River Valley Today

Kennebec County schools welcomed 16,108 students in the 2022-23 school year, slightly less than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Kennebec County had the fourth most enrollment numbers in the state.

According to the data, 50.5% of the students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year were boys, and 49.5% were girls.

Most of the students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year were white, representing 91.1% of the Kennebec County student body.

Within the county, Messalonskee High School had the highest enrollment in the school year, welcoming 709 students.

While Maine's public school enrollment has slightly rebounded from the sharp drop during the 2020-21 school year, it remains about 4% below pre-pandemic levels. The decline is partly due to an increase in homeschooling and more students completing high school early through college courses and adult education.

"Adult education enrollment is up, providing high school completion and job training programs to meet individual needs," said a spokesman for the Maine Department of Education in an interview with Maine Public. Additionally, some 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."

As of 2024, the average student-to-teacher ratio in public schools in Maine is 11:1, much lower than the national average of one teacher for every 15 students.

School Name	Total Enrollment in 2021-22	Total Enrollment in 2022-23	% Change
Albert S. Hall School	201	218	8.5%
Albion Elementary School	100	102	2%
Belgrade Central School	246	232	-5.7%
Benton Elementary School	523	542	3.6%
Carrie Ricker School	208	181	-13%
Chelsea Elementary School	269	274	1.9%
China Middle School	219	192	-12.3%
China Primary School	240	245	2.1%
Clinton Elementary School	244	247	1.2%
Cony	626	661	5.6%
Cony Middle School	308	321	4.2%
Farrington School	299	309	3.3%
Fayette Central School	70	63	-10%
Gardiner Area High School	609	604	-0.8%
Gardiner Regional Middle School	437	449	2.7%
George J. Mitchell School	564	562	-0.4%
Hall-Dale Elementary School	288	268	-6.9%
Hall-Dale Middle and High School	530	511	-3.6%
Helen Thompson School	261	244	-6.5%
James H. Bean School	266	283	6.4%
Laura E. Richards School	263	242	-8%
Libby-Tozier School	157	140	-10.8%
Lillian Parks Hussey School	263	262	-0.4%
Lincoln School	291	293	0.7%
Maine Arts Academy School	190	206	8.4%
Maine Virtual Academy	372	390	4.8%
Manchester Elementary School	181	182	0.6%
Maranacook Community High School	358	347	-3.1%
Maranacook Community Middle School	298	306	2.7%
Messalonskee High School	712	709	-0.4%
Messalonskee Middle School	470	445	-5.3%
Monmouth Academy	188	186	-1.1%
Monmouth Memorial School	387	388	0.3%
Mt. Vernon Elementary School	85	84	-1.2%
Pittston-Randolph Consolidated School	206	190	-7.8%
Ralph M. Atwood Primary School	216	237	9.7%
Readfield Elementary School	212	216	1.9%
River View Community School	168	176	4.8%
Sylvio J. Gilbert School	327	344	5.2%
Vassalboro Community School	410	402	-2%
Waterville Junior High School	373	336	-9.9%
Waterville Senior High School	469	491	4.7%
Wayne Elementary School	62	63	1.6%
Williams Elementary School	220	227	3.2%
Windsor Elementary School	305	281	-7.9%
Winslow Elementary School	553	540	-2.4%
Winslow High School	381	366	-3.9%
Winslow Junior High School	170	173	1.8%
Winthrop Grade School	403	383	-5%
Winthrop High School	212	212	0%
Winthrop Middle School	196	225	14.8%
Erskine Academy	504	558	10.7%