Dedham School

Q: Is Dedham School a good school?

Dedham School ranks 36 th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dedham School is a small, high-performing elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the town of Dedham, Maine. With just 148 students, the school consistently outshines the state and its own district on academic measures, boasting exceptional attendance rates and a favorable student-teacher ratio.

Dedham School's academic excellence is evident in its test scores, with 83.7% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 66.3% in Mathematics - significantly higher than the state and district averages. The school also maintains a 0% chronic absenteeism rate, far below the norm. This academic success may be linked to the school's relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a student population from more affluent families. Dedham School's student-teacher ratio of 10.2 to 1 is also notably lower than many nearby schools, such as Mary Snow School and Fairmount School in Bangor Public Schools.

While Dedham School stands out for its exceptional performance, the surrounding area is home to other high-achieving schools, such as Abraham Lincoln School and Fruit Street School in Bangor Public Schools, as well as Brewer Community School in Brewer Public Schools. This suggests that the Dedham area benefits from a strong educational ecosystem, with multiple high-performing options for families to consider.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

2065 Main Road
Dedham, ME 04429

(207) 843-6498

District: Dedham Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
36^th of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,582

Student/teacher ratio: 9.6

Number of students: 147

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.9%

African American:

2.7%

Asian:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 11.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dedham School ranks better than 87.6% of elementary schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.58. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.9%), African American (2.7%), Asian (1.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 11.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dedham School is 9.6. (See more...)

Compare Dedham School employs 15.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dedham School is $21,582.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Dedham School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Dedham Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Dedham Public Schools 23^rd of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Dedham School.

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Rank History for Dedham School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2006	82.51	14^th	192	92.7%
2007	79.12	18^th	198	90.9%
2008	69.68	40^th	195	79.5%
2009	56.67	79^th	209	62.2%
2010	66.51	46^th	193	76.2%
2011	68.19	36^th	186	80.6%
2012	59.67	83^rd	258	67.8%
2013	60.67	90^th	261	65.5%
2015	74.73	79^th	284	72.2%
2016	84.98	18^th	255	92.9%
2017	77.18	37^th	256	85.5%
2018	61.71	81^st	254	68.1%
2019	88.04	20^th	258	92.2%
2021	91.09	5^th	228	97.8%
2022	95.78	3^rd	210	98.6%
2023	86.58	36^th	290	87.6%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Maine Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, February 3, 2014

Dedham is the warmest school I have ever been in. The staff are all there to do what is best for kids. The kids are the 1st priority. The Dedham Staff focuses on the academic piece, but also puts good character and life skills that helps to mold these young citizens into responsible, caring, compassionate, kind, and honest adults. If you have the opportunity to bring your children to this district, you need to. You cannot find this type of school anywhere. It is amazing. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Dedham School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	207	207
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	235	235
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	215	215
1994	204	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	-5	202
1995	212	0	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	216
1996	212	0	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	216
1997	202	0	3	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	207
1998	198	1	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	202
1999	164	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	169
2000	172	3	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	178
2001	173	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	173
2002	159	0	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	165
2003	159	0	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	165
2004	182	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	184
2005	165	0	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	168
2006	160	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	161
2007	167	3	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	175
2008	166	2	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	172
2009	174	2	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	178
2010	165	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	168
2011	182	0	0	2	0	0	4	0	188
2012	170	3	1	1	0	0	4	0	179
2013	171	5	1	1	0	0	0	0	178
2014	169	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	174
2015	185	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	190
2016	172	2	0	2	0	0	1	0	177
2017	188	1	1	2	0	0	1	0	193
2018	187	2	0	2	0	0	2	0	193
2019	179	0	0	1	0	0	5	0	185
2020	172	0	0	1	0	0	5	0	178
2021	146	5	0	0	3	0	0	0	154
2022	155	4	0	0	0	0	1	0	160
2023	142	3	0	1	0	0	2	0	148
2024	138	4	2	1	0	0	2	0	147

