The top reported proficiency rate is 10% in English language arts. The lowest is 2% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Delaware Primary School
Delaware Primary School is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Syracuse's South Geddes neighborhood. It enrolls a small to mid-sized cohort drawn almost entirely from the immediate area: nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school's student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic with smaller shares of white, multiracial, and Asian students.
The school's academic performance is quite low by state standards. In the most recent testing cycle, proficiency rates across grades three through five and across math, English language arts, and science ranged from under two percent to about seventeen percent, depending on the grade and subject. Grade three showed the strongest performance, with middle-range proficiency in ELA and modest proficiency in math; grades four and five fell considerably lower, with proficiency rates near or below two percent in multiple subjects. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among school buildings in Onondaga County. A parent may want to look into what instructional support or intervention the school is providing in light of these results, and whether the school has identified particular areas of focus.
The school operates as part of Syracuse City School District, which has undertaken several visible changes in recent years. The district opened Syracuse STEAM High School, a regional technical high school in downtown Syracuse in fall 2025, offering concentrations in fields like semiconductor technology and advanced manufacturing tied to Micron Technology's planned expansion into the region. That will not directly affect Delaware Primary's students until high school, but it reflects a shifting landscape of options downstream. The district has also expanded its school calendar to observe Eid al-Fitr as a no-school day, reflecting its large refugee and Muslim population. Beyond the school itself, the state has authorized a third phase of capital improvements across city schools, with the state reimbursing a substantial share of roofing, classroom, auditorium, and technology upgrades.
Syracuse itself is in the midst of marked economic and housing change. Micron Technology's commitment to build a major semiconductor campus in nearby Clay has sparked a regional focus on workforce housing and mixed-income development. The housing market in the 13204 zip code shows moderate home values with recent year-over-year appreciation and relatively stable rental costs. The city's economy has historically centered on health care and higher education, with Upstate University Health System, Syracuse University, and Crouse Health as large employers. Walkability is uneven; downtown and certain residential neighborhoods like Strathmore and parts of the Eastside have good pedestrian infrastructure, while many neighborhoods are car-dependent. Parks, the Central Library, and Centro bus transit provide civic amenities, though public transit is oriented mainly around fixed routes rather than frequent, neighborhood-spanning service.
Delaware Primary serves a neighborhood facing genuine economic hardship, with nearly all students in poverty-proxied circumstances. The test results signal that the school's students are not yet reaching proficiency at state-expected levels. Parents choosing this school or already enrolled should understand the academic trajectory it is on, ask the school directly what interventions and support are in place for students falling behind in core subjects, and consider what additional tutoring or academic support they might provide at home. The school's physical location in the city offers access to libraries and parks, but the academic picture warrants close attention and engagement with school leaders about improvement efforts.
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