Durham Community School

Q: Is Durham Community School a good school?

Durham Community School ranks 50 th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Durham Community School is an exceptional elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Durham, Maine, with a student population of 466 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, with exceptional academic performance that sets it apart from many of the surrounding schools.

Durham Community School's students have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, with 74.55% proficient or better in English Language Arts and 66.79% proficient or better in Mathematics, significantly higher than the state averages. The school also performs exceptionally well across different student subgroups, including female, male, White, and low socioeconomic status students, indicating a commitment to equity and inclusive practices. Compared to nearby schools like Williams-Cone School and Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary, Durham Community School stands out for its consistently high academic performance, strong student-teacher ratio, and more diverse student population.

While Durham Community School's academic performance is exceptional, there may be opportunities to further improve in certain areas, such as Science, where the proficiency rate is lower than in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Additionally, the school's chronic absenteeism rate has increased, which is an area that the school may want to address. Overall, Durham Community School is an exceptional asset to the Durham community and the broader region, as part of the Regional School Unit 05 district, which is ranked 26 out of 177 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

654 Hallowell Road
Durham, ME 04222

(207) 353-9333

District: Regional School Unit 05

SchoolDigger Rank:
50^th of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,705

Students who attend Durham Community School usually attend:

High:

Freeport High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.4

Number of students: 476

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.5%

Hispanic:

2.5%

Two or more races:

2.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 13.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Durham Community School ranks better than 82.8% of elementary schools in Maine. It also ranks first among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 05 District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 84.33. (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 Durham Community School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Regional School Unit 05 District. Racial makeup is: White (93.5%), Hispanic (2.5%), two or more races (2.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 13.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Durham Community School is 11.4. 2 elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 05 District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Durham Community School employs 41.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Durham Community School is $17,705. 2 elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 05 District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Durham Community School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Regional School Unit 05:

SchoolDigger ranks Regional School Unit 05 26^th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Durham Community School

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Rank History for all students at Durham Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2012	56.48	94^th	258	63.6%
2013	64.30	73^rd	261	72.0%
2015	94.48	11^th	284	96.1%
2016	81.12	27^th	255	89.4%
2017	85.80	17^th	256	93.4%
2018	90.20	13^th	254	94.9%
2019	89.03	18^th	258	93.0%
2021	85.82	17^th	228	92.5%
2022	89.65	7^th	210	96.7%
2023	84.33	50^th	290	82.8%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Durham Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	88.22	7^th	64	89.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Durham Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	92.57	5^th	153	96.7%
2021	86.90	5^th	90	94.4%

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

Rank History for Male students at Durham Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	72.70	33^rd	153	78.4%
2021	88.88	5^th	90	94.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Durham Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	80.24	6^th	48	87.5%

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

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Enrollment information for Durham Community School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2010	377	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	380
2011	407	0	1	0	1	0	0	409
2012	424	0	2	0	0	0	1	427
2013	415	0	2	0	0	0	1	418
2014	418	3	2	0	0	0	0	423
2015	387	0	3	1	1	0	1	393
2016	431	1	3	1	1	0	1	438
2017	434	0	2	1	1	0	1	439
2018	426	0	2	2	1	0	1	432
2019	417	2	1	0	1	0	2	423
2020	426	4	1	1	4	0	3	439
2021	420	2	0	3	3	0	3	431
2022	441	2	0	7	2	0	5	457
2023	445	3	2	7	2	0	7	466
2024	445	5	2	12	2	0	10	476

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 Durham Community School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	380	28.5	13.3	26.3
2011	409	31.3	13.0	26.9
2012	427	33.9	12.5	n/a
2013	418	34.0	12.2	29.4
2014	423	35.0	12.0	24.6
2015	393	34.0	11.5	23.7
2016	438	36.0	12.1	23.5
2017	439	34.8	12.6	23.7
2018	432	35.0	12.3	20.1
2019	423	36.9	11.4	18.4
2020	439	37.7	11.6	24.4
2021	431	41.1	10.4	22.5
2022	457	39.6	11.5	17.7
2023	466	40.5	11.5	18.5
2024	476	41.5	11.4	13.2

