Regional School Unit 89

Regional School Unit 89 is a small school district in Maine that operates two schools: Katahdin Middle/High School and Katahdin Elementary School. While the middle/high school has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, the elementary school has consistently ranked in the bottom 15% of Maine elementary schools, indicating room for improvement across the district.

Katahdin Middle/High School has a strong 100% four-year graduation rate, but also faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism at 24.3%. In contrast, Katahdin Elementary School has an even higher chronic absenteeism rate of 22.4%, which may be contributing to its low statewide ranking. Both schools serve a student population that is predominantly white, with over 94% of students identifying as such, and a significant percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at around 40%.

Overall, Regional School Unit 89 faces a mix of strengths and areas for improvement across its two schools. Addressing the inconsistent performance at the middle/high school and the low rankings and high chronic absenteeism at the elementary school could be key priorities for the district moving forward.