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Thursday, November 21, 2024

Did Washington County enrollment numbers rise or fall in 2022-23 school year?

Webp maine commissioner of education pender makin 2023

ME Commissioner of Education Pender Makin 2023 | Maine Department of Education

ME Commissioner of Education Pender Makin 2023 | Maine Department of Education

Washington County schools welcomed 4,061 students in the 2022-23 school year, 10.3% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Washington County had the fourth least enrollment numbers in the state.

According to the data, 51.6% of the students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year were boys, and 48.4% were girls, and less than 0.1% did not specify their gender or identify with either category.

Most of the students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year were white, representing 83.6% of the Washington County student body.

Within the county, Washington Academy had the highest enrollment in the school year, welcoming 336 students.

While Maine's public school enrollment has slightly rebounded from the sharp drop during the 2020-21 school year, it remains about 4% below pre-pandemic levels. The decline is partly due to an increase in homeschooling and more students completing high school early through college courses and adult education.

"Adult education enrollment is up, providing high school completion and job training programs to meet individual needs," said a spokesman for the Maine Department of Education in an interview with Maine Public. Additionally, some pandemic-related factors persist, with "some parents choosing not to enroll younger children in school and older students who took on jobs to support their families during the pandemic and who are still counted on to provide that support."

As of 2024, the average student-to-teacher ratio in public schools in Maine is 11:1, much lower than the national average of one teacher for every 15 students.

Enrollment in Washington County Over 6 Years

08001,6002,4003,2004,0002022-232021-222020-212019-202018-192017-184,0614,0613,7753,7753,7453,7454,1014,1014,0654,0654,0284,028

Enrollment in Washington County Schools Compared to Previous Year

School NameTotal Enrollment in 2021-22Total Enrollment in 2022-23% Change
Alexander Elementary School4135-14.6%
Bay Ridge Elementary School5351-3.8%
Beals Elementary School39415.1%
Calais Elementary School2492614.8%
Calais Middle/High School298293-1.7%
Charlotte Elementary School2322-4.3%
Cherryfield Elementary School921008.7%
Daniel W. Merritt School93996.5%
East Grand School140139-0.7%
East Range II CSD School212519%
Eastport Elementary School849513.1%
Edmunds Consolidated School66683%
Elm Street School-East Machias1741909.2%
Fort O'Brien School4948-2%
Harrington Elementary School1241240%
Jonesboro Elementary School445115.9%
Jonesport Elementary School10999-9.2%
Jonesport-Beals High School63687.9%
Lubec Consolidated School859511.8%
Machias Memorial High School1661702.4%
Milbridge Elementary School129127-1.6%
Narraguagus High School2913147.9%
Pembroke Elementary School616811.5%
Perry Elementary School65707.7%
Princeton Elementary School1191211.7%
Rose M. Gaffney School339324-4.4%
Shead High School608643.3%
Wesley Elementary School440%
Whiting Village School25250%
Woodland Elementary School129114-11.6%
Woodland Junior-Senior High School1701827.1%
Washington Academy27633621.7%
Beatrice Rafferty School--138--
Ella Lewis School--78--

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