Great Salt Bay Community School

Q: Is Great Salt Bay Community School a good school?

Great Salt Bay Community School ranks 62 nd of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Great Salt Bay Community School is a public elementary school located in Damariscotta, Maine, serving 407 students in grades K-8. The school is part of the Great Salt Bay Central School District, which is ranked 34 out of 177 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Great Salt Bay Community School consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Maine, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science that significantly exceed state averages. In the 2022-2023 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 70.29% in ELA, 62.41% in Math, and 60.87% in Science, compared to the state averages of 64.63%, 48.68%, and 36.36%, respectively. The school's performance has been consistently strong, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to nearby schools like Cushing Community School, Dresden Elementary School, and Wiscasset Elementary School, Great Salt Bay Community School stands out as a high-performing institution.

While Great Salt Bay Community School has a relatively homogeneous student population, with 94.1% of students identifying as White, the school has demonstrated exceptional performance among specific student subgroups, such as female students, male students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. In the 2020-2021 school year, the school ranked 14th out of 90 Maine elementary schools for female students, 7th out of 90 for male students, and 6th out of 64 for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, all with 5-star ratings. However, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 12.6% in 2020-2021 to 25.4% in 2022-2023, which is a concerning trend that the school and district should address.

Detail:

Public K-8

767 Main St. Suite 2
Damariscotta, ME 04543

(207) 563-3091

District: Great Salt Bay Central School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
62^nd of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,000

Student/teacher ratio: 10.8

Number of students: 387

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.7%

Hispanic:

3.1%

Two or more races:

3.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Great Salt Bay Community School ranks better than 78.6% of elementary schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 79.19. (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 (91.7%), Hispanic (3.1%), two or more races (3.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 39% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Great Salt Bay Community School is 10.8. (See more...)

Compare Great Salt Bay Community School employs 35.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Great Salt Bay Community School is $18,000.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Great Salt Bay Community School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Great Salt Bay Central School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Great Salt Bay Central School District 34^th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Great Salt Bay Community School

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Rank History for all students at Great Salt Bay Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2006	73.17	31^st	192	83.9%
2007	83.95	12^th	198	93.9%
2008	75.61	28^th	195	85.6%
2009	69.63	30^th	209	85.6%
2010	65.65	48^th	193	75.1%
2011	69.71	34^th	186	81.7%
2012	57.75	88^th	258	65.9%
2013	63.37	77^th	261	70.5%
2015	82.40	55^th	284	80.6%
2016	68.68	60^th	255	76.5%
2017	60.70	93^rd	256	63.7%
2018	76.44	36^th	254	85.8%
2019	75.17	48^th	258	81.4%
2021	81.56	25^th	228	89.0%
2022	79.89	35^th	210	83.3%
2023	79.19	62^nd	290	78.6%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Great Salt Bay Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	88.62	6^th	64	90.6%

See the entire list of Best Maine Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Great Salt Bay Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	50.67	70^th	153	54.2%
2021	78.01	14^th	90	84.4%

See the entire list of Best Maine Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Great Salt Bay Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	84.02	18^th	153	88.2%
2021	88.02	7^th	90	92.2%

See the entire list of Best Maine Elementary Schools for Male Students!

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

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Maine Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Great Salt Bay Community 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	393	393
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	395	395
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	403	403
1994	425	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	430
1995	416	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	-1	417
1996	416	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	-1	417
1997	450	5	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	455
1998	473	5	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	479
1999	452	5	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	460
2000	466	3	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	472
2001	453	4	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	461
2002	415	3	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	424
2003	415	3	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	424
2004	402	3	7	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	413
2005	414	6	7	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	427
2006	423	4	9	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	438
2007	414	3	10	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	429
2008	376	6	15	2	3	n/a	n/a	0	402
2009	359	6	16	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	383
2010	371	10	14	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	403
2011	368	0	0	3	2	0	17	0	390
2012	394	3	7	2	0	0	8	0	414
2013	354	4	3	2	0	0	9	0	372
2014	377	3	3	2	0	0	6	0	391
2015	421	4	6	3	0	0	5	0	439
2016	414	4	5	4	0	0	5	0	432
2017	425	4	5	2	1	2	1	0	440
2018	428	4	6	2	0	1	6	0	447
2019	422	5	3	3	4	1	8	0	446
2020	406	5	1	7	2	2	6	0	429
2021	365	5	1	4	0	0	8	0	383
2022	372	3	3	8	0	0	6	0	392
2023	383	5	4	5	0	0	10	0	407
2024	355	3	5	12	0	0	12	0	387

