Sanford High School

Q: Is Sanford High School a good school?

Sanford High School ranks 82 nd of 123 Maine high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Sanford High School is a public high school serving 1,065 students in grades 9-12 in Sanford, Maine, which is part of the Regional School Unit 23 district. While the school has a higher percentage of white students compared to nearby schools, it has faced several challenges in recent years, including declining performance, high chronic absenteeism, and socioeconomic factors that may be impacting student outcomes.

Sanford High School's statewide ranking has fluctuated, ranging from 44th out of 82 high schools in 2020-2021 to 87th out of 98 high schools in 2021-2022, with its current ranking for 2022-2023 at 82nd out of 123 high schools. Its four-year graduation rate has been improving, from 85.2% in 2020-2021 to 90.8% in 2022-2023, but it still lags behind some of the nearby high-performing schools like York High School (93.2%) and Wells High School (100%). Additionally, Sanford High School has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 23.2% in 2020-2021 to 40.4% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the nearby schools.

Sanford High School's proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are generally lower than the state and district averages, as well as the nearby high-performing schools like Marshwood High School. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 37.37% to 46.51% over the past three years, which is higher than the nearby schools. These factors suggest that socioeconomic challenges may be playing a role in the school's performance, and targeted interventions and support for these students could be beneficial.

Detail:

Public 9-12

100 Alumni Blvd
Sanford, ME 04073

(207) 324-4050

District: Sanford Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
82^nd of 123 Maine High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,969

Student/teacher ratio: 16.1

Number of students: 1,099

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.1%

Two or more races:

5.4%

Hispanic:

4.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 42.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Sanford High School ranks worse than 66.7% of high schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.11. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Sanford High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 (85.1%), two or more races (5.4%), Hispanic (4.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 42.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sanford High School is 16.1. (See more...)

Compare Sanford High School employs 67.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sanford High School is $15,969.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Sanford High School 82^nd of 123 Maine public high schools. (See Sanford High School in the ranking list.)

Sanford Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Sanford Public Schools 131^st of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Sanford High School

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Rank History for all students at Sanford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile
2010	37.27	67^th	103	35.0%
2011	42.68	56^th	105	46.7%
2012	24.61	88^th	107	17.8%
2013	44.83	52^nd	106	50.9%
2016	31.74	73^rd	111	34.2%
2017	28.61	84^th	111	24.3%
2018	45.64	57^th	114	50.0%
2019	28.54	84^th	114	26.3%
2021	69.95	44^th	82	46.3%
2022	25.19	87^th	98	11.2%
2023	33.11	82^nd	123	33.3%

See the entire list of Maine High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sanford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	13.04	19^th	20	5.0%

See the entire list of Best Maine High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sanford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	23.64	61^st	76	19.7%
2021	63.15	8^th	13	38.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Sanford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	23.52	73^rd	92	20.7%
2021	75.17	11^th	22	50.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Sanford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	25.25	71^st	92	22.8%
2021	67.62	8^th	22	63.6%

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

Rank History for White students at Sanford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	8.99	21^st	21	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Maine High Schools for White 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 Sanford High 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	1029	1029
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1043	1043
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1042	1042
1994	1002	1	31	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	1045
1995	1012	3	36	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	1057
1996	1012	3	36	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	1057
1997	1078	7	44	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	1136
1998	1120	3	33	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1161
1999	1113	4	48	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	1168
2000	1169	2	39	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1210
2001	1214	5	39	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	1262
2002	1266	6	32	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1304
2003	1266	6	32	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1304
2004	1216	13	37	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1267
2005	1352	8	43	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	1410
2006	1402	14	30	19	3	n/a	n/a	0	1468
2007	1275	12	28	22	2	n/a	n/a	0	1339
2008	1270	10	28	22	3	n/a	n/a	0	1333
2009	1261	6	27	20	3	n/a	n/a	0	1317
2010	1228	7	29	16	2	n/a	n/a	0	1282
2011	1184	10	32	15	1	0	3	0	1245
2012	1057	14	32	10	2	0	6	0	1121
2013	866	16	27	12	5	1	8	0	935
2014	884	12	34	13	5	0	8	0	956
2015	946	13	27	16	6	0	10	0	1018
2016	932	14	40	23	4	0	9	0	1022
2017	910	19	35	20	4	0	12	0	1000
2018	899	25	30	22	6	0	14	0	996
2019	918	23	29	25	6	0	25	0	1026
2020	1174	40	25	27	5	0	35	0	1306
2021	953	29	22	20	4	0	32	0	1060
2022	976	24	20	22	4	0	46	0	1092
2023	939	22	16	40	5	0	43	0	1065
2024	935	33	20	50	2	0	59	0	1099

