Is Lake Forest Central Elementary School a good school?

Lake Forest Central Elementary School ranks 42 nd of 106 Delaware elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Lake Forest Central Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 602 students attended Lake Forest Central Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Lake Forest Central Elementary School?

Students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School are 60% White, 20% African American, 10% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Lake Forest Central Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Lake Forest Central Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Chipman (W.T.) Middle School High : Lake Forest High School

Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Summary:

Lake Forest Central Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades 4-5 in the Lake Forest School District in Felton, DE, with a student population of 570 and a 3-out-of-5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Lake Forest Central Elementary School consistently performs above the state average in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics, with 4th grade ELA proficiency at 42.12% (vs. state average of 39.05%) and 5th grade ELA proficiency at 55.52% (vs. state average of 43.42%). However, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.4% in 2018-2019 to 22.5% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools like Lake Forest East Elementary (26.7%) and Lake Forest North Elementary (23.7%).

While Lake Forest Central Elementary School has a predominantly White student population, it has a higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students compared to Lake Forest North Elementary, which has a student body that is 68.81% White. Additionally, the school's performance on Smarter Balanced Assessments varies significantly across different student subgroups, with its Hispanic students performing relatively well (ranking 10th out of 37 Delaware elementary schools in 4th grade ELA) but its White students and students with special needs ranking much lower (47th and 17th out of their respective peer groups).

Detail:

Public 4-5

5424 Killens Pond Road
Felton, DE 19943

(302) 284-5810

District: Lake Forest School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
42^nd of 106 Delaware Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,702

Students who attend Lake Forest Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Chipman (W.T.) Middle School
High:	Lake Forest High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.0

Number of students: 602

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.6%

African American:

20.3%

Two or more races:

9.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 45%

See top rated Delaware elementary schools

Compare Lake Forest Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lake Forest Central Elementary School ranks better than 60.4% of elementary schools in Delaware. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.95. (See more...)

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 Lake Forest Central Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Lake Forest School District. Racial makeup is: White (59.6%), African American (20.3%), two or more races (9.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lake Forest Central Elementary School is 16, which is the highest among 5 elementary schools in the Lake Forest School District! (See more...)

Compare Lake Forest Central Elementary School employs 37.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lake Forest Central Elementary School is $11,702. 3 elementary schools in the Lake Forest School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Lake Forest Central Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Lake Forest Central Elementary School 42^nd of 106 Delaware public elementary schools. (See Lake Forest Central Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Lake Forest School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Lake Forest School District 13^th of 32 Delaware school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Lake Forest Central Elementary School.

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Your rating for Lake Forest Central Elementary School?

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Rank History for Lake Forest Central Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2011	61.40	37^th	91	59.3%
2012	67.37	32^nd	90	64.4%
2013	58.15	44^th	91	51.6%
2014	67.07	14^th	36	61.1%
2015	66.12	36^th	108	66.7%
2016	71.35	24^th	86	72.1%
2017	76.27	19^th	86	77.9%
2018	69.94	26^th	85	69.4%
2019	66.45	37^th	105	64.8%
2021	45.94	45^th	95	52.6%
2022	50.17	47^th	104	54.8%
2023	52.87	42^nd	103	59.2%
2024	56.95	42^nd	106	60.4%

See the entire list of Delaware Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	50.93	3^rd	4	25.0%
2022	48.96	1^st	1	0.0%
2023	75.56	1^st	1	0.0%
2024	44.39	6^th	6	0.0%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	27.34	7^th	9	22.2%
2021	10.45	6^th	6	0.0%
2022	6.69	13^th	13	0.0%
2023	8.64	12^th	12	0.0%
2024	12.15	17^th	17	0.0%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	66.21	25^th	92	72.8%
2021	31.36	15^th	18	16.7%
2022	42.60	35^th	62	43.5%
2023	43.27	42^nd	66	36.4%
2024	48.04	29^th	66	56.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	62.36	36^th	99	63.6%
2021	28.63	51^st	67	23.9%
2022	37.80	53^rd	90	41.1%
2023	50.67	38^th	89	57.3%
2024	54.85	40^th	97	58.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	69.65	28^th	99	71.7%
2021	44.21	34^th	67	49.3%
2022	47.15	43^rd	90	52.2%
2023	38.81	54^th	89	39.3%
2024	44.41	50^th	97	48.5%

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

Rank History for African American students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	51.95	31^st	72	56.9%
2021	27.82	19^th	22	13.6%
2022	35.79	41^st	60	31.7%
2023	50.52	28^th	60	53.3%
2024	44.25	36^th	62	41.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	59.85	12^th	37	67.6%
2023	39.18	28^th	42	33.3%
2024	63.50	10^th	37	73.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	58.40	39^th	82	52.4%
2021	30.88	45^th	65	30.8%
2022	34.58	55^th	75	26.7%
2023	32.45	54^th	70	22.9%
2024	39.60	47^th	73	35.6%

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.

