Southern Elementary School

Summary:

Southern Elementary School is a public elementary school located in New Castle, Delaware, serving 737 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Colonial School District, which is ranked 28 out of 32 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southern Elementary School faces significant challenges in terms of academic performance, student engagement, and equitable outcomes for its diverse student population. The school has consistently underperformed compared to the state and district averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics, with only 14.55% of 3rd graders, 18.26% of 4th graders, and 25.38% of 5th graders proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 39.45%, 39.05%, and 43.42%, respectively. Additionally, the school has experienced high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 12.7% in 2018-2019 to 37.9% in 2021-2022. The school's performance on the SchoolDigger rankings for various student subgroups, such as female students, male students, African American students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, is consistently in the bottom quartile of Delaware elementary schools.

When comparing Southern Elementary School to other nearby schools in the same district, such as Pleasantville Elementary and Wilbur (Kathleen H.) Elementary, as well as schools in other districts, such as Keene (William B.) Elementary, Leasure (May B.) Elementary, and Oberle (William) Elementary, Southern Elementary School consistently underperforms academically and has higher rates of chronic absenteeism. This suggests that the additional funding of $21,301 per student in the 2018-2019 school year has not translated into improved educational outcomes for the students.


Detail:

Public K-5

 795 Cox Neck Road
       New Castle, DE  19720-5704


(302) 832-6300

District: Colonial School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
95th of 106 Delaware Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $21,301 Help


Students who attend Southern Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Bedford (Gunning) Middle School
High:    Penn (William) High School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.8 Help
Number of students:  737

Racial breakdown:

African American:
50.1%
White:
33.8%
Hispanic:
9.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  40.2% Help


 See top rated Delaware elementary schools

 Compare Southern Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Southern Elementary School ranks worse than 89.6% of elementary schools in Delaware. It also ranks 5th among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Colonial School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.37. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 Racial makeup is: African American (50.1%), White (33.8%), Hispanic (9.5%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southern Elementary School is 11.8, which is the 2nd best among 8 elementary schools in the Colonial School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Southern Elementary School employs 62 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southern Elementary School is $21,301, which is the highest among 8 elementary schools in the Colonial School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southern Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Southern Elementary School 95th of 106 Delaware public elementary schools. (See Southern 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:


Colonial School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Colonial School District 28th of 32 Delaware school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Southern Elementary School?

Rank History for Southern Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Southern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 49.19 51st 91 44.0%
2012 54.48 45th 90 50.0%
2013 55.99 47th 91 48.4%
2015 49.59 52nd 108 51.9%
2016 41.47 49th 86 43.0%
2017 29.42 66th 86 23.3%
2018 16.47 74th 85 12.9%
2019 16.85 89th 105 15.2%
2021 27.96 65th 95 31.6%
2022 20.69 80th 104 23.1%
2023 15.30 87th 103 15.5%
2024 12.37 95th 106 10.4%
See the entire list of Delaware Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Southern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 8.64 9th 9 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 16.60 80th 92 13.0%
2022 28.17 49th 62 21.0%
2023 11.20 62nd 66 6.1%
2024 8.83 65th 66 1.5%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 17.12 85th 99 14.1%
2021 34.51 45th 67 32.8%
2022 19.55 78th 90 13.3%
2023 13.00 81st 89 9.0%
2024 9.49 91st 97 6.2%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 12.93 86th 99 13.1%
2021 20.78 57th 67 14.9%
2022 13.32 83rd 90 7.8%
2023 7.43 88th 89 1.1%
2024 6.68 93rd 97 4.1%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Southern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 26.47 59th 72 18.1%
2021 47.61 10th 22 54.5%
2022 35.14 42nd 60 30.0%
2023 17.31 56th 60 6.7%
2024 10.86 59th 62 4.8%
See the entire list of Best Delaware Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Southern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools DE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 4.94 79th 82 3.7%
2021 21.06 57th 65 12.3%
2022 6.78 74th 75 1.3%
2023 8.45 67th 70 4.3%
2024 4.92 73rd 73 0.0%
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.

