Bowdoin Central School

Q: Is Bowdoin Central School a good school?

Bowdoin Central School ranks 76 th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Bowdoin Central School is an elementary school located in Bowdoin, Maine, serving 208 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75, which is ranked 43 out of 177 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bowdoin Central School consistently outperforms the regional and state averages in academic proficiency, with 70.59% of students proficient or better in ELA and 68.07% in math, compared to the district's 69.53% and 58.72%, and the state's 64.63% and 48.68%, respectively. The school also has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 29.33%, suggesting a relatively affluent student population. Additionally, Bowdoin Central School has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.5 students per teacher, lower than the state average.

While Bowdoin Central School's student population is predominantly white, at over 95%, the nearby Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School in Brunswick has a more racially diverse student body. This may be an area for Bowdoin Central School to consider addressing in terms of promoting diversity and inclusion. Overall, Bowdoin Central School appears to be a high-performing elementary school that consistently delivers strong academic results and provides a quality education to its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1460 Main Street
Bowdoin, ME 04287

(207) 666-5779

District: Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75

SchoolDigger Rank:
76^th of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,842

Students who attend Bowdoin Central School usually attend:

Middle:	Mt Ararat Middle School
High:	Mt Ararat High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.1

Number of students: 197

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.4%

Two or more races:

4.1%

Hispanic:

1.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 26.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Bowdoin Central School ranks better than 73.8% of elementary schools in Maine. It also ranks last among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.76. (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 (94.4%), two or more races (4.1%), Hispanic (1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 26.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bowdoin Central School is 11.1, which is the lowest among 5 elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75! (See more...)

Compare Bowdoin Central School employs 17.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bowdoin Central School is $18,842. 2 elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75 spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Bowdoin Central School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75:

SchoolDigger ranks Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75 43^rd of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Bowdoin Central School

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Rank History for all students at Bowdoin Central School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2006	60.21	60^th	192	68.8%
2007	76.48	26^th	198	86.9%
2008	68.97	43^rd	195	77.9%
2009	65.04	47^th	209	77.5%
2010	62.47	57^th	193	70.5%
2011	74.90	30^th	186	83.9%
2012	65.42	63^rd	258	75.6%
2013	57.49	101^st	261	61.3%
2015	67.88	100^th	284	64.8%
2016	71.55	52^nd	255	79.6%
2017	57.63	102^nd	256	60.2%
2018	59.67	90^th	254	64.6%
2019	42.19	158^th	258	38.8%
2021	74.13	40^th	228	82.5%
2022	78.57	39^th	210	81.4%
2023	73.76	76^th	290	73.8%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bowdoin Central School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	91.48	6^th	82	92.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at Bowdoin Central School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	37.27	110^th	153	28.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Bowdoin Central School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	42.26	88^th	153	42.5%

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:

by a citizen
Friday, August 1, 2014

Bowdoin Central School has a top notch staff that works well together. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Bowdoin Central 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	259	259
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	268	268
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	282	282
1994	282	0	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	286
1995	298	1	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	304
1996	298	1	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	304
1997	277	1	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	281
1998	297	1	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	302
1999	317	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	322
2000	298	6	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	305
2001	282	4	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	287
2002	278	5	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	284
2003	278	5	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	284
2004	253	4	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	259
2005	233	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	233
2006	234	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	237
2007	212	1	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	216
2008	218	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	220
2009	217	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	219
2010	226	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	229
2011	221	2	1	0	0	0	2	0	226
2012	206	1	0	2	0	0	5	0	214
2013	202	1	0	2	0	0	6	0	211
2014	207	0	0	2	0	0	3	0	212
2015	213	1	0	2	0	0	5	0	221
2016	188	0	0	5	0	0	4	0	197
2017	193	0	0	6	0	0	5	0	204
2018	198	0	2	4	0	0	4	0	208
2019	200	0	2	4	0	0	4	0	210
2020	203	0	0	7	0	0	7	0	217
2021	189	0	0	7	0	0	6	0	202
2022	208	0	0	4	2	0	6	0	220
2023	198	0	0	3	1	0	6	0	208
2024	186	0	0	2	1	0	8	0	197