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, May 2, 2014

The culture of this school is toxic and the reception from the administration of those students who are different is cold and unwelcoming. School choice elsewhere. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Lake Forest Central Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	419	124	5	19	2	n/a	n/a	569
2003	419	124	5	19	2	n/a	n/a	569
2004	446	115	7	20	1	n/a	n/a	589
2005	453	129	8	16	1	n/a	n/a	607
2006	449	122	5	16	1	n/a	n/a	593
2007	475	138	7	28	2	n/a	n/a	650
2008	474	160	14	29	1	n/a	n/a	678
2009	462	148	6	26	0	n/a	n/a	642
2010	457	158	4	28	1	n/a	n/a	648
2011	449	128	2	53	3	0	57	692
2012	432	123	4	53	7	0	40	659
2013	422	119	5	48	8	0	31	633
2014	383	123	6	45	3	0	38	598
2015	356	116	5	49	3	0	45	574
2016	381	133	5	45	6	0	35	605
2017	393	120	5	51	5	0	41	615
2018	389	118	4	54	5	0	45	615
2019	398	140	4	54	4	0	44	644
2020	409	155	4	54	3	0	38	663
2021	381	129	7	48	4	0	52	621
2022	357	120	5	50	2	0	52	586
2023	337	131	9	43	3	0	47	570
2024	359	122	10	50	3	0	58	602

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 Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	569	32.0	17.8	39.5
2003	569	32.0	17.8	39.5
2004	589	35.0	16.8	42.1
2005	607	37.0	16.4	42.8
2006	593	34.0	17.4	43.2
2007	650	37.0	17.6	43.2
2008	678	42.0	16.1	41.4
2009	642	37.0	17.4	50.9
2010	648	42.0	15.4	53.9
2011	692	42.0	16.4	54
2012	659	43.0	15.3	58.7
2013	633	42.0	15.0	56.1
2014	598	37.0	16.1	48.2
2015	574	37.0	15.5	44.8
2016	605	38.0	15.9	45
2017	615	38.0	16.1	n/a
2018	615	39.0	15.7	n/a
2019	644	40.0	16.1	n/a
2020	663	42.0	15.7	n/a
2021	621	40.5	15.3	n/a
2022	586	40.5	14.4	n/a
2023	570	39.5	14.4	n/a
2024	602	37.5	16.0	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 Lake Forest Central Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	569	32.0	17.8	39.5
2003	569	32.0	17.8	39.5
2004	589	35.0	16.8	42.1
2005	607	37.0	16.4	42.8
2006	593	34.0	17.4	43.2
2007	650	37.0	17.6	43.2
2008	678	42.0	16.1	41.4
2009	642	37.0	17.4	50.9
2010	648	42.0	15.4	53.9
2011	692	42.0	16.4	54
2012	659	43.0	15.3	58.7
2013	633	42.0	15.0	56.1
2014	598	37.0	16.1	48.2
2015	574	37.0	15.5	44.8
2016	605	38.0	15.9	45
2017	615	38.0	16.1	n/a
2018	615	39.0	15.7	n/a
2019	644	40.0	16.1	n/a
2020	663	42.0	15.7	n/a
2021	621	40.5	15.3	n/a
2022	586	40.5	14.4	n/a
2023	570	39.5	14.4	n/a
2024	602	37.5	16.0	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 Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$441 (3.8%)	$11,800 (100.8%)	$11,702

