Downie (Carrie) Elementary School

Downie (Carrie) Elementary School is one of the intimate elementary schools in New Castle, Delaware, run under Colonial School District, with 324 students on its rolls from grades K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 30% below the state mean of about 461.

Colonial School District comprises 14 schools with combined enrollment of 8,575 students; Downie (Carrie) Elementary School is among them.

On demographics, Downie (Carrie) Elementary School reports that 38% of students identify as Black, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder breaks down as 29% Hispanic, 25% White, 6% multiracial. By comparison, New Castle County as a whole is about 26% Black, so the school skews considerably more Black than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Downie (Carrie) Elementary School has 25 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.0:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Downie (Carrie) Elementary School tighter than the state norm the norm.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (New Castle County) logs that median household earnings sit near $91,166, roughly 40% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Downie (Carrie) Elementary School is one of 129 public schools in New Castle County (combined enrollment of about 78,534 students).

The closest other public school is New Castle Elementary School, roughly 0.3 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

Geographically, the school is in a bedroom-community area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 21%: 408 students in 2018 compared to 324 in 2025. The White share of enrollment declined from 40% to 25% over that span. Class-load math has tightened: from 17.0:1 in 2018 to 13.0:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.