Elementary Schools in Portland Public Schools

The Portland Public Schools district in Maine is home to 9 elementary schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. These schools vary significantly in their academic performance, student demographics, and other key metrics, providing parents with a range of educational options.

At the top of the district is Longfellow School-Portland, which consistently ranks among the best elementary schools in the state with a 5-star rating and the highest test scores across all subjects. In contrast, schools like East End Community School, Howard C Reiche Community School, and Gerald E Talbot Community School lag behind the district and state averages, particularly in Math and Science. This performance gap appears to be correlated with socioeconomic factors, as these lower-performing schools also have the highest rates of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

Another standout is Peaks Island School, a small school on Peaks Island that ranks 75th out of 290 Maine elementary schools and has a 4-star rating. While it has strong academic performance, it also faces the challenge of a high chronic absenteeism rate of 40.5%. Across the district, chronic absenteeism is a concern, with rates ranging from 12.3% at Harrison Lyseth Elementary to the high level at Peaks Island School.