South Portland Public Schools

The South Portland Public Schools district consists of 8 schools, including 5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school, serving students in the South Portland, Maine area. The district as a whole is ranked 83 out of 177 in Maine and rated 3 stars, but there is a significant range in the performance of individual schools.

The standout schools in the district are Dora L. Small Elementary School, which consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, and Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School, the highest-ranked middle school in the district. Frank I. Brown Elementary School also stands out with the lowest student-teacher ratio among the elementary schools. In contrast, some schools, like Waldo T Skillin Elementary School and Memorial Middle School, are struggling and ranked in the bottom half of their respective school types.

The data suggests a potential link between socioeconomic status and academic performance, with schools having higher free/reduced lunch rates, such as James Otis Kaler Elementary School, tending to have lower rankings and higher chronic absenteeism rates. Additionally, the racial makeup of the schools varies significantly, with some schools, like Dora L. Small Elementary, having a predominantly white student population, while others, like Waldo T Skillin Elementary and Memorial Middle, have a more diverse student body.