Washington County Education: 270 American Indian or Alaskan Native students were enrolled in schools in 2022-23 school year

There were 270 American Indian or Alaskan Native students enrolled in Washington County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 303% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that American Indian or Alaskan Native students made up 6.6% of the 4,061 students in Washington County schools at the time. They were the second most represented ethnicity.

Among the 34 schools in the county, Beatrice Rafferty School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian or Alaskan Native students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 114 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.”