Southern Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Delaware Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Southern Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 710 243 28 42 5 n/a n/a 0 1028
2003 710 243 28 42 5 n/a n/a 0 1028
2004 727 244 27 38 6 n/a n/a 0 1042
2005 698 261 25 46 6 n/a n/a 0 1036
2006 714 293 36 56 8 n/a n/a 0 1107
2007 664 351 32 61 9 n/a n/a 0 1117
2008 413 378 33 43 1 n/a n/a 0 868
2009 415 375 40 63 1 n/a n/a 0 894
2010 416 388 32 65 1 n/a n/a 0 902
2011 390 386 42 82 5 0 24 0 929
2012 385 378 41 73 4 1 31 0 913
2013 358 379 43 67 2 0 36 0 885
2014 337 385 35 71 2 1 45 0 876
2015 322 395 27 67 3 1 44 0 859
2016 334 389 24 79 3 2 47 0 878
2017 328 388 20 80 5 3 46 0 870
2018 308 378 19 82 6 3 42 0 838
2019 302 402 22 84 5 3 40 0 858
2020 298 395 20 79 5 4 32 0 833
2021 291 410 16 68 3 4 32 0 824
2022 270 371 14 57 0 4 27 0 743
2023 249 369 23 70 0 2 24 0 737

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 Southern Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 1028 55.0 18.7 22
2003 1028 55.0 18.7 22
2004 1042 56.0 18.6 20.2
2005 1036 53.0 19.5 18.1
2006 1107 60.0 18.5 21.6
2007 1117 64.0 17.5 25
2008 868 60.0 14.5 32.1
2009 894 56.0 16.0 25.4
2010 902 54.0 16.7 43.7
2011 929 56.0 16.5 42.8
2012 913 59.0 15.4 47.9
2013 885 60.0 14.7 47.6
2014 876 60.0 14.6 36.5
2015 859 62.0 13.8 38
2016 878 64.0 13.7 40.2
2017 870 64.0 13.5 n/a
2018 838 64.0 13.0 n/a
2019 858 68.0 12.6 n/a
2020 833 68.0 12.2 n/a
2021 824 69.0 11.9 n/a
2022 743 65.0 11.4 n/a
2023 737 62.0 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 Southern Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 1028 55.0 18.7 22
2003 1028 55.0 18.7 22
2004 1042 56.0 18.6 20.2
2005 1036 53.0 19.5 18.1
2006 1107 60.0 18.5 21.6
2007 1117 64.0 17.5 25
2008 868 60.0 14.5 32.1
2009 894 56.0 16.0 25.4
2010 902 54.0 16.7 43.7
2011 929 56.0 16.5 42.8
2012 913 59.0 15.4 47.9
2013 885 60.0 14.7 47.6
2014 876 60.0 14.6 36.5
2015 859 62.0 13.8 38
2016 878 64.0 13.7 40.2
2017 870 64.0 13.5 n/a
2018 838 64.0 13.0 n/a
2019 858 68.0 12.6 n/a
2020 833 68.0 12.2 n/a
2021 824 69.0 11.9 n/a
2022 743 65.0 11.4 n/a
2023 737 62.0 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 Southern Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,249 (5.9%) $23,783 (111.7%) $21,301

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Southern 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 89th of 105 Elementary schoolsRanks 87th of 103 Elementary schools
 0.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Southern Elementary School)28.923.2
 5.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colonial School District)33.225.3
 8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)50.538.4
 12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Southern Elementary School)30.520.4
 10.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Colonial School District)30.224.7
 5.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Delaware)5342.2
 10.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Elementary School)30.624.1
 6.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Colonial School District)39.227.6
 11.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)53.539.9
 13.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Southern Elementary School)26.720.5
 6.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Colonial School District)31.920.7
 11.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)50.839.1
 11.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Elementary School)47.429.6
 17.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Colonial School District)46.133.5
 12.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)56.944.1
 12.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Southern Elementary School)30.415
 15.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Colonial School District)29.118.4
 10.7%
   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 Students858737
 14.1%
African American402369
 8.2%
American Indian50
 100%
Asian2223
 4.5%
Hispanic8470
 16.7%
Pacific Islander32
 33.3%
White302249
 17.5%
Two or More Races4024
 40%


Schools Near Southern Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Elementary School

Southern Elementary School ranks in the bottom 10.4% of Delaware elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 737 students attended Southern Elementary School.

Students at Southern Elementary School are 50% African American, 34% White, 9% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Students who attend Southern Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bedford (Gunning) Middle School
High : Penn (William) High School


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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.





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