Elementary Schools in Regional School Unit 02

The Regional School Unit 02 (RSU 02) in Maine is home to 4 elementary schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 6th grade. These schools, located in the communities of Monmouth, Hall-Dale, Marcia Buker, and Dresden, provide educational opportunities for students in the region.

Among the standout schools in the district, Monmouth Memorial School consistently ranks in the top half of Maine elementary schools, outperforming the RSU 02 district and state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science proficiency. The school also boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (23.3%) among the 4 schools. In contrast, Dresden Elementary School has seen a significant decline in its statewide ranking, dropping from 48th out of 254 Maine elementary schools in 2017-2018 to 222nd out of 290 in 2022-2023, coinciding with a sharp increase in its chronic absenteeism rate to 41.6%.

The racial makeup of the schools varies, with Hall-Dale Elementary School having the most diverse student population, and Marcia Buker School having the least diverse, with 98.51% White students. This lack of diversity in some schools may be an area of concern for the Regional School Unit 02 district to address. Additionally, the schools with the highest chronic absenteeism rates, such as Dresden Elementary School and Hall-Dale Elementary School, also tend to have lower test scores, suggesting a potential correlation between attendance and academic performance.