Searsport District High School

Summary:

Searsport District High School is a public high school in Searsport, Maine, serving 133 students in grades 9-12. Despite its small size, the school has experienced a significant decline in its statewide ranking, dropping from 28th out of 114 Maine high schools in 2017-2018 to 113th out of 123 in the current 2022-2023 school year. This dramatic drop suggests the school is underperforming compared to other high schools in the state.

Searsport District High School's academic performance, as measured by the percentage of students proficient or better in the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA), is consistently lower than the state and regional averages. For example, in the 2022-2023 school year, only 54.55% of Searsport District High School students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 64.63%. Additionally, the school has a significantly higher chronic absenteeism rate of 57.8%, more than double the state average of 18.8% seen at Hampden Academy. This high chronic absenteeism rate may be impacting the school's overall academic performance and graduation rates, which, while improving, still lag behind nearby schools like Bucksport High School (91.8%) and Hampden Academy (88.6%).

The analysis of Searsport District High School reveals several areas of concern, including its declining statewide ranking, high chronic absenteeism rates, and underperformance in academic achievement compared to nearby schools and state averages. Addressing these challenges through targeted interventions and a deeper understanding of the underlying factors influencing the school's performance, such as demographic and socioeconomic factors, could be crucial in improving the educational outcomes for the students of Searsport District High School, which is part of the Regional School Unit 22.

Detail:

Public 9-12

24 Mortland Road
Searsport, ME 04974

(207) 548-2313

District: Regional School Unit 20

SchoolDigger Rank:
113^th of 123 Maine High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $28,509

Feeder schools for Searsport District High School:

Elementary:	Searsport Elementary
Middle:	Searsport District Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 8.6

Number of students: 133

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.5%

Hispanic:

4.5%

Two or more races:

1.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Searsport District High School ranks worse than 91.9% of high schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.67. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Searsport District High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 (92.5%), Hispanic (4.5%), two or more races (1.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Searsport District High School is 8.6. (See more...)

Compare Searsport District High School employs 15.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Searsport District High School is $28,509.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Searsport District High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Searsport District High School 113^th of 123 Maine public high schools. (See Searsport District High School in the ranking list.)

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Rank History for Searsport District High School

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Rank History for all students at Searsport District High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile
2010	36.85	68^th	103	34.0%
2011	18.89	92^nd	105	12.4%
2012	42.47	53^rd	107	50.5%
2013	22.34	92^nd	106	13.2%
2015	2.25	97^th	98	1.0%
2016	46.82	51^st	111	54.1%
2017	42.65	60^th	111	45.9%
2018	63.15	28^th	114	75.4%
2019	18.55	104^th	114	8.8%
2023	15.67	113^th	123	8.1%

See the entire list of Maine High School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Searsport District High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	34.77	55^th	92	40.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Searsport District High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	10.90	89^th	92	3.3%

See the entire list of Best Maine High 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: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, May 9, 2022

Education is a joke. teachers are a joke. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Searsport District High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2010	195	3	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	201
2011	181	2	2	2	2	0	0	189
2012	169	4	5	0	0	1	1	180
2013	172	3	5	1	2	0	2	185
2014	145	2	3	0	0	0	0	150
2015	164	2	3	3	1	0	0	173
2016	168	2	2	5	1	0	2	180
2017	170	1	1	4	2	0	2	180
2018	156	1	1	4	1	0	3	166
2019	140	0	1	2	1	0	3	147
2020	141	0	1	3	1	0	2	148
2021	117	0	1	2	1	0	2	123
2022	132	0	1	4	2	0	0	139
2023	123	0	1	6	1	0	2	133

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 Searsport District High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	201	22.8	8.8	51.7
2011	189	22.7	8.3	67.2
2012	180	23.8	7.5	9.4
2013	185	24.1	7.6	57.3
2014	150	22.5	6.6	66
2015	173	20.0	8.6	55.5
2016	180	16.0	11.2	63.3
2017	180	16.5	10.9	57.2
2018	166	15.1	10.9	51.8
2019	147	15.3	9.6	53.7
2020	148	15.1	9.8	43.9
2021	123	14.5	8.4	48
2022	139	16.3	8.5	50.4
2023	133	15.4	8.6	55.6

