About Red Clay

  • Red Clay is proud to serve over 16,000 students from early childhood to adulthood as Delaware's largest school district. We are home to nationally recognized educators, 30 award-winning schools and programs, and a thriving community of educational partners.
2022 Niche Best Schools

  • Our Location

    Our district is located in New Castle County, Delaware, roughly 45 minutes south of Philadelphia.

    We have schools in Hockessin, Greenville, Pike Creek, Newark, Elsmere, Newport and the City of Wilmington.

     

    Our Staff

    As one of Delaware's largest employers, we have close to 3,000 full-time employees—the majority of whom are educators with five or more years of experience.


    Ages Served

    3 to 21

     

    Offerings

    Pre-Kindergarten

    Kindergarten

    Elementary Schools

    Middle Schools

    High Schools

    Magnet Schools

    Charter Schools

    Post-Secondary

    Adult Education

     

    Annual Operating Budget

    $265 million

     

    Average Annual Spending per Student

    $17,389

     

  • Red Clay is a comprehensive K-12 public school system with excellent educational opportunities for students of all levels. The instructional program begins with the mastery of basic skills by all students and is centered around individualized programs to meet the needs of each student, from the least able to the most gifted. All Red Clay schools feature libraries, and there are planetariums and observatories, swimming pools, science labs, technology labs, industrial arts shops, and theatre and music facilities in the district. The district offers distinctive magnet programs including – Cab Calloway School of the Arts (grades 6-12), and Conrad Schools of Science (grades 6-12). 

     

    Other features of the program are:

    College prep, vocational/occupational, business and agriculture courses

    Programs for gifted students from age four through grade 12, including early graduation and early college enrollment opportunities

    A full array of interscholastic and intramural sports

    Extracurricular programs, including instrumental music instruction beginning at grade 3

    Free and appropriate programs for children requiring special education, based on the least restrictive environment and mainstreaming

    100% of teachers state certified

    All high schools accredited

    World languages including Chinese, Latin, French, German, Italian and Spanish

Recent Awards & Accolades

  •  

    • 7 U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School Awards
    • U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools in Delaware
    • National PTA School of Excellence Awards
    • New Castle County's Largest Employers of 2020 (Delaware Business Times)
    • Top-ranked for Diversity, Best Teachers and Best Places to Teach (Niche)
    • 2021 Delaware Teacher of the Year
    • 2021 Best Public Schools (Niche)
    • 2021 Delaware Finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)
    • 2020-21 National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) Excellence in School Psychological Services (ESPS) Recognition Award
    • Delaware's Top Teachers of 2020 (Delaware Today)
    • 2020 First Chance Delaware Award
    • 2020 Delaware History Teacher of the Year
    • 2020 Leadership Awards from the National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators (NAFEPA)
    • 2019-20 Dale Farmer State Champions in Sportsmanship Awards
    • 2019-20 Delaware Administrators of Special Education Programs (DASEP) Outstanding Administrator of the Year
    • 2019-20 Delaware Green Ribbon School
    • 2019-20 State Unified Champion School
    • 2019 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award
    • Delaware's Top Teachers of 2019 (Delaware Today)
    • 2018-19 National Unified Champion School
    • 2018 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School
    • 2017-2019 National PTA School of Excellence Award
    • 2018-19 National Unified Champion School
    • 2017-18 State Unified Champion School