Is North Star Elementary School a good school?

Yes! North Star Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 2 nd of 106 Delaware elementary schools.

How many students attend North Star Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 617 students attended North Star Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of North Star Elementary School?

Students at North Star Elementary School are 56% White, 25% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 5% African American.

What schools do graduates of North Star Elementary School attend?

Students who attend North Star Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : duPont (H.B.) Middle School High : Dickinson (John) School

North Star Elementary School

Summary:

North Star Elementary School is a public elementary school in Hockessin, Delaware, serving students from kindergarten to 5th grade as part of the Red Clay Consolidated School District. This exceptional school has consistently ranked among the top elementary schools in Delaware, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and outperforming the district and state in academic achievement.

North Star Elementary School's academic performance is truly remarkable. In the 2023-2024 school year, 73.79% of 3rd graders, 61.4% of 4th graders, and 80.81% of 5th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, far exceeding the district scores of 36.79%, 37.41%, and 43.41%, respectively. The school's mathematics proficiency rates are equally impressive, with 76.7% of 3rd graders, 67.54% of 4th graders, and 64.65% of 5th graders scoring proficient or better, compared to the district's 41.66%, 35.21%, and 31.33%. North Star's exceptional performance extends to science as well, with 43.88% of 5th graders proficient or better, compared to the district's 18.82%.

While North Star Elementary School's academic excellence is the primary draw, the school also stands out for its diverse student population and low chronic absenteeism rate. The school has a higher percentage of Asian students (24.1%) compared to the district and state averages, and its chronic absenteeism rate ranges from just 1.4% to 6.2%, significantly lower than the district and state. These factors, combined with the school's strong instructional practices and dedicated teaching staff, contribute to North Star's status as a model of academic excellence in Delaware. Nearby schools like Forest Oak Elementary, Mote (Anna P.) Elementary, and Marbrook Elementary also perform well, but North Star stands out as a true standout in the Red Clay Consolidated School District.

Detail:

Public K-5

1340 Little Baltimore Road
Hockessin, DE 19707

(302) 234-7200

District: Red Clay Consolidated School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
2^nd of 106 Delaware Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,430

Students who attend North Star Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	duPont (H.B.) Middle School
High:	Dickinson (John) School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.0

Number of students: 617

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.9%

Asian:

25.1%

Hispanic:

7.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 4.4%

See top rated Delaware elementary schools

Compare North Star Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details North Star Elementary School ranks better than 98.1% of elementary schools in Delaware. It also ranks first among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Red Clay Consolidated School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.43. (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 Racial makeup is: White (55.9%), Asian (25.1%), Hispanic (7.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at North Star Elementary School is 15. 12 elementary schools in the Red Clay Consolidated School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare North Star Elementary School employs 41 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at North Star Elementary School is $13,430. 12 elementary schools in the Red Clay Consolidated School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

North Star Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks North Star Elementary School 2^nd of 106 Delaware public elementary schools. (See North Star Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Red Clay Consolidated School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Red Clay Consolidated School District 14^th of 32 Delaware school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for North Star Elementary School.

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Your rating for North Star Elementary School?

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Rank History for North Star Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at North Star Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2011	90.61	2^nd	91	97.8%
2012	89.22	3^rd	90	96.7%
2013	90.71	2^nd	91	97.8%
2014	92.01	1^st	36	97.2%
2015	95.11	4^th	108	96.3%
2016	93.96	2^nd	86	97.7%
2017	91.54	5^th	86	94.2%
2018	95.65	3^rd	85	96.5%
2019	95.38	2^nd	105	98.1%
2021	99.69	1^st	95	98.9%
2022	98.28	1^st	104	99.0%
2023	95.72	1^st	103	99.0%
2024	96.43	2^nd	106	98.1%

See the entire list of Delaware Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at North Star Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	95.72	2^nd	99	98.0%
2021	98.37	1^st	67	98.5%
2022	96.66	2^nd	90	97.8%
2023	91.53	3^rd	89	96.6%
2024	89.97	9^th	97	90.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at North Star Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	96.31	2^nd	99	98.0%
2021	99.36	1^st	67	98.5%
2022	97.75	1^st	90	98.9%
2023	96.14	2^nd	89	97.8%
2024	97.08	2^nd	97	97.9%

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

Rank History for Asian students at North Star Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	88.31	1^st	3	66.7%
2022	78.63	1^st	9	88.9%
2023	63.93	3^rd	7	57.1%

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

Rank History for White students at North Star Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	87.67	2^nd	82	97.6%
2021	97.64	1^st	65	98.5%
2022	88.80	3^rd	75	96.0%
2023	77.03	13^th	70	81.4%
2024	83.16	6^th	73	91.8%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, March 18, 2011

