Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

Q: Is Waldo T Skillin Elementary School a good school?

Waldo T Skillin Elementary School ranks 217 th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Waldo T Skillin Elementary School is a public elementary school in South Portland, Maine, serving students from kindergarten to 4th grade. With a diverse student population, the school faces several challenges, including low statewide rankings, below-average academic performance, high chronic absenteeism, and a relatively high percentage of students from low-income families.

Waldo T Skillin Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Maine elementary schools, with a School Digger rating of just 1 out of 5 stars. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (57.38%) and Mathematics (45.8%) are lower than the South Portland Public Schools district (63.44% and 50.23%) and the state of Maine (64.63% and 48.68%). Additionally, the school has had high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 70.3% in the 2020-2021 school year, significantly higher than nearby Frank I Brown Elementary School (5.8%) and Dyer Elementary School (5.5%).

Waldo T Skillin Elementary School's diverse student population and high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (23.89%) suggest that socioeconomic factors may play a role in the school's performance challenges. Understanding the factors that contribute to the performance differences between Waldo T Skillin and nearby schools, such as Frank I Brown Elementary School and Dyer Elementary School, which are part of the same South Portland Public Schools district, could provide valuable insights for improving the educational outcomes at Waldo T Skillin Elementary School.

Detail:

Public K-4

180 Wescott Road
South Portland, ME 04106

(207) 773-7375

District: South Portland Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
217^th of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,907

Student/teacher ratio: 9.9

Number of students: 311

Racial breakdown:

White:

43.4%

African American:

33.8%

Hispanic:

11.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Waldo T Skillin Elementary School ranks worse than 74.8% of elementary schools in Maine. It also ranks last among 5 ranked elementary schools in the South Portland Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 34.39. (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 Waldo T Skillin Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the South Portland Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (43.4%), African American (33.8%), Hispanic (11.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the South Portland Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Waldo T Skillin Elementary School is 9.9, which is the 2^nd best among 5 elementary schools in the South Portland Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Waldo T Skillin Elementary School employs 31.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Waldo T Skillin Elementary School is $19,907. 2 elementary schools in the South Portland Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Waldo T Skillin Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

South Portland Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks South Portland Public Schools 83^rd of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2008	23.83	175^th	195	10.3%
2009	26.17	185^th	209	11.5%
2010	30.35	155^th	193	19.7%
2011	44.74	115^th	186	38.2%
2012	33.28	207^th	258	19.8%
2013	43.12	166^th	261	36.4%
2015	16.94	267^th	284	6.0%
2016	24.30	221^st	255	13.3%
2017	12.17	247^th	256	3.5%
2018	14.18	242^nd	254	4.7%
2019	27.01	205^th	258	20.5%
2021	2.41	215^th	228	5.7%
2022	17.16	177^th	210	15.7%
2023	34.39	217^th	290	25.2%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	54.98	40^th	82	51.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	27.62	129^th	153	15.7%
2021	0.03	90^th	90	0.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	22.17	139^th	153	9.2%
2021	11.08	79^th	90	12.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	52.40	22^nd	48	54.2%
2021	68.49	8^th	31	74.2%

See the entire list of Best Maine Elementary 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1994	406	5	12	1	0	n/a	n/a	424
1995	401	6	13	2	2	n/a	n/a	424
1996	401	6	13	2	2	n/a	n/a	424
1997	390	5	15	6	0	n/a	n/a	416
1998	388	5	15	4	0	n/a	n/a	412
1999	358	9	14	6	1	n/a	n/a	388
2000	377	7	21	5	1	n/a	n/a	411
2001	355	11	16	5	3	n/a	n/a	390
2002	375	9	23	9	0	n/a	n/a	416
2003	375	9	23	9	0	n/a	n/a	416
2004	332	3	29	14	0	n/a	n/a	378
2005	349	13	34	13	0	n/a	n/a	409
2006	340	17	18	9	0	n/a	n/a	384
2007	349	17	22	10	0	n/a	n/a	398
2008	350	25	27	10	2	n/a	n/a	414
2009	317	26	37	20	2	n/a	n/a	402
2010	326	30	25	24	1	n/a	n/a	406
2011	328	19	29	25	0	1	18	420
2012	317	20	27	30	0	0	22	416
2013	281	29	30	30	0	0	16	386
2014	265	40	38	35	1	0	20	399
2015	251	45	31	37	1	1	17	383
2016	258	56	21	30	1	0	19	385
2017	235	63	26	33	0	0	28	385
2018	235	63	24	29	0	0	23	374
2019	213	89	27	27	1	0	27	384
2020	191	105	25	29	0	0	21	371
2021	189	115	27	26	0	0	28	385
2022	183	99	25	28	0	0	22	357
2023	159	100	20	34	3	0	23	339
2024	135	105	13	37	0	0	21	311