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Dedham School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	207	14.1	14.6	n/a
1992	235	14.1	16.6	n/a
1993	215	15.8	13.6	17.2
1994	202	16.5	12.2	12.1
1995	216	16.1	13.4	20.4
1996	216	16.1	13.4	20.4
1997	207	16.5	12.5	22.7
1998	202	17.0	11.9	20.3
1999	169	17.0	9.9	30.8
2000	178	18.4	9.7	24.2
2001	173	17.4	9.9	26
2002	165	18.0	9.2	12.7
2003	165	18.0	9.2	12.7
2004	184	18.1	10.2	12
2005	168	18.1	9.3	14.3
2006	161	18.1	8.9	16.8
2007	175	16.3	10.7	15.4
2008	172	23.0	7.5	16.3
2009	178	15.4	11.6	19.7
2010	168	13.0	12.9	21.4
2011	188	14.1	13.3	21.8
2012	179	14.2	12.6	6.7
2013	178	16.2	10.9	25.8
2014	174	16.6	10.4	25.3
2015	190	16.0	11.8	21.1
2016	177	16.0	11.0	24.3
2017	193	14.8	13.0	30.1
2018	193	16.1	11.9	25.4
2019	185	16.2	11.4	13.5
2020	178	16.2	10.9	16.9
2021	154	16.6	9.2	12.3
2022	160	16.6	9.6	13.8
2023	148	14.5	10.2	14.2
2024	147	15.3	9.6	11.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Dedham School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	207	14.1	14.6	n/a
1992	235	14.1	16.6	n/a
1993	215	15.8	13.6	17.2
1994	202	16.5	12.2	12.1
1995	216	16.1	13.4	20.4
1996	216	16.1	13.4	20.4
1997	207	16.5	12.5	22.7
1998	202	17.0	11.9	20.3
1999	169	17.0	9.9	30.8
2000	178	18.4	9.7	24.2
2001	173	17.4	9.9	26
2002	165	18.0	9.2	12.7
2003	165	18.0	9.2	12.7
2004	184	18.1	10.2	12
2005	168	18.1	9.3	14.3
2006	161	18.1	8.9	16.8
2007	175	16.3	10.7	15.4
2008	172	23.0	7.5	16.3
2009	178	15.4	11.6	19.7
2010	168	13.0	12.9	21.4
2011	188	14.1	13.3	21.8
2012	179	14.2	12.6	6.7
2013	178	16.2	10.9	25.8
2014	174	16.6	10.4	25.3
2015	190	16.0	11.8	21.1
2016	177	16.0	11.0	24.3
2017	193	14.8	13.0	30.1
2018	193	16.1	11.9	25.4
2019	185	16.2	11.4	13.5
2020	178	16.2	10.9	16.9
2021	154	16.6	9.2	12.3
2022	160	16.6	9.6	13.8
2023	148	14.5	10.2	14.2
2024	147	15.3	9.6	11.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Dedham School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$13,237
2019	$13,703
2020	$15,573
2021	$17,083
2022	$18,135
2023	$21,582

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dedham School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 20^th of 258 Elementary schools	Ranks 36^th of 290 Elementary schools	4.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Dedham School)	74.8	95.3	20.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Dedham Public Schools)	74	94.1	20.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Science (Dedham School)	79.6	77.5	2.1%
All Grades Science (Dedham Public Schools)	71.4	63.5	8%
All Grades Science (Maine)	60	37	23%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	185	148	20%
African American	0	3
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	1	1
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	179	142	20.7%
Two or More Races	5	2	60%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	13.5%	14.2%	0.7%

