
2021 413 33.0 12.5 n/a
2022 430 31.0 13.8 n/a
2023 385 32.4 11.8 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 Downes (John R.) Elementary School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $636 (4.3%) $17,779 (120.6%) $14,743

Data source: Delaware Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Downes (John R.) Elementary 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 25th of 105 Elementary schoolsRanks 36th of 103 Elementary schools
 11.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)57.939
 18.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Christina School District)4532.6
 12.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)50.538.4
 12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)83.145
 38.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Christina School District)54.835.1
 19.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Delaware)5342.2
 10.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)67.150.9
 16.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Christina School District)41.833.1
 8.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)53.539.9
 13.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)67.554.1
 13.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Christina School District)44.432.4
 12%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)50.839.1
 11.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)55.351.5
 3.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Christina School District)47.141.1
 6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)56.944.1
 12.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Downes (John R.) Elementary School)56.334.8
 21.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Christina School District)38.227.1
 11.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)44.432.3
 12.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students508385
 24.2%
African American9985
 14.1%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian5642
 25%
Hispanic6869
 1.5%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White242161
 33.5%
Two or More Races4025
 37.5%

Schools Near Downes (John R.) Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Downes (John R.) Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 385 students attended Downes (John R.) Elementary School.

Students at Downes (John R.) Elementary School are 42% White, 22% African American, 18% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

Downes (John R.) Elementary School ranks 30th of 106 Delaware elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Downes (John R.) Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Shue-Medill Middle School
High : Newark High School


Rate Downes (John R.) Elementary School!



Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...


Compare to nearby schools

DEDelaware Elementary School Rankings

DEDelaware District Rankings

Schools in Newark, DE

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Downes (John R.) Elementary School!




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.




Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 127 milliseconds.