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 Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	424	21.8	19.4	14.6
1995	424	23.3	18.2	13.9
1996	424	23.3	18.2	13.9
1997	416	22.8	18.2	19.2
1998	412	26.4	15.6	15.3
1999	388	26.4	14.7	24.5
2000	411	29.4	14.0	22.9
2001	390	29.7	13.1	19.7
2002	416	30.3	13.7	26.4
2003	416	30.3	13.7	26.4
2004	378	28.0	13.5	31.2
2005	409	33.5	12.2	24.9
2006	384	31.9	12.0	33.6
2007	398	30.5	13.0	37.4
2008	414	42.5	9.7	41.1
2009	402	31.0	12.6	44.5
2010	406	32.5	12.4	51.2
2011	420	31.5	13.3	39
2012	416	31.7	13.1	2.9
2013	386	31.6	12.2	48.4
2014	399	33.1	12.0	52.9
2015	383	29.0	13.2	55.9
2016	385	30.0	12.8	54.5
2017	385	30.5	12.6	58.4
2018	374	29.4	12.7	58.6
2019	384	31.0	12.3	59.1
2020	371	30.4	12.1	60.9
2021	385	31.3	12.3	56.6
2022	357	32.4	11.0	48.7
2023	339	29.5	11.4	23.9
2024	311	31.2	9.9	50.8

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 Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	424	21.8	19.4	14.6
1995	424	23.3	18.2	13.9
1996	424	23.3	18.2	13.9
1997	416	22.8	18.2	19.2
1998	412	26.4	15.6	15.3
1999	388	26.4	14.7	24.5
2000	411	29.4	14.0	22.9
2001	390	29.7	13.1	19.7
2002	416	30.3	13.7	26.4
2003	416	30.3	13.7	26.4
2004	378	28.0	13.5	31.2
2005	409	33.5	12.2	24.9
2006	384	31.9	12.0	33.6
2007	398	30.5	13.0	37.4
2008	414	42.5	9.7	41.1
2009	402	31.0	12.6	44.5
2010	406	32.5	12.4	51.2
2011	420	31.5	13.3	39
2012	416	31.7	13.1	2.9
2013	386	31.6	12.2	48.4
2014	399	33.1	12.0	52.9
2015	383	29.0	13.2	55.9
2016	385	30.0	12.8	54.5
2017	385	30.5	12.6	58.4
2018	374	29.4	12.7	58.6
2019	384	31.0	12.3	59.1
2020	371	30.4	12.1	60.9
2021	385	31.3	12.3	56.6
2022	357	32.4	11.0	48.7
2023	339	29.5	11.4	23.9
2024	311	31.2	9.9	50.8

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 Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$15,524
2019	$16,184
2020	$17,691
2021	$18,683
2022	$15,139
2023	$19,907

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Waldo T Skillin Elementary 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 205^th of 258 Elementary schools	Ranks 217^th of 290 Elementary schools	4.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Waldo T Skillin Elementary School)	40.6	80.8	40.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (South Portland Public Schools)	57.6	83.7	26.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Waldo T Skillin Elementary School)	34.1	67.4	33.3%
All Grades Mathematics (South Portland Public Schools)	37.8	76.7	38.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Maine)	35.7	81.3	45.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	384	339	11.7%
African American	89	100	12.4%
American Indian	1	3	200%
Asian	27	20	25.9%
Hispanic	27	34	25.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	213	159	25.4%
Two or More Races	27	23	14.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	59.1%	23.9%	35.2%