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lake Forest Central 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 37^th of 105 Elementary schools	Ranks 42^nd of 103 Elementary schools	5.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Forest Central Elementary School)	59	44.6	14.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Forest School District)	59	44.6	14.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	53.5	39.9	13.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lake Forest Central Elementary School)	65.9	40	25.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lake Forest School District)	65.9	40	25.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	50.8	39.1	11.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Forest Central Elementary School)	62.9	54.5	8.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Forest School District)	62.9	54.5	8.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	56.9	44.1	12.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lake Forest Central Elementary School)	48.2	29.5	18.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lake Forest School District)	48.2	29.5	18.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	44.4	32.3	12.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	644	570	11.5%
African American	140	131	6.4%
American Indian	4	3	25%
Asian	4	9	125%
Hispanic	54	43	20.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	398	337	15.3%
Two or More Races	44	47	6.8%

Schools Near Lake Forest Central Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				DeSSA Science (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 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lake Forest Central Elementary School	Public	4-5	5424 Killens Pond Road	Felton	19943	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 284-5810	602	38	16.0		359 (59.6%)	122 (20.3%)	50 (8.3%)	10 (1.7%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (9.6%)	56.9	42^nd of 106 public elementary schools	60.4%		52.9	42^nd of 103 public elementary schools	59.2%		21.3		42.1	55.5		42.8	33.6	$11,702	$441	$11,800
Lake Forest North Elementary School	Public	K-3	319 East Main Street	Felton	19943	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 284-9611	439	34	12.9		287 (65.4%)	82 (18.7%)	38 (8.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.8%)								(n/a)		53.9			54.8			$13,665	$1,413	$12,449
Lake Forest East Elementary School	Public	K-3	124 West Front Street	Frederica	19946	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 335-5261	340	26	13.0		159 (46.8%)	74 (21.8%)	67 (19.7%)	3 (0.9%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (10.0%)								(n/a)		46.3			45.2			$15,209	$1,243	$14,594
Lake Forest South Elementary School	Public	K-3	301 Dorman Street	Harrington	19952	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 398-8011	371	28	13.2		234 (63.1%)	66 (17.8%)	30 (8.1%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (10.0%)								(n/a)		53.1			53.1			$13,063	$1,322	$11,914
Delaware Early Childhood Center	Public	PK	100 West Mispillion Street	Harrington	19952	Kent County	Lake Forest School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 398-8945	70	5	14.0		38 (54.3%)	16 (22.9%)	7 (10.0%)	2 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (10.0%)								(n/a)								$10,511	$240	$10,308
David E. Robinson Elementary School	Public	1-5	1038 Briarbush road	Wyoming	19962	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 698-4230	574	39	14.9		261 (45.5%)	189 (32.9%)	54 (9.4%)	9 (1.6%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	57 (9.9%)	44.9	54^th of 106 public elementary schools	49.1%					(n/a)	20.8	44.1	33.6	31.1	46.2	31.9	33.3
J. Ralph McIlvaine Early Childhood Center	Public	K	11 East Walnut	Magnolia	19962	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 335-5039	479	31	15.4		245 (51.1%)	168 (35.1%)	33 (6.9%)	17 (3.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.1%)								(n/a)								$13,054	$1,304	$12,037
Star Hill Elementary School	Public	PK-K	594 Voshells Mill/Star Hill Ro	Dover	19901	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 697-6117	124	7	17.7		81 (65.3%)	29 (23.4%)	9 (7.3%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.2%)								(n/a)								$11,977	$609	$11,460
Nellie Hughes Stokes Elementary School	Public	1-5	3874 Upper King Road	Dover	19934	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 697-3205	512	40	12.8		193 (37.7%)	199 (38.9%)	66 (12.9%)	16 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	36 (7.0%)	32.1	72^nd of 106 public elementary schools	32.1%		36.1	66^th of 103 public elementary schools	35.9%	6	13.8	36.3	31.5	35.6	29.2	32.1	30.9	$13,676	$1,316	$12,790
Allen Frear Elementary School	Public	1-5	238 Sorghum Mill Road	Camden	19901	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 697-3279	633	44	14.3		327 (51.7%)	141 (22.3%)	63 (10.0%)	31 (4.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	68 (10.7%)	88.6	10^th of 106 public elementary schools	90.6%		86.6	13^th of 103 public elementary schools	87.4%	3	43.0	51.5	48.9	76.4	61.2	61.1	64.8	$10,213	$564	$10,092

Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Lake Forest Central Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Lake Forest School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rank History for African American students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Lake Forest Central Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Forest Central Elementary School

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