The majority of students in Washington County schools were white in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Maine Department of Education.
Of the 3,959 students attending school Washington County schools, 83.1% were white.
American Indian or Alaskan Native students were the second largest ethnic group among Washington County students (12.9%).
In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Washington County, representing 86.6% of the student body.
Calais Middle/High School had the evenest distribution of races among county schools, with 74.2% white, 16.9% American Indian or Alaskan Native, 5% multiracial, 2% Black, 1.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 0.7% Asian.
In the 2023-24 school year, public school enrollment in the county dropped 2.5% when compared to the previous year.
The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Washington County.
As of 2025, 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. A lower student-to-teacher ratio has been found to improve students’ school performance.
Public school enrollment in Maine fell to its lowest level in a decade in the 2024-25 school year, dropping below even the sharp decline seen after the COVID-19 pandemic. The state reported approximately 171,000 students enrolled that year.
| School | Most Prevalent Ethnicity | No. of Students | Percent of Total Student Body | Total School Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Elementary School | White | 12 | 100% | 12 |
| Alexander Elementary School | White | 39 | 97.5% | 40 |
| Elm Street School-East Machias | White | 192 | 97.5% | 197 |
| Jonesport Elementary School | White | 99 | 97.1% | 102 |
| Lubec Consolidated School | White | 91 | 96.8% | 94 |
| Jonesport-Beals High School | White | 57 | 96.6% | 59 |
| Rose M. Gaffney School | White | 334 | 96.5% | 346 |
| Whiting Village School | White | 23 | 95.8% | 24 |
| Bay Ridge Elementary School | White | 40 | 95.2% | 42 |
| Cherryfield Elementary School | White | 92 | 94.9% | 97 |
| Machias Memorial High School | White | 162 | 93.6% | 173 |
| Beals Elementary School | White | 35 | 92.1% | 38 |
| East Grand School | White | 129 | 92.1% | 140 |
| Ella Lewis School | White | 72 | 91.1% | 79 |
| Woodland Elementary School | White | 108 | 90.8% | 119 |
| Jonesboro Elementary School | White | 39 | 90.7% | 43 |
| Calais Elementary School | White | 231 | 90.6% | 255 |
| Daniel W. Merritt School | White | 79 | 89.8% | 88 |
| Fort O’Brien School | White | 43 | 89.6% | 48 |
| Edmunds Consolidated School | White | 59 | 89.4% | 66 |
| Perry Elementary School | White | 62 | 87.3% | 71 |
| Harrington Elementary School | White | 111 | 84.1% | 132 |
| Narraguagus High School | White | 249 | 81.9% | 304 |
| Woodland Junior-Senior High School | White | 141 | 81.5% | 173 |
| Pembroke Elementary School | White | 51 | 81% | 63 |
| Beatrice Rafferty School | American Indian or Alaskan Native | 107 | 79.9% | 134 |
| Washington Academy | White | 230 | 75.7% | 304 |
| Eastport Elementary School | White | 67 | 75.3% | 89 |
| Princeton Elementary School | White | 81 | 75% | 108 |
| Calais Middle/High School | White | 224 | 74.2% | 302 |
| East Range II CSD School | White | 11 | 73.3% | 15 |
| Milbridge Elementary School | White | 82 | 69.5% | 118 |
| Shead High School | White | 44 | 52.4% | 84 |
