Original Research by School Decision on Penn (william) High School
William Penn High School sits in New Castle, a small historic riverfront city just south of Wilmington along the Delaware River. The town's identity is built on preservation. Cobblestone streets, a colonial-era grid centered on the Green, and a National Historic Landmark District give the core a distinct character shaped more by heritage tourism and seasonal events than everyday commercial bustle. Growth here is constrained by the historic designation, so the city has remained small and relatively stable rather than expanding rapidly. Housing in the school's zip code sits below both the state and national benchmarks for typical home values, and rents are moderate relative to income, making this one of the more affordable corners of New Castle County for families weighing cost of living.
The school itself is a large comprehensive public high school serving grades nine through twelve, part of the Colonial School District. Its enrollment places it among the bigger high schools in the area. The student body is diverse: Black students make up the largest share, followed by roughly equal proportions of white and Hispanic students, with smaller groups of Asian, multiracial, and Native students rounding out the population. It carries no charter or magnet designation, drawing directly from the surrounding community.
Academically, the available state testing data tells a mixed and concerning story. English language arts proficiency has moved within a moderate band over the past decade, starting at a higher point, dipping after a state assessment transition, and recently showing a slight upward tick. Still, the current level leaves a majority of students below proficiency. Math is the more pressing concern. Proficiency in math has been low across every year on record and has settled into the single digits in the most recent results. A parent evaluating this school may want to look into what targeted math support and intervention structures are in place, and how the school is responding to these persistent low numbers. Science assessment data from the only year on file was suppressed, and given that the record reflects an eighth-grade assessment, it does not apply to this school's grade band. No graduation rate was available in the data provided. Chronic absenteeism, discipline, course access, staffing ratios, and attendance figures were also absent, so we cannot speak to them.
Several other data points a parent might want were missing. Free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility was not reported, nor were special education or English learner rates. No information on Advanced Placement offerings, dual-credit pathways, career and technical education, or extracurricular programs was provided. The Colonial School District brief returned no parent-relevant changes or initiatives to report. Without these pieces, the picture is incomplete in ways that matter for a family making a decision. The school's website, listed in the directory, would be a natural next stop for program offerings and support services.
Within the context of New Castle County, this school's data was not positioned against neighboring districts because the comparison metrics could not be computed for this entity. So we cannot say where it stands among its peers on proficiency, graduation, or absenteeism.
What the evidence does say clearly: William Penn is a large, diverse, traditional public high school in an affordable, historic community, with English results in a modest range and math results that are persistently low. Families drawn to the area's character and housing affordability should pair that with a direct conversation with the school about academic support, available programs, and graduation outcomes before deciding whether the fit is right.
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