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 Great Salt Bay Community School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	393	27.1	14.5	n/a
1992	395	27.2	14.5	n/a
1993	403	29.2	13.8	12.4
1994	430	28.9	14.9	13.7
1995	417	30.9	13.5	20.6
1996	417	30.9	13.5	20.6
1997	455	32.1	14.2	21.5
1998	479	32.9	14.6	21.9
1999	460	33.7	13.6	25.9
2000	472	35.0	13.5	23.3
2001	461	35.4	13.0	22.1
2002	424	37.6	11.3	23.6
2003	424	37.6	11.3	23.6
2004	413	37.2	11.1	28.1
2005	427	37.8	11.3	23.9
2006	438	34.3	12.8	28.8
2007	429	35.2	12.2	25.2
2008	402	43.2	9.3	33.1
2009	383	33.0	11.6	31.9
2010	403	32.5	12.4	34
2011	390	33.7	11.5	37.2
2012	414	33.9	12.2	6
2013	372	34.9	10.6	45.2
2014	391	36.6	10.6	47.3
2015	439	35.0	12.5	37.6
2016	432	36.0	12.0	29.2
2017	440	35.1	12.5	23
2018	447	36.6	12.2	32.9
2019	446	37.1	12.0	29.1
2020	429	36.3	11.8	26.8
2021	383	35.5	10.7	26.6
2022	392	34.5	11.3	35.2
2023	407	37.6	10.8	33.9
2024	387	35.6	10.8	39

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 Great Salt Bay Community School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	393	27.1	14.5	n/a
1992	395	27.2	14.5	n/a
1993	403	29.2	13.8	12.4
1994	430	28.9	14.9	13.7
1995	417	30.9	13.5	20.6
1996	417	30.9	13.5	20.6
1997	455	32.1	14.2	21.5
1998	479	32.9	14.6	21.9
1999	460	33.7	13.6	25.9
2000	472	35.0	13.5	23.3
2001	461	35.4	13.0	22.1
2002	424	37.6	11.3	23.6
2003	424	37.6	11.3	23.6
2004	413	37.2	11.1	28.1
2005	427	37.8	11.3	23.9
2006	438	34.3	12.8	28.8
2007	429	35.2	12.2	25.2
2008	402	43.2	9.3	33.1
2009	383	33.0	11.6	31.9
2010	403	32.5	12.4	34
2011	390	33.7	11.5	37.2
2012	414	33.9	12.2	6
2013	372	34.9	10.6	45.2
2014	391	36.6	10.6	47.3
2015	439	35.0	12.5	37.6
2016	432	36.0	12.0	29.2
2017	440	35.1	12.5	23
2018	447	36.6	12.2	32.9
2019	446	37.1	12.0	29.1
2020	429	36.3	11.8	26.8
2021	383	35.5	10.7	26.6
2022	392	34.5	11.3	35.2
2023	407	37.6	10.8	33.9
2024	387	35.6	10.8	39

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 Great Salt Bay Community School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$13,547
2019	$13,117
2020	$14,308
2021	$16,950
2022	$17,198
2023	$18,000

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Great Salt Bay Community 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 48^th of 258 Elementary schools	Ranks 62^nd of 290 Elementary schools	2.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Great Salt Bay Community School)	68.3	89.6	21.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Great Salt Bay Central School District)	65.7	88.8	23.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Great Salt Bay Community School)	44.6	88.1	43.6%
All Grades Mathematics (Great Salt Bay Central School District)	42.3	87.3	45%
All Grades Mathematics (Maine)	35.7	81.3	45.7%
All Grades Science (Great Salt Bay Community School)	86.4	71.9	14.5%
All Grades Science (Great Salt Bay Central School District)	84.7	70.3	14.4%
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	446	407	8.7%
African American	5	5
American Indian	4	0	100%
Asian	3	4	33.3%
Hispanic	3	5	66.7%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	422	383	9.2%
Two or More Races	8	10	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.1%	33.9%	4.8%

