ME Commissioner of Education Pender Makin 2023 | Maine Department of Education
ME Commissioner of Education Pender Makin 2023 | Maine Department of Education
Of the 8,450 students attending schools in the county, 88.8% were white. American Indian or Alaskan Native students were the second most represented ethnic group, making up 3.6% of the total enrollment.
In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Aroostook County, representing 89.6% of the student body.
Regional School Unit 29/Maine School Administrative District 29 had the evenest distribution of races among county districts, with 83.2% white, 10.6% American Indian or Alaskan Native, 3.4% multiracial, 0.9% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% African American, and 0.5% Asian.
In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public districts in the county increased by 0.2% when compared to the previous year.
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 | Most Prevalent Ethnicity | Percent of Total Student Body | Total Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville Plantation Public Schools | White | 99.9% | 4 |
| Grand Isle Public Schools | White | 99.9% | 28 |
| Westmanland Public Schools | White | 99.9% | 1 |
| Winterville Plantation Public Schools | White | 99.9% | 25 |
| Regional School Unit 33/Maine School Administrative District 33 | White | 97.2% | 212 |
| Easton Public Schools | White | 95.3% | 170 |
| Regional School Unit 32/Maine School Administrative District 32 | White | 94.7% | 188 |
| Regional School Unit 50 | White | 94.1% | 336 |
| Regional School Unit 42/Maine School Administrative District 42 | White | 94.1% | 290 |
| Maine School Administrative District 27 | White | 93.4% | 683 |
| Woodland Public Schools | White | 93% | 172 |
| Regional School Unit 86/Maine School Administrative District 20 | White | 92.7% | 476 |
| Portage Lake Public Schools | White | 92.1% | 38 |
| Regional School Unit 45/Maine School Administrative District 45 | White | 92.1% | 278 |
| Regional School Unit 88/Maine School Administrative District 24 | White | 91.3% | 253 |
| Bridgewater Public Schools | White | 91.1% | 45 |
| Caswell Public Schools | White | 90% | 50 |
| Madawaska Public Schools | White | 88.6% | 359 |
| Eagle Lake Public Schools | White | 88.2% | 68 |
| Regional School Unit 70/Maine School Administrative District 70 | White | 88.2% | 459 |
| Regional School Unit 79/Maine School Administrative District 01 | White | 86.8% | 1,696 |
| Regional School Unit 39 | White | 86.2% | 1,045 |
| Limestone Public Schools | White | 85.6% | 194 |
| New Sweden Public Schools | White | 84.5% | 58 |
| Regional School Unit 29/Maine School Administrative District 29 | White | 83.2% | 1,216 |
| Maine School of Science and Mathematics | White | 76.8% | 99 |
| Vanceboro Public Schools | White | 57.1% | 7 |
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