Down East Times

There were 3,396 white students enrolled in Washington County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 0.4% less than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that white students made up 83.6% of the 4,061 students in Washington County schools at the time. They were the most represented ethnicity.

Among the 34 schools in the county, Rose M. Gaffney School recorded the highest enrollment of white students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 311 students.

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."

School Name	White Students Enrollment	Total Enrollment	% of Total Enrollment
Washington Academy	261	336	77.7%
Rose M. Gaffney School	311	324	96%
Narraguagus High School	260	314	82.8%
Calais Middle/High School	229	293	78.2%
Calais Elementary School	240	261	92%
Elm Street School-East Machias	186	190	97.9%
Woodland Junior-Senior High School	151	182	83%
Machias Memorial High School	165	170	97.1%
East Grand School	131	139	94.2%
Beatrice Rafferty School	0	138	--
Milbridge Elementary School	84	127	66.1%
Harrington Elementary School	104	124	83.9%
Princeton Elementary School	98	121	81%
Woodland Elementary School	107	114	93.9%
Cherryfield Elementary School	94	100	94%
Daniel W. Merritt School	90	99	90.9%
Jonesport Elementary School	98	99	99%
Eastport Elementary School	73	95	76.8%
Lubec Consolidated School	91	95	95.8%
Shead High School	43	86	50%
Ella Lewis School	72	78	92.3%
Perry Elementary School	60	70	85.7%
Edmunds Consolidated School	62	68	91.2%
Jonesport-Beals High School	65	68	95.6%
Pembroke Elementary School	52	68	76.5%
Bay Ridge Elementary School	45	51	88.2%
Jonesboro Elementary School	45	51	88.2%
Fort O'Brien School	43	48	89.6%
Beals Elementary School	36	41	87.8%
Alexander Elementary School	32	35	91.4%
East Range II CSD School	19	25	76%
Whiting Village School	24	25	96%
Charlotte Elementary School	21	22	95.5%
Wesley Elementary School	4	4	100%