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 Bowdoin Central School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	259	16.0	16.1	n/a
1992	268	17.8	15.0	n/a
1993	282	15.1	18.7	14.2
1994	286	16.0	17.9	19.2
1995	304	17.2	17.7	16.1
1996	304	17.2	17.7	16.1
1997	281	17.7	15.9	18.9
1998	302	17.6	17.2	22.2
1999	322	18.7	17.2	34.2
2000	305	20.6	14.8	31.8
2001	287	18.8	15.3	39.4
2002	284	15.6	18.2	26.4
2003	284	15.6	18.2	26.4
2004	259	16.2	16.0	32.8
2005	233	19.1	12.2	30
2006	237	16.9	14.0	24.9
2007	216	19.8	10.9	28.7
2008	220	23.9	9.2	28.6
2009	219	18.5	11.8	37.4
2010	229	20.1	11.3	37.1
2011	226	18.0	12.5	43.4
2012	214	18.0	11.8	8.4
2013	211	18.1	11.6	42.7
2014	212	17.9	11.8	48.1
2015	221	17.0	13.0	44.3
2016	197	18.0	10.9	45.7
2017	204	16.7	12.2	40.2
2018	208	16.7	12.4	33.7
2019	210	17.7	11.8	35.7
2020	217	16.7	12.9	31.8
2021	202	17.7	11.4	31.2
2022	220	17.5	12.5	10.9
2023	208	n/a	n/a	29.3
2024	197	17.7	11.1	26.9

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 Bowdoin Central School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	259	16.0	16.1	n/a
1992	268	17.8	15.0	n/a
1993	282	15.1	18.7	14.2
1994	286	16.0	17.9	19.2
1995	304	17.2	17.7	16.1
1996	304	17.2	17.7	16.1
1997	281	17.7	15.9	18.9
1998	302	17.6	17.2	22.2
1999	322	18.7	17.2	34.2
2000	305	20.6	14.8	31.8
2001	287	18.8	15.3	39.4
2002	284	15.6	18.2	26.4
2003	284	15.6	18.2	26.4
2004	259	16.2	16.0	32.8
2005	233	19.1	12.2	30
2006	237	16.9	14.0	24.9
2007	216	19.8	10.9	28.7
2008	220	23.9	9.2	28.6
2009	219	18.5	11.8	37.4
2010	229	20.1	11.3	37.1
2011	226	18.0	12.5	43.4
2012	214	18.0	11.8	8.4
2013	211	18.1	11.6	42.7
2014	212	17.9	11.8	48.1
2015	221	17.0	13.0	44.3
2016	197	18.0	10.9	45.7
2017	204	16.7	12.2	40.2
2018	208	16.7	12.4	33.7
2019	210	17.7	11.8	35.7
2020	217	16.7	12.9	31.8
2021	202	17.7	11.4	31.2
2022	220	17.5	12.5	10.9
2023	208	n/a	n/a	29.3
2024	197	17.7	11.1	26.9

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 Bowdoin Central School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$14,952
2019	$16,333
2020	$16,399
2021	$19,048
2022	$16,695
2023	$18,842

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bowdoin Central 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 158^th of 258 Elementary schools	Ranks 76^th of 290 Elementary schools	35%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Bowdoin Central School)	48.6	86.2	37.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75)	59.5	85.6	26.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Bowdoin Central School)	42.9	94.8	52%
All Grades Mathematics (Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75)	39.7	85.4	45.6%
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	210	208	1%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	1
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	4	3	25%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	200	198	1%
Two or More Races	4	6	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	35.7%	29.3%	6.4%

