The top reported proficiency rate is 14% in English language arts. The lowest is 1% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mccullough (calvin R. ) Middle School
McCullough (Calvin R.) Middle School is a regular public school serving grades six through eight on Chase Avenue in New Castle, Delaware, part of the Colonial School District. The enrollment is moderate for a middle school, with students distributed fairly evenly across the three grade levels. The student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with a smaller proportion of white students and very small numbers of Asian, multiracial, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data was not available, and information on students with individualized education programs and English learners was missing as well, so the picture of economic disadvantage and special-population support here is incomplete.
On state assessments, McCullough's proficiency rates are low across every tested subject. In math, a very small share of students reached proficiency on the most recent Smarter Balanced assessment. English language arts results were somewhat higher but still well below what most schools in the county post. Science proficiency was near zero, with only a handful of students meeting the bar on the DeSSA science exam. Social studies results from the prior year were stronger by comparison, with roughly a fifth of sixth graders demonstrating proficiency, though eighth grade social studies results were lower. Participation rate data was missing for math, ELA, and science, so it is unclear whether testing participation was complete.
The trend data tells a difficult story. English language arts proficiency has fallen substantially over the past decade from levels that were already modest, dropping sharply after the pandemic and remaining low since, with only a slight uptick in the most recent year. Math proficiency followed a similar arc, declining from already low pre-pandemic levels to roughly half of those levels in recent years before a small rise this past year. The school has not returned to its pre-pandemic baselines in either subject. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, asking what interventions and supports are in place and how the Colonial School District plans to address the sustained shortfall.
Against its comparison set, McCullough sits in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency among schools evaluated relative to districts in New Castle County. The county is large and economically diverse, with twenty-three districts in the comparison universe, so this placement reflects a wide range of peer schools including some high-performing ones, but the gap to the median is substantial.
New Castle itself is a small historic riverfront city with a strong preservation identity. The core is a National Historic Landmark District with cobblestone streets, colonial-era buildings, and civic anchors like the Green, the Court House Museum, and several historic churches and houses that form part of First State National Historical Park. The city sits just south of Wilmington with access from Interstate 95 and routes connecting to the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Growth is constrained by the historic character of the community, and the city has remained small and relatively stable rather than expanding. No major new housing developments surfaced in publicly reported material, and the city functions primarily as a residential community with heritage tourism shaping seasonal street life.
The housing market around the school is relatively affordable compared with both state and national benchmarks. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit below the Delaware state median and below the national figure, and rents are modest. Monthly mortgage costs run higher than typical rents, which means renting may be the more accessible option for families looking at the area. A parent evaluating McCullough should weigh the affordable housing against the academic results. The school's assessment data points to serious challenges in preparing students at grade level, and the trend data shows those challenges have persisted for several years. Asking the school directly about current improvement plans, tutoring or intervention programs, and how the Colonial School District is allocating resources here would be a reasonable next step.
See more original research from School Decision →