South Maine News

There were 882 multiracial students enrolled in York County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 5.8% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that multiracial students made up 3.4% of the 25,735 students in York County schools at the time. They were the third most represented ethnicity.

Among the 60 schools in the county, Sanford Middle School recorded the highest enrollment of multiracial students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 59 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	Multiracial Students Enrollment	Total Enrollment	% of Total Enrollment
Thornton Academy	17	1,485	1.1%
Noble High School	53	1,168	4.5%
Sanford High School	42	1,042	4%
Sanford Middle School	59	935	6.3%
Massabesic High School	21	887	2.4%
Kennebunk High School	7	746	0.9%
Bonny Eagle Middle School	22	725	3%
Biddeford High School	28	707	4%
Marshwood High School	12	671	1.8%
Biddeford Middle School	33	640	5.2%
Massabesic Middle School	16	609	2.6%
C. K. Burns School	6	593	1%
Saco Middle School	9	581	1.5%
Wells Elementary School	21	559	3.8%
Buxton Center Elementary School	19	552	3.4%
Waterboro Elementary School	16	513	3.1%
York High School	10	500	2%
Middle School of the Kennebunks	4	479	0.8%
Marshwood Middle School	8	465	1.7%
York Middle School	19	462	4.1%
Wells Junior High School	7	435	1.6%
Margaret Chase Smith	20	432	4.6%
Noble Middle School	17	422	4%
Carl J. Lamb School	22	420	5.2%
Wells High School	8	410	2%
Central School	13	375	3.5%
Shapleigh School	18	372	4.8%
Kennebunk Elementary School	8	366	2.2%
Sanford Pride Elementary School	20	363	5.5%
Vivian E. Hussey School	22	363	6.1%
Biddeford Intermediate School	23	354	6.5%
Biddeford Primary School	32	354	9%
Coastal Ridge Elementary School	13	349	3.7%
Sea Road School	11	321	3.4%
Horace Mitchell Primary School	19	314	6.1%
Governor John Fairfield School	12	306	3.9%
Line Elementary School	11	298	3.7%
Marshwood Great Works School	7	295	2.4%
Young School	5	295	1.7%
Eliot Elementary School	9	294	3.1%
Hollis School	12	292	4.1%
Loranger Memorial School	14	289	4.8%
Robert W. Traip Academy	9	271	3.3%
John F. Kennedy Memorial School	22	270	8.1%
Hanson School	5	263	1.9%
North Berwick Elementary School	11	258	4.3%
Acton Elementary School	10	240	4.2%
Eric L. Knowlton School	10	238	4.2%
Lyman Elementary School	9	232	3.9%
H. B. Emery Jr. Memorial School	2	211	0.9%
Mildred L. Day School	3	208	1.4%
Village Elementary School-York	10	205	4.9%
Alfred Elementary School	8	204	3.9%
Old Orchard Beach High School	6	200	3%
Jameson Elementary School	13	182	7.1%
Kennebunkport Consolidated School	5	179	2.8%
Lebanon Elementary School	3	152	2%
Shapleigh Memorial School	2	152	1.3%
Dayton Consolidated School	3	117	2.6%
Saco Pre-K	6	115	5.2%