Schools Near Bowdoin Central 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
Bowdoin Central School	Public	PK, KG-5	1460 Main Street	Bowdoin	04287	Sagadahoc County	Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 666-5779	197	18	11.1	26.9%	186 (94.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.1%)	73.8	76^th of 290 public elementary schools	73.8%		78.6	39^th of 210 public elementary schools	81.4%	37	70.6	68.1	28.2	$18,842
Bowdoinham Community School	Public	K-5	23 Cemetery Road	Bowdoinham	04008	Sagadahoc County	Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 666-5546	189	16	12.0	21.7%	171 (90.5%)	1 (0.5%)	10 (5.3%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.6%)	84.7	47^th of 290 public elementary schools	83.8%		84.1	22^nd of 210 public elementary schools	89.5%	25	71.3	72.4	52.2	$16,840
Williams-Cone School	Public	PK, KG-5	19 Perkins Street	Topsham	04086	Sagadahoc County	Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75	No	No	No	No	(207) 725-4391	232	20	11.4	23.3%	210 (90.5%)	7 (3.0%)	9 (3.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.2%)	90.2	24^th of 290 public elementary schools	91.7%		80.5	30^th of 210 public elementary schools	85.7%	6	82.4	74.6	40.9	$18,469
Woodside Elementary School	Public	K-5	42 Barrows Drive	Topsham	04086	Sagadahoc County	Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 725-1243	318	27	11.7	18.2%	284 (89.3%)	5 (1.6%)	9 (2.8%)	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	14 (4.4%)	87.6	31^st of 290 public elementary schools	89.3%		52.8	94^th of 210 public elementary schools	55.2%	63	75.0	69.5	52.1	$21,332
Libby-Tozier School	Public	PK-K	466 Academy Road	Litchfield	04350	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 04	No	No	No	No	(207) 375-4273	144	10	14.8	38.2%	136 (94.4%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.8%)								(n/a)				$17,378
Carrie Ricker School	Public	3-4	573 Richmond Road	Litchfield	04350	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 04	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 268-4136	158	19	8.2	37.3%	151 (95.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	25.4	242^nd of 290 public elementary schools	16.6%		10.9	187^th of 210 public elementary schools	11.0%	55	50.0	45.8		$20,663
Lisbon Community School	Public	PK, KG-5	33 Mill Street	Lisbon	04250	Androscoggin County	Lisbon Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 353-4132	655	51	12.8	41.1%	617 (94.2%)	11 (1.7%)	10 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.3%)	32.5	220^th of 290 public elementary schools	24.1%		12.9	183^rd of 210 public elementary schools	12.9%	37	59.6	45.7	11.0	$14,028
Kate Furbish Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	75 Jordan Ave	Brunswick	04011	Cumberland County	Brunswick Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 319-1970	638	51	12.5	30.9%	520 (81.5%)	23 (3.6%)	39 (6.1%)	19 (3.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (5.6%)								(n/a)				$20,410
West Bath School	Public	PK, KG-5	126 New Meadows Road	West Bath	04530	Sagadahoc County	West Bath Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 443-9145	97	14	6.9	21.6%	94 (96.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	91.9	20^th of 290 public elementary schools	93.1%					(n/a)	81.3	75.0	47.8	$27,782
Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary	Public	3-5	44 McKeen Street	Brunswick	04011	Cumberland County	Brunswick Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 319-1960	508	45	11.3	27.4%	421 (82.9%)	11 (2.2%)	32 (6.3%)	10 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.7%)	72.4	83^rd of 290 public elementary schools	71.4%		46.6	114^th of 210 public elementary schools	45.7%	31	70.3	65.1	30.0	$19,995

Frequently Asked Questions about Bowdoin Central School

Is Bowdoin Central School a good school?

Bowdoin Central School ranks 76^th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Bowdoin Central School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 197 students attended Bowdoin Central School.

What is the racial makeup of Bowdoin Central School?

Students at Bowdoin Central School are 94% White, 4% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

What district is Bowdoin Central School in?

Regional School Unit 75/Maine School Admin District 75

What schools do graduates of Bowdoin Central School attend?

Students who attend Bowdoin Central School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Mt Ararat Middle School
High : Mt Ararat High 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.