Dora L Small Elementary School

Q: Is Dora L Small Elementary School a good school?

Dora L Small Elementary School ranks 35 th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dora L Small Elementary School is a public elementary school in South Portland, Maine, serving 260 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the South Portland Public Schools district and the state of Maine in academic proficiency, ranking in the top 25% of Maine elementary schools.

With 75% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 74.4% proficient in Mathematics, Dora L Small Elementary School's academic performance is a standout. The school's diverse student population, with 9.62% African American and 6.15% Hispanic students, is another key strength, as is its relatively low student-teacher ratio of 10.4 to 1. However, the school has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, from 10.8% to 12.4%, which is an area the school and district should address.

Compared to nearby schools, Dora L Small Elementary outperforms other South Portland Public Schools elementary schools, but Pond Cove Elementary in Cape Elizabeth has even stronger academic performance and statewide rankings. Additionally, the school's performance for low socioeconomic status students is relatively lower, ranking in the bottom 50% of Maine elementary schools, which is an area that requires attention.

Detail:

Public K-4

87 Thompson Street
South Portland, ME 04106

(207) 799-7676

District: South Portland Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
35^th of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,898

Student/teacher ratio: 10.0

Number of students: 204

Racial breakdown:

White:

77.0%

Two or more races:

8.8%

African American:

6.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 22.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dora L Small Elementary School ranks better than 87.9% of elementary schools in Maine. It also ranks first among 5 ranked elementary schools in the South Portland Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.69. (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 (77%), two or more races (8.8%), African American (6.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 22.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the South Portland Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dora L Small Elementary School is 10. 2 elementary schools in the South Portland Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Dora L Small Elementary School employs 20.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dora L Small Elementary School is $19,898. 3 elementary schools in the South Portland Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Dora L Small 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.)

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Rank History for Dora L Small Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Dora L Small Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2007	70.01	37^th	198	81.3%
2008	59.68	70^th	195	64.1%
2009	64.32	49^th	209	76.6%
2010	76.72	25^th	193	87.0%
2011	80.58	19^th	186	89.8%
2012	79.72	24^th	258	90.7%
2013	79.95	27^th	261	89.7%
2015	65.30	107^th	284	62.3%
2016	60.20	90^th	255	64.7%
2017	80.67	27^th	256	89.5%
2018	78.70	27^th	254	89.4%
2019	84.91	24^th	258	90.7%
2021	86.58	12^th	228	94.7%
2022	68.48	60^th	210	71.4%
2023	86.69	35^th	290	87.9%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dora L Small Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	79.84	4^th	16	75.0%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dora L Small Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	40.38	53^rd	82	35.4%

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

Rank History for Female students at Dora L Small Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	81.17	18^th	153	88.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Dora L Small Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	66.16	45^th	153	70.6%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Dora L Small Elementary 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	235	235
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	248	248
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	243	243
1994	232	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	233
1995	250	2	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	254
1996	250	2	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	254
1997	218	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	220
1998	221	2	5	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	233
1999	216	0	4	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	224
2000	203	1	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	212
2001	201	4	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	208
2002	165	7	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	174
2003	165	7	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	174
2004	253	12	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	268
2005	249	14	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	267
2006	265	7	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	277
2007	251	4	6	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	266
2008	265	6	6	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	279
2009	282	4	8	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	296
2010	280	5	10	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	303
2011	284	3	8	12	0	0	12	0	319
2012	300	10	10	10	0	0	11	0	341
2013	311	11	8	9	1	0	6	0	346
2014	298	9	8	8	0	1	5	0	329
2015	290	8	3	10	0	1	11	0	323
2016	284	8	4	7	0	1	15	0	319
2017	273	9	4	3	1	1	16	0	307
2018	269	10	4	3	0	1	16	0	303
2019	239	11	1	6	0	1	15	0	273
2020	242	10	0	11	1	3	14	0	281
2021	201	11	2	8	1	2	20	0	245
2022	193	9	0	8	0	0	21	0	231
2023	198	25	1	16	1	0	19	0	260
2024	157	14	1	13	1	0	18	0	204

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 Dora L Small Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	235	13.3	17.6	n/a
1992	248	12.6	19.6	n/a
1993	243	14.1	17.2	13.6
1994	233	14.0	16.6	14.6
1995	254	13.6	18.7	15
1996	254	13.6	18.7	15
1997	220	13.6	16.2	13.2
1998	233	13.1	17.8	12
1999	224	15.8	14.2	14.3
2000	212	14.0	15.1	15.6
2001	208	13.0	16.0	14.4
2002	174	16.0	10.9	16.1
2003	174	16.0	10.9	16.1
2004	268	17.9	15.0	25
2005	267	22.4	11.9	18
2006	277	20.0	13.9	25.3
2007	266	21.0	12.7	24.8
2008	279	26.4	10.6	29.4
2009	296	18.9	15.5	27
2010	303	21.0	14.4	31.4
2011	319	21.4	14.9	24.5
2012	341	24.6	13.8	3.2
2013	346	22.0	15.6	24
2014	329	25.6	12.8	27.4
2015	323	21.0	15.3	28.2
2016	319	22.0	14.5	25.4
2017	307	23.7	12.9	25.4
2018	303	22.2	13.6	19.8
2019	273	21.8	12.5	22.7
2020	281	22.8	12.3	17.1
2021	245	22.4	10.9	22.4
2022	231	22.4	10.3	18.2
2023	260	24.8	10.4	16.2
2024	204	20.4	10.0	22.1