North Star is an excellent elementary school. The facility is new and the principal is very proactive. Because she was part of the initial development, she was able to put together a great team that works well together and with the students. I feel like the teachers there are among the best in the district. My 2 children in K and 1st have quickly developed a love of learning and especially reading. Close Quote

Enrollment information for North Star Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2006	487	14	81	10	0	n/a	n/a	592
2007	526	19	79	14	0	n/a	n/a	638
2008	572	30	91	21	2	n/a	n/a	716
2009	587	28	111	29	2	n/a	n/a	757
2010	588	24	137	27	3	n/a	n/a	779
2011	576	25	138	26	6	0	1	772
2012	547	23	134	22	6	0	3	735
2013	548	20	147	26	4	0	6	751
2014	500	15	148	30	3	0	5	701
2015	492	20	148	31	3	0	8	702
2016	465	20	145	36	4	0	13	683
2017	457	25	161	38	3	1	16	701
2018	427	19	160	33	2	1	22	664
2019	407	19	155	34	1	0	34	650
2020	404	18	159	30	2	0	39	652
2021	369	17	163	33	2	0	37	621
2022	368	12	142	33	2	0	34	591
2023	359	21	147	39	2	0	42	610
2024	345	30	155	44	1	0	42	617

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 North Star Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	592	31.0	19.1	2.5
2007	638	33.0	19.3	2.2
2008	716	37.0	19.4	2
2009	757	44.0	17.2	1.8
2010	779	44.0	17.7	3.2
2011	772	45.0	17.1	3.2
2012	735	42.0	17.5	3.9
2013	751	46.0	16.3	5.7
2014	701	48.0	14.6	3.9
2015	702	43.0	16.3	3.8
2016	683	39.0	17.5	4.4
2017	701	38.0	18.4	n/a
2018	664	37.0	17.9	n/a
2019	650	37.0	17.5	n/a
2020	652	38.0	17.1	n/a
2021	621	37.0	16.7	n/a
2022	591	39.0	15.1	n/a
2023	610	39.0	15.6	n/a
2024	617	41.0	15.0	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 North Star Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	592	31.0	19.1	2.5
2007	638	33.0	19.3	2.2
2008	716	37.0	19.4	2
2009	757	44.0	17.2	1.8
2010	779	44.0	17.7	3.2
2011	772	45.0	17.1	3.2
2012	735	42.0	17.5	3.9
2013	751	46.0	16.3	5.7
2014	701	48.0	14.6	3.9
2015	702	43.0	16.3	3.8
2016	683	39.0	17.5	4.4
2017	701	38.0	18.4	n/a
2018	664	37.0	17.9	n/a
2019	650	37.0	17.5	n/a
2020	652	38.0	17.1	n/a
2021	621	37.0	16.7	n/a
2022	591	39.0	15.1	n/a
2023	610	39.0	15.6	n/a
2024	617	41.0	15.0	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 North Star Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$216 (1.6%)	$16,417 (122.2%)	$13,430

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on North Star 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 2^nd of 105 Elementary schools	Ranks 1^st of 103 Elementary schools	0.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (North Star Elementary School)	81.2	69.4	11.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Red Clay Consolidated School District)	46.1	34.9	11.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	50.5	38.4	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (North Star Elementary School)	83.2	75	8.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Red Clay Consolidated School District)	44	37.5	6.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	53	42.2	10.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (North Star Elementary School)	82	74.5	7.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Red Clay Consolidated School District)	51	39.9	11.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	53.5	39.9	13.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (North Star Elementary School)	84.3	74.5	9.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Red Clay Consolidated School District)	42.5	37.8	4.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	50.8	39.1	11.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (North Star Elementary School)	88.6	74.8	13.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Red Clay Consolidated School District)	55.1	47.5	7.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	56.9	44.1	12.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (North Star Elementary School)	74.3	57.3	17%
5th Grade Mathematics (Red Clay Consolidated School District)	39.3	33	6.3%
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	650	610	6.2%
African American	19	21	10.5%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	155	147	5.2%
Hispanic	34	39	14.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	407	359	11.8%
Two or More Races	34	42	23.5%

