There were 507 Hispanic students enrolled in Kennebec County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 4.8% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.
Data showed that Hispanic students made up 3.1% of the 16,108 students in Kennebec County schools at the time. They were the second most represented ethnicity.
Among the 52 schools in the county, George J. Mitchell School recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 38 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 | Hispanic Students Enrollment | Total Enrollment | % of Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Messalonskee High School | 20 | 709 | 2.8% |
| Cony | 17 | 661 | 2.6% |
| Gardiner Area High School | 17 | 604 | 2.8% |
| George J. Mitchell School | 38 | 562 | 6.8% |
| Erskine Academy | 17 | 558 | 3% |
| Benton Elementary School | 13 | 542 | 2.4% |
| Winslow Elementary School | 17 | 540 | 3.1% |
| Hall-Dale Middle and High School | 10 | 511 | 2% |
| Waterville Senior High School | 33 | 491 | 6.7% |
| Gardiner Regional Middle School | 15 | 449 | 3.3% |
| Messalonskee Middle School | 10 | 445 | 2.2% |
| Vassalboro Community School | 11 | 402 | 2.7% |
| Maine Virtual Academy | 31 | 390 | 7.9% |
| Monmouth Memorial School | 18 | 388 | 4.6% |
| Winthrop Grade School | 3 | 383 | 0.8% |
| Winslow High School | 14 | 366 | 3.8% |
| Maranacook Community High School | 6 | 347 | 1.7% |
| Sylvio J. Gilbert School | 8 | 344 | 2.3% |
| Waterville Junior High School | 20 | 336 | 6% |
| Cony Middle School | 11 | 321 | 3.4% |
| Farrington School | 7 | 309 | 2.3% |
| Maranacook Community Middle School | 3 | 306 | 1% |
| Lincoln School | 7 | 293 | 2.4% |
| James H. Bean School | 7 | 283 | 2.5% |
| Windsor Elementary School | 8 | 281 | 2.8% |
| Chelsea Elementary School | 3 | 274 | 1.1% |
| Hall-Dale Elementary School | 10 | 268 | 3.7% |
| Lillian Parks Hussey School | 10 | 262 | 3.8% |
| Clinton Elementary School | 16 | 247 | 6.5% |
| China Primary School | 7 | 245 | 2.9% |
| Helen Thompson School | 4 | 244 | 1.6% |
| Laura E. Richards School | 5 | 242 | 2.1% |
| Ralph M. Atwood Primary School | 9 | 237 | 3.8% |
| Belgrade Central School | 8 | 232 | 3.4% |
| Williams Elementary School | 2 | 227 | 0.9% |
| Winthrop Middle School | 2 | 225 | 0.9% |
| Albert S. Hall School | 14 | 218 | 6.4% |
| Readfield Elementary School | 3 | 216 | 1.4% |
| Winthrop High School | 7 | 212 | 3.3% |
| Maine Arts Academy School | 9 | 206 | 4.4% |
| China Middle School | 7 | 192 | 3.6% |
| Pittston-Randolph Consolidated School | 1 | 190 | 0.5% |
| Monmouth Academy | 6 | 186 | 3.2% |
| Manchester Elementary School | 2 | 182 | 1.1% |
| Carrie Ricker School | 6 | 181 | 3.3% |
| River View Community School | 3 | 176 | 1.7% |
| Winslow Junior High School | 5 | 173 | 2.9% |
| Libby-Tozier School | 1 | 140 | 0.7% |
| Albion Elementary School | 1 | 102 | 1% |
| Mt. Vernon Elementary School | 2 | 84 | 2.4% |
| Fayette Central School | 2 | 63 | 3.2% |
| Wayne Elementary School | 1 | 63 | 1.6% |