Schools Near Dedham School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MEA English Language Arts (2023)	MEA Mathematics (2023)	MEA Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MEA English Language Arts All Grades	MEA Mathematics All Grades	MEA Science All Grades	Total
Dedham School	Public	PK, KG-8	2065 Main Road	Dedham	04429	Penobscot County	Dedham Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 843-6498	147	15	9.6	11.6%	138 (93.9%)	4 (2.7%)	1 (0.7%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	86.6	36^th of 290 public elementary schools	87.6%		95.8	3^rd of 210 public elementary schools	98.6%	33	83.7	66.3	38.7	$21,582
Holden School	Public	2-4	590 Main Road	Holden	04429	Penobscot County	Regional School Unit 63/Maine School Admin District 63	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 843-7828	141	14	10.3	29.8%	132 (93.6%)	2 (1.4%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.5%)	86.3	38^th of 290 public elementary schools	86.9%		79.9	34^th of 210 public elementary schools	83.8%	4	78.1	63.4		$22,187
Eddington School	Public	PK, KG-1	440 Main Road	Eddington	04428	Penobscot County	Regional School Unit 63/Maine School Admin District 63	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 843-6010	124	11	11.5	21.8%	116 (93.5%)	1 (0.8%)	3 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.4%)								(n/a)				$17,907
Brewer Community School	Public	PK, KG-8	92 Pendleton Street	Brewer	04412	Penobscot County	Brewer Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 404-5700	860	72	11.8	39.7%	737 (85.7%)	16 (1.9%)	40 (4.7%)	8 (0.9%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (6.4%)	66.1	108^th of 290 public elementary schools	62.8%		59.9	81^st of 210 public elementary schools	61.4%	27	72.7	51.9	38.8	$17,353
Veazie Community School	Public	PK, KG-8	1040 School Street	Veazie	04401	Penobscot County	Veazie Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 947-6573	158	15	10.2	35.4%	135 (85.4%)	1 (0.6%)	10 (6.3%)	4 (2.5%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.8%)	70.2	89^th of 290 public elementary schools	69.3%					(n/a)	67.4	62.9	39.4	$24,982
Abraham Lincoln School	Public	PK, KG-3	45 Forest Avenue	Bangor	04401	Penobscot County	Bangor Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 941-6280	176	15	11.5	48.9%	130 (73.9%)	8 (4.5%)	9 (5.1%)	15 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (8.0%)	94.1	11^th of 290 public elementary schools	96.2%		36	138^th of 210 public elementary schools	34.3%	127	80.0	74.4		$20,283
Fruit Street School	Public	PK, KG-3	175 Fruit Street	Bangor	04401	Penobscot County	Bangor Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 941-6270	322	22	14.4	29.8%	249 (77.3%)	8 (2.5%)	20 (6.2%)	14 (4.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (9.3%)	93.2	15^th of 290 public elementary schools	94.8%		67.5	62^nd of 210 public elementary schools	70.5%	47	76.9	80.8		$15,303
Vine Street School	Public	PK, KG-3	66 Vine Street	Bangor	04401	Penobscot County	Bangor Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 941-6300	176	18	9.9	57.4%	142 (80.7%)	4 (2.3%)	10 (5.7%)	3 (1.7%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (9.1%)	78.7	65^th of 290 public elementary schools	77.6%		38.7	127^th of 210 public elementary schools	39.5%	62	69.2	67.3		$21,128
Center Drive School	Public	PK, KG-8	19 School Street	Orrington	04474	Penobscot County	Orrington Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 825-3697	354	27	13.1	28.5%	333 (94.1%)	7 (2.0%)	6 (1.7%)	4 (1.1%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	55.7	143^rd of 290 public elementary schools	50.7%		60.1	80^th of 210 public elementary schools	61.9%	63	68.3	47.8	38.7	$16,457
Mary Snow School	Public	4-5	435 Broadway	Bangor	04401	Penobscot County	Bangor Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 941-6290	243	21	11.6	34.2%	179 (73.7%)	15 (6.2%)	25 (10.3%)	7 (2.9%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.2%)								(n/a)	72.3	71.0	31.3	$17,997

Frequently Asked Questions about Dedham School

Is Dedham School a good school?

Dedham School ranks 36^th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Dedham School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 147 students attended Dedham School.

What district is Dedham School in?

Dedham Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Dedham School?

Students at Dedham School are 94% White, 3% African American, 1% Asian, 1% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maine Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.