Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 7 schools in district

Lake Forest South Elementary School

301 Dorman Street, Harrington, DE 19952Lake Forest School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–03Non-Charter
379
Students
Total enrolled
$16,957
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 18% vs nat'l
11.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 23% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 21% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 379 students in grades KG–03 in Harrington, Delaware.
18% above average funding
District spends $16,957 per pupil, 18% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Lake Forest South Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Harrington, Delaware, serving grades KG–03 with 379 students. The district invests $16,957 per student — 18% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1.

Student Body & Demographics at Lake Forest South Elementary School

379
Total Students
11.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
32
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–03) are served by this school
Gender Distribution181 male · 198 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Student Composition
57%
9%
18%
14%
Asian2%
White57%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black18%
Multiracial14%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 100079000097

Academic Outcomes at Lake Forest South Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 27th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 19952

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,957Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,957
State avg
$18,485
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,461
Student Support$3,222
Administration$2,035
Operations$2,544
Other$1,696
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,957 spent per student, an estimated $7,512 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
65%
16%
State government
65.3%
Local (property tax)
15.7%
Federal programs
19.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $16,957/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Lake Forest Central Elementary SchoolLake Forest North Elementary SchoolLake Forest East Elementary School
↓
Middle
Chipman (W.T.) Middle School
↓
High School
Lake Forest High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 03
Location—
CountyKent County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictLake Forest School District →
Phone: (302)398-8011
NCES ID: 100079000097
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Harrington seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Lake Forest School District
Mid
Chipman (W.T.) Middle School
965 students · 06–08
● 40 opp
High
Lake Forest High School
870 students · 09–12
Elem
Lake Forest Central Elementary School
570 students · 04–05
Elem
Lake Forest North Elementary School
452 students · KG–03
Elem
Lake Forest East Elementary School
322 students · KG–03
● 40 opp
Other
Delaware Early Childhood Center
53 students · PK–PK
● 40 opp
District School Rankings
Location
301 Dorman Street, Harrington, DE 19952
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.