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 Durham Community School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	380	28.5	13.3	26.3
2011	409	31.3	13.0	26.9
2012	427	33.9	12.5	n/a
2013	418	34.0	12.2	29.4
2014	423	35.0	12.0	24.6
2015	393	34.0	11.5	23.7
2016	438	36.0	12.1	23.5
2017	439	34.8	12.6	23.7
2018	432	35.0	12.3	20.1
2019	423	36.9	11.4	18.4
2020	439	37.7	11.6	24.4
2021	431	41.1	10.4	22.5
2022	457	39.6	11.5	17.7
2023	466	40.5	11.5	18.5
2024	476	41.5	11.4	13.2

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 Durham Community School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$14,287
2019	$15,055
2020	$15,797
2021	$15,804
2022	$17,501
2023	$17,705

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Durham Community 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 18^th of 258 Elementary schools	Ranks 50^th of 290 Elementary schools	10.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Durham Community School)	73.2	92.3	19.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Regional School Unit 05)	70.5	92.4	22%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Durham Community School)	60.2	93.4	33.2%
All Grades Mathematics (Regional School Unit 05)	54.9	92	37.1%
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	423	466	10.2%
African American	2	3	50%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	1	2	100%
Hispanic	0	7
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	417	445	6.7%
Two or More Races	2	7	250%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	18.4%	18.5%	0%

Schools Near Durham Community 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
Durham Community School	Public	PK, KG-8	654 Hallowell Road	Durham	04222	Androscoggin County	Regional School Unit 05	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 353-9333	476	42	11.4	13.2%	445 (93.5%)	5 (1.1%)	12 (2.5%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.1%)	84.3	50^th of 290 public elementary schools	82.8%		89.6	7^th of 210 public elementary schools	96.7%	43	74.6	66.8	46.7	$17,705
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
Pownal Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	587 Elmwood Road	Pownal	04069	Cumberland County	Regional School Unit 05	No	No	No	No	(207) 688-4832	89	10	8.8	12.4%	79 (88.8%)	2 (2.2%)	5 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.4%)	78.9	63^rd of 290 public elementary schools	78.3%					(n/a)	67.5	75.0	46.2	$24,153
Acadia Academy School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	12 Westminster Street	Lewiston	04240	Androscoggin County	Acadia Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(207) 333-3765	246	20	12.3	25.2%	222 (90.2%)	11 (4.5%)	6 (2.4%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	62.9	119^th of 290 public elementary schools	59.0%		87.3	13^th of 210 public elementary schools	93.8%	106	72.2	52.3	29.0	$15,834
Morse Street School	Public	PK, KG-2	21 Morse Street	Freeport	04032	Cumberland County	Regional School Unit 05	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 865-6361	316	27	11.6	22.2%	254 (80.4%)	25 (7.9%)	22 (7.0%)	11 (3.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)								(n/a)				$16,789
Mast Landing School	Public	3-5	20 Mollymauk Lane	Freeport	04032	Cumberland County	Regional School Unit 05	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 865-4561	281	26	10.9	22.1%	231 (82.2%)	29 (10.3%)	7 (2.5%)	6 (2.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.5%)	83.4	54^th of 290 public elementary schools	81.4%		85.1	17^th of 210 public elementary schools	91.9%	37	77.1	72.9	28.6	$18,426
Memorial School	Public	K-2	86 Intervale Road	New Gloucester	04260	Cumberland County	Regional School Unit 15/Maine School Admin District 15	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 926-4322	190	17	10.9	30.0%	185 (97.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)								(n/a)				$20,848
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
Burchard A Dunn School	Public	PK, KG-4	667 Morse Road	New Gloucester	04260	Cumberland County	Regional School Unit 15/Maine School Admin District 15	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 657-5050	349	25	14.1	30.9%	315 (90.3%)	12 (3.4%)	6 (1.7%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.2%)	83.6	53^rd of 290 public elementary schools	81.7%		68.5	59^th of 210 public elementary schools	71.9%	6	77.2	61.4		$16,457
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Durham Community School

Is Durham Community School a good school?

Durham Community School ranks 50^th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Durham Community School in?

Regional School Unit 05

How many students attend Durham Community School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 476 students attended Durham Community School.

What is the racial makeup of Durham Community School?

Students at Durham Community School are 93% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Durham Community School attend?

Students who attend Durham Community School usually go on to attend:

High : Freeport 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.