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 Sanford High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	1029	71.0	14.4	n/a
1992	1043	69.0	15.1	n/a
1993	1042	66.5	15.7	18.8
1994	1045	67.0	15.6	18.3
1995	1057	68.5	15.4	16.3
1996	1057	68.5	15.4	16.3
1997	1136	70.3	16.2	14.7
1998	1161	71.8	16.2	13.4
1999	1168	73.1	16.0	19.6
2000	1210	77.2	15.7	21.6
2001	1262	78.0	16.2	20.4
2002	1304	82.0	15.9	24.3
2003	1304	82.0	15.9	24.3
2004	1267	85.0	14.9	25.7
2005	1410	87.6	16.1	27.9
2006	1468	90.6	16.2	29
2007	1339	93.0	14.4	30.2
2008	1333	120.9	11.0	32.6
2009	1317	91.0	14.5	37.4
2010	1282	88.8	14.4	44.1
2011	1245	89.0	13.9	43.9
2012	1121	91.3	12.2	5.8
2013	935	87.1	10.7	59.9
2014	956	82.6	11.5	60
2015	1018	77.0	13.2	56.9
2016	1022	75.0	13.6	53.2
2017	1000	75.1	13.3	54.3
2018	996	73.1	13.6	50.8
2019	1026	71.4	14.3	51.3
2020	1306	79.4	16.4	46.8
2021	1060	68.7	15.4	46.5
2022	1092	73.7	14.8	43
2023	1065	76.3	13.9	37.4
2024	1099	67.9	16.1	42.4

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 Sanford High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	1029	71.0	14.4	n/a
1992	1043	69.0	15.1	n/a
1993	1042	66.5	15.7	18.8
1994	1045	67.0	15.6	18.3
1995	1057	68.5	15.4	16.3
1996	1057	68.5	15.4	16.3
1997	1136	70.3	16.2	14.7
1998	1161	71.8	16.2	13.4
1999	1168	73.1	16.0	19.6
2000	1210	77.2	15.7	21.6
2001	1262	78.0	16.2	20.4
2002	1304	82.0	15.9	24.3
2003	1304	82.0	15.9	24.3
2004	1267	85.0	14.9	25.7
2005	1410	87.6	16.1	27.9
2006	1468	90.6	16.2	29
2007	1339	93.0	14.4	30.2
2008	1333	120.9	11.0	32.6
2009	1317	91.0	14.5	37.4
2010	1282	88.8	14.4	44.1
2011	1245	89.0	13.9	43.9
2012	1121	91.3	12.2	5.8
2013	935	87.1	10.7	59.9
2014	956	82.6	11.5	60
2015	1018	77.0	13.2	56.9
2016	1022	75.0	13.6	53.2
2017	1000	75.1	13.3	54.3
2018	996	73.1	13.6	50.8
2019	1026	71.4	14.3	51.3
2020	1306	79.4	16.4	46.8
2021	1060	68.7	15.4	46.5
2022	1092	73.7	14.8	43
2023	1065	76.3	13.9	37.4
2024	1099	67.9	16.1	42.4

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 Sanford High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$12,872
2019	$13,022
2020	$13,502
2021	$19,195
2022	$19,637
2023	$15,969

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sanford High 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 84^th of 114 High schools	Ranks 82^nd of 123 High schools	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1026	1065	3.8%
African American	23	22	4.3%
American Indian	6	5	16.7%
Asian	29	16	44.8%
Hispanic	25	40	60%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	918	939	2.3%
Two or More Races	25	43	72%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	51.3%	37.4%	13.9%

