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Telstar Middle School

Summary:

Telstar Middle School is a public middle school located in Bethel, Maine, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 172 students. The school is part of the Regional School Unit 44/Maine School Administrative District 44, which is ranked 56 out of 177 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Telstar Middle School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (88.37%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 89.83% to 93.57% white students, the school has shown a concerning decline in its academic performance. Over the past few years, Telstar Middle School has dropped from 28th out of 86 middle schools in 2018-2019 to 70th out of 96 middle schools in 2022-2023, placing it in the bottom quarter of middle schools in the state with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Additionally, the school has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 39.2% to 46.3% over the past three school years, significantly higher than the state average and the nearby schools, which range from 25.8% to 36.8%.

Telstar Middle School also faces challenges related to its student population's socioeconomic status, with a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 44.79% to 47.09% over the past three school years. This is higher than the nearby schools, which range from 49.38% to 76.27% free or reduced-price lunch recipients. These factors, combined with the school's declining academic performance and high chronic absenteeism, suggest that Telstar Middle School may be facing unique challenges compared to the surrounding Regional School Unit 17/Maine School Admin District 17, Regional School Unit 56, and Regional School Unit 10 middle schools, such as Oxford Hills Middle School, T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School, and Mountain Valley Middle School.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 284 Walkers Mills Rd
       Bethel, ME  04217

(207) 824-2136

District: Regional School Unit 44/Maine School Admin District 44

SchoolDigger Rank:
70th of 96 Maine Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,394 Help


Students who attend Telstar Middle School usually attend:

High:    Telstar High School

Feeder schools for Telstar Middle School:

Elementary:    Crescent Park School
    Woodstock School

Student/teacher ratio:  9.7 Help
Number of students:  168

Racial breakdown:

White:
89.3%
Two or more races:
5.4%
Hispanic:
3.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  45.8% Help


 See top rated Maine middle schools

 Compare Telstar Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Telstar Middle School ranks worse than 72.9% of middle schools in Maine. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.53. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (89.3%), two or more races (5.4%), Hispanic (3%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 45.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Telstar Middle School is 9.7. (See more...)
Help
Compare Telstar Middle School employs 17.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Telstar Middle School is $17,394.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Telstar Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Telstar Middle School 70th of 96 Maine public middle schools. (See Telstar Middle School in the ranking list.)

Regional School Unit 44/Maine School Admin District 44:

SchoolDigger ranks Regional School Unit 44/Maine School Admin District 44 56th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Telstar Middle School?

Rank History for Telstar Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Telstar Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools ME State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 43.09 27th 51 47.1%
2007 32.76 40th 51 21.6%
2008 28.09 39th 50 22.0%
2009 55.67 22nd 56 60.7%
2010 59.46 19th 60 68.3%
2011 57.43 19th 58 67.2%
2012 52.28 35th 86 59.3%
2013 44.61 46th 87 47.1%
2015 27.17 82nd 97 15.5%
2016 49.13 36th 85 57.6%
2017 54.47 30th 87 65.5%
2018 55.38 33rd 85 61.2%
2019 56.58 28th 86 67.4%
2021 67.19 30th 92 67.4%
2022 60.06 39th 93 58.1%
2023 32.53 70th 96 27.1%
See the entire list of Maine Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Telstar Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools ME State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 57.85 31st 64 51.6%
2021 80.10 6th 66 90.9%
See the entire list of Best Maine Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Telstar Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools ME State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 55.46 29th 78 62.8%
2021 63.79 38th 83 54.2%
See the entire list of Best Maine Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Telstar Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools ME State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 53.68 29th 78 62.8%
2021 38.69 51st 83 38.6%
See the entire list of Best Maine Middle 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.

Telstar Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Maine Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Telstar Middle School

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Compare
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 246 246
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 265 265
1993 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 256 256
1994 247 0 0 1 1 n/a n/a 0 249
1995 248 1 1 1 4 n/a n/a 0 255
1996 248 1 1 1 4 n/a n/a 0 255
1997 264 2 0 1 4 n/a n/a 0 271
1998 242 3 2 2 8 n/a n/a 0 257
1999 252 0 3 1 6 n/a n/a 0 262
2000 278 0 1 0 3 n/a n/a 0 282
2001 271 1 0 1 3 n/a n/a 0 276
2002 245 0 1 2 4 n/a n/a 0 252
2003 245 0 1 2 4 n/a n/a 0 252
2004 257 0 0 1 2 n/a n/a 0 260
2005 273 0 0 1 3 n/a n/a 0 277
2006 267 0 0 2 4 n/a n/a 0 273
2007 252 0 0 2 3 n/a n/a 0 257
2008 218 0 1 1 4 n/a n/a 0 224
2009 209 0 1 0 4 n/a n/a 0 214
2010 201 1 2 1 2 n/a n/a 0 207
2011 203 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 208
2012 194 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 201
2013 165 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 168
2014 158 0 1 3 0 0 1 0 163
2015 171 1 1 3 0 0 1 0 177
2016 161 1 2 4 1 0 2 0 171
2017 169 2 1 5 1 0 3 0 181
2018 168 1 3 2 0 0 4 0 178
2019 165 0 2 4 0 0 4 0 175
2020 150 0 2 5 0 0 6 0 163
2021 153 1 0 3 0 0 6 0 163
2022 147 2 0 3 1 2 9 0 164
2023 152 1 0 5 1 2 11 0 172
2024 150 1 0 5 1 2 9 0 168

