ME Commissioner of Education Pender Makin 2023 | Maine Department of Education
ME Commissioner of Education Pender Makin 2023 | Maine Department of Education
Data showed that Black or African American students made up 0.7% of the 6,972 students in Somerset County ditricts during the 2022-23 school year. They were the fourth most represented ethnicity.
Among the 16 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 2022-23 school year, with a total of 18 students.
The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Somerset County.
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."
| District Name | Black or African American Students Enrollment | Total Enrollment | % of Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional School Unit 54/Maine School Administrative District 54 | 12 | 2,210 | 0.5% |
| Regional School Unit 49/Maine School Administrative District 49 | 18 | 1,855 | 1% |
| Regional School Unit 53/Maine School Administrative District 53 | 7 | 816 | 0.9% |
| Regional School Unit 59/Maine School Administrative District 59 | 7 | 561 | 1.2% |
| Regional School Unit 74/Maine School Administrative District 74 | 0 | 560 | -- |
| Community Regional Charter School | 2 | 342 | 0.6% |
| Regional School Unit 83/Maine School Administrative District 13 | 0 | 171 | -- |
| Athens Public Schools | 0 | 154 | -- |
| Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | 0 | 154 | -- |
| Regional School Unit 82/Maine School Administrative District 12 | 1 | 129 | 0.8% |
| Brighton Plantation School Department | 0 | 5 | -- |
| West Forks Plantation Public Schools | 0 | 5 | -- |
| Caratunk Public Schools | 0 | 3 | -- |
| Highland Plantation Public Schools | 0 | 3 | -- |
| Pleasant Ridge Plantation School Department | 0 | 3 | -- |
| The Forks Plantation School Department | 0 | 1 | -- |
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