Schools Near Sanford High 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
Sanford High School	Public	9-12	100 Alumni Blvd	Sanford	04073	York County	Sanford Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 324-4050	1,099	68	16.1	42.4%	935 (85.1%)	33 (3.0%)	50 (4.5%)	20 (1.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (5.4%)	33.1	82^nd of 123 public high schools	33.3%		25.2	87^th of 98 public high schools	11.2%	5	56.1	37.4	38.2	$15,969
Massabesic High School	Public	9-12	88 West Road	Waterboro	04087	York County	Regional School Unit 57/Maine School Admin District 57	No	No	No	No	(207) 247-3141	898	65	13.7	31.8%	851 (94.8%)	4 (0.4%)	12 (1.3%)	3 (0.3%)	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.4%)	21.3	100^th of 123 public high schools	18.7%		15	93^rd of 98 public high schools	5.1%	7	51.8	33.5	31.8	$15,868
Noble High School	Public	8-12	100 Noble Way	North Berwick	03906	York County	Regional School Unit 60/Maine School Admin District 60	No	No	No	No	(207) 284-3000	1,170	98	11.9	28.5%	1,056 (90.3%)	9 (0.8%)	41 (3.5%)	11 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (4.5%)	34.3	79^th of 123 public high schools	35.8%		44.9	68^th of 98 public high schools	30.6%	11	61.7	33.3	35.4	$17,201
Kennebunk High School	Public	9-12	89 Fletcher Street	Kennebunk	04043	York County	Regional School Unit 21	No	No	No	No	(207) 985-1110	707	62	11.4	8.9%	643 (90.9%)	11 (1.6%)	26 (3.7%)	10 (1.4%)	7 (1.0%)	3 (0.4%)	7 (1.0%)	69.6	19^th of 123 public high schools	84.6%		56	52^nd of 98 public high schools	46.9%	33	79.1	50.8	40.9	$23,363
Wells High School	Public	9-12	200 Sanford RD	Wells	04090	York County	Wells-Ogunquit Central School District	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 646-7011	402	35	11.4	13.4%	368 (91.5%)	7 (1.7%)	10 (2.5%)	7 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (2.0%)	54.8	33^rd of 123 public high schools	73.2%		60	42^nd of 98 public high schools	57.1%	9	61.1	50.9	45.6	$23,080
Biddeford High School	Public	8-12	20 Maplewood Avenue	Biddeford	04005	York County	Biddeford Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 282-1596	901	63	14.2	58.7%	681 (75.6%)	102 (11.3%)	59 (6.5%)	17 (1.9%)	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.0%)	19.7	106^th of 123 public high schools	13.8%		45.5	66^th of 98 public high schools	32.7%	40	57.1	34.0	22.9	$17,485
Marshwood High School	Public	9-12	260 Dow Highway	South Berwick	03908	York County	Regional School Unit 35/Maine School Admin District 35	No	No	No	No	(207) 384-4500	669	51	13.1	9.6%	609 (91.0%)	10 (1.5%)	19 (2.8%)	8 (1.2%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	17 (2.5%)	80.2	9^th of 123 public high schools	92.7%		57.2	47^th of 98 public high schools	52.0%	38	82.6	55.7	47.8	$17,760
Old Orchard Beach High School	Public	9-12	40 E Emerson Cummings Blvd	Old Orchard Beach	04064	York County	Regional School Unit 23	No	No	No	No	(207) 934-4461	199	25	7.9	34.7%	171 (85.9%)	12 (6.0%)	8 (4.0%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	44.5	50^th of 123 public high schools	59.3%					(n/a)	60.4	36.2	46.8	$29,434
York High School	Public	9-12	1 Robert Stevens Drive	York	03909	York County	York Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 363-3621	501	52	9.6	14.2%	464 (92.6%)	3 (0.6%)	12 (2.4%)	6 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.8%)	70	16^th of 123 public high schools	87.0%		75.8	18^th of 98 public high schools	81.6%	2	76.5	50.0	44.3	$25,445

Frequently Asked Questions about Sanford High School

Is Sanford High School a good school?

Sanford High School ranks 82^nd of 123 Maine high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Sanford High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,099 students attended Sanford High School.

What district is Sanford High School in?

Sanford Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Sanford High School?

Students at Sanford High School are 85% White, 5% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 3% African American, 2% Asian.

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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.