As far as the first response, isn't that the case in every state? Seriously. Honestly, it's such a small state and the public schools vary widely. The forced busing of the 70s disappeared with the Neighborhood School Bill in 2000. This changed the feeder patterns dramatically. Now, decades later, we have school districts ridden with the same problem again: high income areas with better schools and low income areas with poorer schools. And I'm sure that the problem is compounded now by parents pulling their children out of private schools due to the poor economy. It has also caused dramatic racial differences as well. There is barely any diversity--suburban schools are mostly white, downtown Wilmington schools are predominantly black. I live in the suburbs and am saddened by the fact that my son will not have a diverse classroom. So, as far as the best school districts, I'd have to say Red Clay. Good bets are Brandywine Springs Elementary and North Star. You can choice into either of them, but because both are popular, it would be best to simply live in the areas that feed into them. If your child is special needs, I would recommend Christina as they have more money for their special ed. programs.