First State Montessori Academy

Located at 1000 N. French Street in Wilmington, Delaware, First State Montessori Academy is an open, independent charter school district situated in a small city setting within the broader Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area. Operating as a single-school district, the academy provides a focused public education spanning Kindergarten through 8th grade, bridging early childhood learning and middle school preparation. The district serves a total enrollment of 657 students, maintaining a balanced student distribution across elementary grade levels—with around 78 students per grade in the primary years—before transitioning into slightly more intimate upper-elementary and middle school cohorts.

To support its specialized learning model, the district maintains a robust professional context powered by 98 full-time equivalent staff members. This includes 68 dedicated classroom teachers alongside 30 support staff personnel, creating a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of under 10 to 1 that enables personalized instruction and individual academic guidance. The student body is comprised of 352 female and 305 male students, reflecting a diverse community that includes 447 White, 120 Black, 61 multiracial, 14 Hispanic, 13 Asian, and 2 American Indian learners. Documented in the 2024–2025 NCES dataset, First State Montessori Academy stands as a compelling model of community-centered charter education for parents seeking tailored primary schooling and researchers studying small-city public school frameworks.