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 Telstar Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 246 14.0 17.5 n/a
1992 265 13.0 20.3 n/a
1993 256 14.0 18.3 27
1994 249 12.0 20.8 22.5
1995 255 13.3 19.2 21.2
1996 255 13.3 19.2 21.2
1997 271 12.4 21.9 26.2
1998 257 14.0 18.4 26.8
1999 262 14.0 18.7 33.6
2000 282 15.6 18.1 n/a
2001 276 16.4 16.8 42
2002 252 19.6 12.9 35.3
2003 252 19.6 12.9 35.3
2004 260 17.1 15.2 31.5
2005 277 19.0 14.6 39.4
2006 273 17.5 15.6 39.6
2007 257 18.1 14.2 40.5
2008 224 22.8 9.8 36.2
2009 214 18.5 11.6 51.9
2010 207 21.0 9.8 54.6
2011 208 18.0 11.5 55.8
2012 201 18.4 10.8 7.5
2013 168 18.5 9.0 69
2014 163 18.6 8.7 65
2015 177 18.0 9.8 55.4
2016 171 18.0 9.5 50.3
2017 181 18.0 10.0 55.2
2018 178 17.3 10.2 46.1
2019 175 18.8 9.3 52.6
2020 163 16.6 9.8 47.2
2021 163 17.3 9.4 44.8
2022 164 16.3 10.0 46.3
2023 172 17.2 10.0 47.1
2024 168 17.2 9.7 45.8

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 Telstar Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 246 14.0 17.5 n/a
1992 265 13.0 20.3 n/a
1993 256 14.0 18.3 27
1994 249 12.0 20.8 22.5
1995 255 13.3 19.2 21.2
1996 255 13.3 19.2 21.2
1997 271 12.4 21.9 26.2
1998 257 14.0 18.4 26.8
1999 262 14.0 18.7 33.6
2000 282 15.6 18.1 n/a
2001 276 16.4 16.8 42
2002 252 19.6 12.9 35.3
2003 252 19.6 12.9 35.3
2004 260 17.1 15.2 31.5
2005 277 19.0 14.6 39.4
2006 273 17.5 15.6 39.6
2007 257 18.1 14.2 40.5
2008 224 22.8 9.8 36.2
2009 214 18.5 11.6 51.9
2010 207 21.0 9.8 54.6
2011 208 18.0 11.5 55.8
2012 201 18.4 10.8 7.5
2013 168 18.5 9.0 69
2014 163 18.6 8.7 65
2015 177 18.0 9.8 55.4
2016 171 18.0 9.5 50.3
2017 181 18.0 10.0 55.2
2018 178 17.3 10.2 46.1
2019 175 18.8 9.3 52.6
2020 163 16.6 9.8 47.2
2021 163 17.3 9.4 44.8
2022 164 16.3 10.0 46.3
2023 172 17.2 10.0 47.1
2024 168 17.2 9.7 45.8

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 Telstar Middle School

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $13,751
2019 $14,322
2020 $15,565
2021 $16,862
2022 $16,868
2023 $17,394

Data source: Maine Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Telstar Middle 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 28th of 86 Middle schoolsRanks 70th of 96 Middle schools
 40.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Telstar Middle School)60.587.2
 26.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Regional School Unit 44/Maine School Admin District 44)6188.8
 27.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)55.983.8
 27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Telstar Middle School)40.183.4
 43.3%
   All Grades Mathematics (Regional School Unit 44/Maine School Admin District 44)39.386.2
 47%
   All Grades Mathematics (Maine)35.781.3
 45.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students175172
 1.7%
African American01
American Indian01
Asian20
 100%
Hispanic45
 25%
Pacific Islander02
White165152
 7.9%
Two or More Races411
 175%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients52.6%47.1%
 5.5%

Schools Near Telstar Middle School








Frequently Asked Questions about Telstar Middle School

In the 2023-24 school year, 168 students attended Telstar Middle School.

Telstar Middle School ranks 70th of 96 Maine middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Students who attend Telstar Middle School usually go on to attend Telstar High School

Students at Telstar Middle School are 89% White, 5% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic, 1% Pacific Islander.


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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.




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