There were 31 Black or African American students enrolled in Somerset County school districts in the 2023-24 school year, 34% less than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.
Data showed that Black or African American students made up 0.5% of the 6,826 students in Somerset County school districts during the 2023-24 school year, making them the fourth most represented ethnicity.
Among the 15 districts in Somerset County, Regional School Unit 49/Maine School Administrative District 49 recorded the highest enrollment of Black or African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 10 students.
The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Somerset County.
Maine’s public school enrollment has seen a significant decline in recent years. Numbers dropped by approximately 10,000 students between the 2015-16 school year, when enrollment stood at 182,005, and the 2023-24 school year, which recorded 172,622 students, a figure similar to enrollment during the pandemic.
| District Name | Black or African American Students Enrollment | Total Enrollment | % of Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional School Unit 54/Maine School Administrative District 54 | 7 | 2,186 | 0.3% |
| Regional School Unit 49/Maine School Administrative District 49 | 10 | 1,769 | 0.6% |
| Regional School Unit 53/Maine School Administrative District 53 | 5 | 822 | 0.6% |
| Regional School Unit 74/Maine School Administrative District 74 | 0 | 551 | — |
| Regional School Unit 59/Maine School Administrative District 59 | 7 | 537 | 1.3% |
| Community Regional Charter School | 0 | 339 | — |
| Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | 1 | 178 | 0.6% |
| Regional School Unit 83/Maine School Administrative District 13 | 0 | 151 | — |
| Athens Public Schools | 0 | 150 | — |
| Regional School Unit 82/Maine School Administrative District 12 | 1 | 116 | 0.9% |
| Brighton Plantation School Department | 0 | 6 | — |
| Caratunk Public Schools | 0 | 6 | — |
| Pleasant Ridge Plantation School Department | 0 | 6 | — |
| West Forks Plantation Public Schools | 0 | 6 | — |
| Highland Plantation Public Schools | 0 | 3 | — |