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 Dora L Small Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	235	13.3	17.6	n/a
1992	248	12.6	19.6	n/a
1993	243	14.1	17.2	13.6
1994	233	14.0	16.6	14.6
1995	254	13.6	18.7	15
1996	254	13.6	18.7	15
1997	220	13.6	16.2	13.2
1998	233	13.1	17.8	12
1999	224	15.8	14.2	14.3
2000	212	14.0	15.1	15.6
2001	208	13.0	16.0	14.4
2002	174	16.0	10.9	16.1
2003	174	16.0	10.9	16.1
2004	268	17.9	15.0	25
2005	267	22.4	11.9	18
2006	277	20.0	13.9	25.3
2007	266	21.0	12.7	24.8
2008	279	26.4	10.6	29.4
2009	296	18.9	15.5	27
2010	303	21.0	14.4	31.4
2011	319	21.4	14.9	24.5
2012	341	24.6	13.8	3.2
2013	346	22.0	15.6	24
2014	329	25.6	12.8	27.4
2015	323	21.0	15.3	28.2
2016	319	22.0	14.5	25.4
2017	307	23.7	12.9	25.4
2018	303	22.2	13.6	19.8
2019	273	21.8	12.5	22.7
2020	281	22.8	12.3	17.1
2021	245	22.4	10.9	22.4
2022	231	22.4	10.3	18.2
2023	260	24.8	10.4	16.2
2024	204	20.4	10.0	22.1

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 Dora L Small Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$14,877
2019	$17,252
2020	$18,180
2021	$21,645
2022	$18,413
2023	$19,898

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dora L Small 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 24^th of 258 Elementary schools	Ranks 35^th of 290 Elementary schools	2.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Dora L Small Elementary School)	70.8	93.6	22.8%
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 (Dora L Small Elementary School)	53.5	82.6	29.2%
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	273	260	4.8%
African American	11	25	127.3%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	6	16	166.7%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	239	198	17.2%
Two or More Races	15	19	26.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	22.7%	16.2%	6.6%

Schools Near Dora L Small 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
Dora L Small Elementary School	Public	K-4	87 Thompson Street	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 799-7676	204	20	10.0	22.1%	157 (77.0%)	14 (6.9%)	13 (6.4%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (8.8%)	86.7	35^th of 290 public elementary schools	87.9%		68.5	60^th of 210 public elementary schools	71.4%	25	75.0	74.4	43.5	$19,898
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
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
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
Peaks Island School	Public	PK, KG-5	4 Church AV	Peaks Island	04108	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 766-2528	46	5	8.5	21.7%	40 (87.0%)	2 (4.3%)	3 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.2%)	75.9	75^th of 290 public elementary schools	74.1%					(n/a)	68.4	65.0		$32,839
East End Community School	Public	PK, KG-5	195 North ST	Portland	04101	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 874-8228	396	38	10.3	71.5%	102 (25.8%)	207 (52.3%)	46 (11.6%)	15 (3.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.1%)	18.2	265^th of 290 public elementary schools	8.6%		0.2	205^th of 210 public elementary schools	2.4%	60	52.5	39.4	15.4	$21,783
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
Pond Cove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	12 Scott Dyer Road	Cape Elizabeth	04107	Cumberland County	Cape Elizabeth Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 799-7339	569	44	13.0	4.0%	486 (85.4%)	7 (1.2%)	29 (5.1%)	9 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (6.5%)	98.4	1^st of 290 public elementary schools	99.7%					(n/a)	84.7	89.9		$18,339
Presumpscot School	Public	PK, KG-5	69 Presumpscot ST	Portland	04103	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 874-8220	243	25	9.5	57.2%	97 (39.9%)	88 (36.2%)	31 (12.8%)	10 (4.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.6%)	48.2	172^nd of 290 public elementary schools	40.7%		33.6	142^nd of 210 public elementary schools	32.4%	30	67.0	46.7	28.1	$22,055
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 Dora L Small Elementary School

Is Dora L Small Elementary School a good school?

Dora L Small Elementary School ranks 35^th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Dora L Small Elementary School?

Students at Dora L Small Elementary School are 77% White, 9% Two or more races, 7% African American, 6% Hispanic.

What district is Dora L Small Elementary School in?

South Portland Public Schools

What schools do graduates of Dora L Small Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Dora L Small Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : South Portland High School

How many students attend Dora L Small Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 204 students attended Dora L Small 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.