South Maine News

There were 740 Black or African American students enrolled in York County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 41.5% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that Black or African American students made up 2.9% of the 25,735 students in York County schools at the time. They were the fourth most represented ethnicity.

Among the 60 schools in the county, Biddeford Middle School recorded the highest enrollment of Black or African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 76 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	Black or African American Students Enrollment	Total Enrollment	% of Total Enrollment
Thornton Academy	66	1,485	4.4%
Noble High School	10	1,168	0.9%
Sanford High School	33	1,042	3.2%
Sanford Middle School	25	935	2.7%
Massabesic High School	5	887	0.6%
Kennebunk High School	13	746	1.7%
Bonny Eagle Middle School	9	725	1.2%
Biddeford High School	51	707	7.2%
Marshwood High School	9	671	1.3%
Biddeford Middle School	76	640	11.9%
Massabesic Middle School	7	609	1.1%
C. K. Burns School	46	593	7.8%
Saco Middle School	46	581	7.9%
Wells Elementary School	4	559	0.7%
Buxton Center Elementary School	8	552	1.4%
Waterboro Elementary School	5	513	1%
York High School	4	500	0.8%
Middle School of the Kennebunks	8	479	1.7%
Marshwood Middle School	6	465	1.3%
York Middle School	2	462	0.4%
Wells Junior High School	8	435	1.8%
Margaret Chase Smith	26	432	6%
Noble Middle School	1	422	0.2%
Carl J. Lamb School	6	420	1.4%
Wells High School	9	410	2.2%
Central School	1	375	0.3%
Shapleigh School	7	372	1.9%
Kennebunk Elementary School	3	366	0.8%
Sanford Pride Elementary School	17	363	4.7%
Vivian E. Hussey School	3	363	0.8%
Biddeford Intermediate School	29	354	8.2%
Biddeford Primary School	35	354	9.9%
Coastal Ridge Elementary School	1	349	0.3%
Sea Road School	1	321	0.3%
Horace Mitchell Primary School	9	314	2.9%
Governor John Fairfield School	25	306	8.2%
Line Elementary School	2	298	0.7%
Marshwood Great Works School	4	295	1.4%
Young School	30	295	10.2%
Eliot Elementary School	2	294	0.7%
Hollis School	1	292	0.3%
Loranger Memorial School	15	289	5.2%
Robert W. Traip Academy	5	271	1.8%
John F. Kennedy Memorial School	29	270	10.7%
Hanson School	0	263	--
North Berwick Elementary School	1	258	0.4%
Acton Elementary School	0	240	--
Eric L. Knowlton School	2	238	0.8%
Lyman Elementary School	2	232	0.9%
H. B. Emery Jr. Memorial School	2	211	0.9%
Mildred L. Day School	1	208	0.5%
Village Elementary School-York	1	205	0.5%
Alfred Elementary School	0	204	--
Old Orchard Beach High School	9	200	4.5%
Jameson Elementary School	10	182	5.5%
Kennebunkport Consolidated School	4	179	2.2%
Lebanon Elementary School	0	152	--
Shapleigh Memorial School	0	152	--
Dayton Consolidated School	0	117	--
Saco Pre-K	6	115	5.2%