Schools Near North Star 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)		DeSSA Social Studies (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	DeSSA Science 8th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 8th 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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
North Star Elementary School	Public	K-5	1340 Little Baltimore Road	Hockessin	19707	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 234-7200	617	41	15.0		345 (55.9%)	30 (4.9%)	44 (7.1%)	155 (25.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (6.8%)	96.4	2^nd of 106 public elementary schools	98.1%		95.7	1^st of 103 public elementary schools	99.0%	1	43.9			73.8	61.4	80.8				76.7	67.5	64.7				$13,430	$216	$16,417
William F. Cooke Junior Elementary	Public	K-5	2025 Graves Road	Hockessin	19707	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 235-6600	615	41	15.0		410 (66.7%)	51 (8.3%)	88 (14.3%)	35 (5.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	28 (4.6%)	91.1	7^th of 106 public elementary schools	93.4%		92.8	6^th of 103 public elementary schools	94.2%	1	36.1			58.4	61.3	74.7				59.8	64.6	65.0				$13,167	$217	$15,896
Linden Hill Elementary School	Public	K-5	3415 Skyline Drive	Wilmington	19808	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 454-3406	547	37	14.8		266 (48.6%)	80 (14.6%)	46 (8.4%)	108 (19.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (8.4%)	93	5^th of 106 public elementary schools	95.3%		92.7	7^th of 103 public elementary schools	93.2%	2	50.6			61.2	60.5	70.7				67.5	58.4	56.1				$13,311	$218	$16,279
Heritage Elementary School	Public	K-5	2815 Highlands Lane	Wilmington	19808	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 454-3424	493	37	13.5		326 (66.1%)	53 (10.8%)	82 (16.6%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.1%)	63.7	32^nd of 106 public elementary schools	69.8%		70.1	25^th of 103 public elementary schools	75.7%	7	26.4			42.2	48.8	54.0				47.3	48.8	34.5				$14,825	$237	$18,209
Wilson (Etta J.) Elementary School	Public	K-5	14 Forge Road	Newark	19711	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 454-2180	275	21	13.0		117 (42.5%)	79 (28.7%)	39 (14.2%)	17 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	21 (7.6%)	85.8	15^th of 106 public elementary schools	85.8%		80.6	16^th of 103 public elementary schools	84.5%	1	39.5			54.9	51.2	60.5				55.6	62.8	60.5				$18,138	$1,184	$21,370
Brandywine Springs School	Public	K-8	2916 Duncan Road	Wilmington	19808	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 636-5681	932	61	15.4		622 (66.7%)	71 (7.6%)	144 (15.5%)	34 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	59 (6.3%)	59.1	39^th of 106 public elementary schools	63.2%		65.9	31^st of 103 public elementary schools	69.9%	8	16.9	22.9	54.0	56.3	45.4	43.5	34.6	41.0	48.5	64.1	48.0	34.4	27.3	21.0	27.6	$13,934	$246	$16,911
Forest Oak Elementary School	Public	K-5	55 South Meadowood Drive	Newark	19711	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 454-3420	452	37	12.3		155 (34.3%)	43 (9.5%)	229 (50.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.9%)	35.6	66^th of 106 public elementary schools	37.7%		56.3	39^th of 103 public elementary schools	62.1%	27	16.5			27.8	32.9	45.0				40.5	27.4	29.6				$15,190	$672	$17,559
Mote (Anna P.) Elementary School	Public	K-5	2110 Edwards Avenue	Wilmington	19808	New Castle County	Red Clay Consolidated School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 992-5565	324	32	10.0		85 (26.2%)	53 (16.4%)	168 (51.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.9%)	17.4	88^th of 106 public elementary schools	17.0%		12.4	95^th of 103 public elementary schools	7.8%	7					31.5	28.3					14.3	14.8				$19,049	$1,409	$21,472
Maclary (R. Elisabeth) Elementary School	Public	K-5	300 St. Regis Drive	Newark	19711	New Castle County	Christina School District	No	No	No	Yes	(302) 454-2142	251	23	10.9		84 (33.5%)	66 (26.3%)	81 (32.3%)	7 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.2%)	35.4	67^th of 106 public elementary schools	36.8%		56.8	38^th of 103 public elementary schools	63.1%	29	12.8			33.3	24.0	40.9				20.5	30.0	56.8				$21,898	$1,015	$26,528
Gateway Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	2501 Centerville Road	Wilmington	19808	New Castle County	Gateway Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(302) 633-4091	191	24	7.9		42 (22.0%)	113 (59.2%)	21 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.9%)								(n/a)								23.1								$28,196	$995	$24,823

North Star Elementary School

North Star Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Red Clay Consolidated School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for North Star Elementary School

Rank History for all students at North Star Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at North Star Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at North Star Elementary School

Rank History for Asian students at North Star Elementary School

Rank History for White students at North Star Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for North Star Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at North Star Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio North Star Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for North Star Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on North Star Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near North Star Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about North Star Elementary School

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