Down East Times

There were 168 Hispanic students enrolled in Hancock County ditricts in the 2022-23 school year, 11.3% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that Hispanic students made up 2.7% of the 6,292 students in Hancock County ditricts during the 2022-23 school year. They were the third most represented ethnicity.

Among the 24 districts in Hancock County, Ellsworth Public Schools recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 35 students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Hancock County.

Recent data from Maine's public schools for the 2023-2024 school year reveal a noticeable growth in Hispanic, Black and multiracial enrollment over the past decade. While over 85% of students still identify as white, this shows a slow but steady increase in diversity within the state schools.

Despite these shifts, Maine's public school enrollment remains about 4% below pre-pandemic levels, despite a slight rebound from the sharp drop during the 2020-21 school year. The decline is partly due to an increase in homeschooling and more students completing high school early through college courses and adult education.

A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Education also mentioned in an interview with Maine Public some other 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."

District Name	Hispanic Students Enrollment	Total Enrollment	% of Total Enrollment
Ellsworth Public Schools	35	1,078	3.2%
Regional School Unit 25	27	1,047	2.6%
Regional School Unit 24	34	857	4%
Blue Hill Public Schools	10	403	2.5%
Mount Desert Community School District	8	365	2.2%
Bar Harbor Public Schools	9	331	2.7%
Deer Isle-Stonington Community School District	7	311	2.3%
Hancock Public Schools	4	296	1.4%
Trenton Public Schools	2	213	0.9%
Surry Public Schools	3	196	1.5%
Lamoine Public Schools	6	172	3.5%
Mount Desert Public Schools	9	151	6%
Tremont Public Schools	0	127	--
Southwest Harbor Public Schools	3	125	2.4%
Sedgwick Public Schools	1	124	0.8%
Penobscot Public Schools	2	107	1.9%
Otis Public Schools	1	92	1.1%
Brooksville Public Schools	1	82	1.2%
Castine Public Schools	1	77	1.3%
Brooklin Public Schools	2	75	2.7%
Maine School Administrative District 76	1	41	2.4%
Cranberry Isles Public Schools	2	15	13.3%
Frenchboro Public Schools	0	5	--
Isle Au Haut Public Schools	0	2	--