Schools Near Great Salt Bay Community 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
Great Salt Bay Community School	Public	K-8	767 Main St. Suite 2	Damariscotta	04543	Lincoln County	Great Salt Bay Central School District	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 563-3091	387	36	10.8	39.0%	355 (91.7%)	3 (0.8%)	12 (3.1%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.1%)	79.2	62^nd of 290 public elementary schools	78.6%		79.9	35^th of 210 public elementary schools	83.3%	27	70.3	62.4	60.9	$18,000
Nobleboro Central School	Public	K-8	194 Center Street	Nobleboro	04555	Lincoln County	Nobleboro Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 563-3437	149	16	9.4	20.1%	139 (93.3%)	4 (2.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.4%)	92.7	17^th of 290 public elementary schools	94.1%		78.8	36^th of 210 public elementary schools	82.9%	19	79.8	75.3	50.0	$20,306
Edgecomb Eddy School	Public	PK, KG-6	51 Emery Drive	Edgecomb	04556	Lincoln County	Edgecomb Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 882-5515	101	11	8.8	47.5%	94 (93.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.0%)	59.8	128^th of 290 public elementary schools	55.9%		39.8	124^th of 210 public elementary schools	41.0%	4	62.0	60.0		$25,082
Miller School	Public	PK, KG-6	145 Kalers Corner Road	Waldoboro	04572	Lincoln County	Regional School Unit 40/Maine School Admin District 40	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 832-2103	350	34	10.2	54.6%	322 (92.0%)	2 (0.6%)	7 (2.0%)	5 (1.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)	22.9	250^th of 290 public elementary schools	13.8%		17.8	175^th of 210 public elementary schools	16.7%	75	58.5	34.9	20.5	$21,027
Wiscasset Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	83 Federal Street	Wiscasset	04578	Lincoln County	Wiscasset Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 882-7767	191	24	7.8	42.4%	183 (95.8%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	4 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	38.2	202^nd of 290 public elementary schools	30.3%					(n/a)	56.1	54.4	18.5	$23,386
Friendship Village School	Public	K-6	23 School Street	Friendship	04547	Knox County	Regional School Unit 40/Maine School Admin District 40	No	No	No	No	(207) 832-5057	69	10	7.1	40.6%	63 (91.3%)	1 (1.4%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (5.8%)	88	29^th of 290 public elementary schools	90.0%					(n/a)	78.6	65.1		$21,136
Bristol Consolidated School	Public	PK, KG-8	2153 Bristol Rd	Pemaquid	04558	Lincoln County	Bristol Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 677-2678	187	17	11.2	36.4%	179 (95.7%)	1 (0.5%)	4 (2.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	90.1	25^th of 290 public elementary schools	91.4%		91.8	6^th of 210 public elementary schools	97.1%	19	77.9	76.2	43.3	$22,450
Jefferson Village School	Public	K-8	48 Washington Rd	Jefferson	04348	Lincoln County	Jefferson Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 549-7491	235	20	11.6	24.7%	228 (97.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	60.7	123^rd of 290 public elementary schools	57.6%		47.8	111^th of 210 public elementary schools	47.1%	12	69.2	47.6	51.1	$18,569
South Bristol Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	2024 State Route 129	South Bristol	04568	Lincoln County	South Bristol Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 644-8177	59	9	6.7	33.9%	58 (98.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	91.4	22^nd of 290 public elementary schools	92.4%					(n/a)	75.6	76.2	57.1	$31,403
Cushing Community School	Public	K-5	54 Cross Road	Cushing	04563	Knox County	Regional School Unit 13	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 354-2312	76	10	7.3	50.0%	76 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53.9	150^th of 290 public elementary schools	48.3%					(n/a)	54.6	66.7		$27,017

Frequently Asked Questions about Great Salt Bay Community School

What district is Great Salt Bay Community School in?

Great Salt Bay Central School District

How many students attend Great Salt Bay Community School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 387 students attended Great Salt Bay Community School.

What is the racial makeup of Great Salt Bay Community School?

Students at Great Salt Bay Community School are 92% White, 3% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Great Salt Bay Community School a good school?

Great Salt Bay Community School ranks 62^nd of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Great Salt Bay Community School!

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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.