Schools Near Waldo T Skillin Elementary 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
Waldo T Skillin Elementary School	Public	K-4	180 Wescott Road	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 773-7375	311	31	9.9	50.8%	135 (43.4%)	105 (33.8%)	37 (11.9%)	13 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.8%)	34.4	217^th of 290 public elementary schools	25.2%		17.2	177^th of 210 public elementary schools	15.7%	40	57.4	45.8		$19,907
Dyer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	52 Alfred Street	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 799-4845	212	21	10.2	24.1%	151 (71.2%)	26 (12.3%)	14 (6.6%)	8 (3.8%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.7%)	51.4	164^th of 290 public elementary schools	43.4%		39.3	126^th of 210 public elementary schools	40.0%	38	60.2	55.0		$22,900
James Otis Kaler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	165 South Kelsey Street	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 799-3214	179	21	8.4	46.4%	89 (49.7%)	43 (24.0%)	28 (15.6%)	8 (4.5%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	9 (5.0%)	56.1	141^st of 290 public elementary schools	51.4%		20.3	166^th of 210 public elementary schools	21.0%	25	60.9	57.4		$19,366
Eight Corners Elementary School	Public	K-2	22 Mussey Road	Scarborough	04074	Cumberland County	Scarborough Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 730-5200	214	21	10.3	9.8%	158 (73.8%)	11 (5.1%)	9 (4.2%)	26 (12.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.2%)								(n/a)				$21,429
Howard C Reiche Community School	Public	PK, KG-5	166 Brackett ST	Portland	04102	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 874-8175	463	40	11.4	71.3%	140 (30.2%)	193 (41.7%)	99 (21.4%)	8 (1.7%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.3%)	22.3	253^rd of 290 public elementary schools	12.8%		1.4	202^nd of 210 public elementary schools	3.8%	51	54.6	40.4	20.4	$20,663
Pleasant Hill School	Public	K-2	143 Highland Avenue	Scarborough	04074	Cumberland County	Scarborough Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 730-5250	192	17	11.6	7.3%	170 (88.5%)	6 (3.1%)	3 (1.6%)	5 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.2%)								(n/a)				$21,164
Wentworth School	Public	3-5	20 Quentin Drive	Scarborough	04074	Cumberland County	Scarborough Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 730-4600	679	59	11.5	10.0%	544 (80.1%)	22 (3.2%)	25 (3.7%)	48 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	38 (5.6%)	89.7	26^th of 290 public elementary schools	91.0%		84.4	19^th of 210 public elementary schools	91.0%	7	81.5	75.8	38.3	$20,183
Frank I Brown Elementary School	Public	K-4	37 Highland AVE	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 799-5196	222	22	10.1	26.6%	141 (63.5%)	44 (19.8%)	14 (6.3%)	6 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (7.7%)	71.7	86^th of 290 public elementary schools	70.3%		56.9	89^th of 210 public elementary schools	57.6%	3	65.4	66.3		$25,822
Longfellow School-Portland	Public	PK, KG-5	432 Stevens AV	Portland	04103	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 874-8195	274	25	10.9	20.4%	217 (79.2%)	24 (8.8%)	10 (3.6%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.9%)	97.7	2^nd of 290 public elementary schools	99.3%		78.5	40^th of 210 public elementary schools	81.0%	38	91.4	78.7	58.8	$19,822
Ocean Avenue	Public	K-5	150 Ocean AV	Portland	04103	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 874-8180	357	34	10.5	37.3%	207 (58.0%)	84 (23.5%)	36 (10.1%)	12 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.0%)	65.4	110^th of 290 public elementary schools	62.1%		58.1	87^th of 210 public elementary schools	58.6%	23	71.7	54.9	31.3	$22,513

Frequently Asked Questions about Waldo T Skillin Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Waldo T Skillin Elementary School?

Students at Waldo T Skillin Elementary School are 43% White, 34% African American, 12% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

How many students attend Waldo T Skillin Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 311 students attended Waldo T Skillin Elementary School.

What district is Waldo T Skillin Elementary School in?

South Portland Public Schools

What schools do graduates of Waldo T Skillin Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Waldo T Skillin Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : South Portland High School

Is Waldo T Skillin Elementary School a good school?

Waldo T Skillin Elementary School ranks 217^th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Rate Waldo T Skillin Elementary 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.