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 Searsport District High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	201	22.8	8.8	51.7
2011	189	22.7	8.3	67.2
2012	180	23.8	7.5	9.4
2013	185	24.1	7.6	57.3
2014	150	22.5	6.6	66
2015	173	20.0	8.6	55.5
2016	180	16.0	11.2	63.3
2017	180	16.5	10.9	57.2
2018	166	15.1	10.9	51.8
2019	147	15.3	9.6	53.7
2020	148	15.1	9.8	43.9
2021	123	14.5	8.4	48
2022	139	16.3	8.5	50.4
2023	133	15.4	8.6	55.6

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 Searsport District High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$18,804
2019	$20,245
2020	$22,792
2021	$27,419
2022	$25,643
2023	$28,509

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Searsport District High 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 104^th of 114 High schools	Ranks 113^th of 123 High schools	0.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	147	133	9.5%
African American	0	0
American Indian	1	1
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	2	6	200%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	140	123	12.1%
Two or More Races	3	2	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.7%	55.6%	1.9%

Schools Near Searsport District High 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
Searsport District High School	Public	9-12	24 Mortland Road	Searsport	04974	Waldo County	Regional School Unit 20	No	No	No	No	(207) 548-2313	133	15	8.6	55.6%	123 (92.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.5%)	1 (0.8%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.5%)	15.7	113^th of 123 public high schools	8.1%					(n/a)	54.6	32.3	20.8	$28,509
Belfast Area High School	Public	9-12	25 Lions Way	Belfast	04915	Waldo County	Regional School Unit 71	No	No	No	No	(207) 338-1790	496	39	12.7	37.3%	438 (88.3%)	2 (0.4%)	17 (3.4%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.5%)	42.3	56^th of 123 public high schools	54.5%		44.2	70^th of 98 public high schools	28.6%	14	58.9	45.4	37.9	$18,342
Bucksport High School	Public	9-12	102 Broadway	Bucksport	04416	Hancock County	Regional School Unit 25	No	No	No	No	(207) 469-6650	356	27	13.0	42.1%	320 (89.9%)	2 (0.6%)	14 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (4.5%)	59.8	28^th of 123 public high schools	77.2%		86.4	6^th of 98 public high schools	93.9%	22	64.0	54.6	42.3	$18,228
Mt View High School	Public	9-12	577 Mount View Road	Thorndike	04986	Waldo County	Regional School Unit 03/Maine School Admin District 03	No	No	No	No	(207) 568-3255	315	26	12.0	50.5%	297 (94.3%)	3 (1.0%)	10 (3.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	11.5	116^th of 123 public high schools	5.7%		34	78^th of 98 public high schools	20.4%	38	40.8	24.5	25.7	$17,255
Deer Isle-Stonington High School	Public	9-12	251 North Deer Isle RD	Deer Isle	04627	Hancock County	Deer Isle-Stonington Central School District	No	No	No	No	(207) 348-2303	115	16	7.1	55.7%	107 (93.0%)	1 (0.9%)	4 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	2 (1.7%)	24.2	96^th of 123 public high schools	22.0%		31.1	80^th of 98 public high schools	18.4%	16	55.6	40.0	26.2	$24,966
Hampden Academy	Public	9-12	89 Western Avenue	Hampden	04444	Penobscot County	Regional School Unit 22	No	No	No	No	(207) 862-3791	811	53	15.3	22.8%	761 (93.8%)	13 (1.6%)	8 (1.0%)	7 (0.9%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	17 (2.1%)	66.8	21^st of 123 public high schools	82.9%		81.5	15^th of 98 public high schools	84.7%	6	74.3	48.6	44.5	$13,885

Frequently Asked Questions about Searsport District High School

What schools feed into Searsport District High School?

Searsport District High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Searsport Elementary
Middle : Searsport District Middle School

Is Searsport District High School a good school?

Searsport District High School ranks in the bottom 8.1% of Maine high schools.

How many students attend Searsport District High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 133 students attended Searsport District High School.

What is the racial makeup of Searsport District High School?

Students at Searsport District High School are 92% White, 5% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Searsport District High School in?

Regional School Unit 20

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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.