Searsport District Middle School

Summary:

Searsport District Middle School is a small public middle school serving grades 6-8 in the town of Searsport, Maine, with a student population of just 101 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school faces significant challenges, with academic performance that consistently ranks in the bottom half of Maine middle schools and proficiency rates well below state and regional averages.

Searsport District Middle School's academic struggles are compounded by high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching nearly 50% in the current school year. This is more than double the rates of nearby schools like Camden-Rockport Middle School and Reeds Brook Middle School. The school also serves a population with significant socioeconomic challenges, with 58.42% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to just 14.8% and 24.06% at the nearby schools, respectively.

The stark contrast in educational outcomes between Searsport District Middle School and its higher-performing counterparts is concerning. While the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, its academic performance, as measured by state rankings and proficiency rates, has been declining over the years, dropping from a ranking of 49 out of 97 Maine middle schools in 2014-2015 to 89 out of 96 in the current school year. This suggests that the school may need to implement targeted interventions and strategies to address the underlying issues and improve educational opportunities for its students.

Detail:

Public 6-8

26 Mortland Road
Searsport, ME 04974

(207) 548-2313

District: Regional School Unit 20

SchoolDigger Rank:
89^th of 96 Maine Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $25,464

Students who attend Searsport District Middle School usually attend:

High:

Searsport District High School

Feeder schools for Searsport District Middle School:

Elementary:

Searsport Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 9.9

Number of students: 111

Racial breakdown:

White:

95.5%

Hispanic:

1.8%

Two or more races:

1.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 69.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Searsport District Middle School ranks worse than 92.7% of middle schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.17. (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 (95.5%), Hispanic (1.8%), two or more races (1.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 69.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Searsport District Middle School is 9.9. (See more...)

Compare Searsport District Middle School employs 11.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Searsport District Middle School is $25,464.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Searsport District Middle School 89^th of 96 Maine public middle schools. (See Searsport District Middle School in the ranking list.)

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Rank History for Searsport District Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Searsport District Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile
2012	19.40	78^th	86	9.3%
2013	36.28	65^th	87	25.3%
2015	47.20	49^th	97	49.5%
2016	35.06	51^st	85	40.0%
2017	24.33	74^th	87	14.9%
2018	22.12	74^th	85	12.9%
2019	12.89	83^rd	86	3.5%
2022	13.17	82^nd	93	11.8%
2023	16.17	89^th	96	7.3%

See the entire list of Maine Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Searsport District Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	43.20	39^th	64	39.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Searsport District Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	13.27	73^rd	78	6.4%

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

Rank History for Male students at Searsport District Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	23.31	66^th	78	15.4%

See the entire list of Best Maine Middle 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

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Enrollment information for Searsport District Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2010	155	3	2	1	2	n/a	n/a	163
2011	147	3	2	0	3	0	0	155
2012	157	2	0	2	5	0	0	166
2013	170	3	3	2	4	0	1	183
2014	147	0	2	3	2	0	2	156
2015	125	0	2	1	0	0	3	131
2016	94	1	0	1	0	0	3	99
2017	98	1	0	3	1	0	1	104
2018	111	0	0	4	1	0	1	117
2019	110	0	1	4	1	0	1	117
2020	90	0	0	2	0	0	1	93
2021	88	0	0	2	0	0	0	90
2022	95	1	0	2	0	0	2	100
2023	96	1	0	2	0	0	2	101
2024	106	1	0	2	0	0	2	111

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 Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	163	14.6	11.1	64.4
2011	155	14.0	11.0	65.2
2012	166	13.4	12.3	n/a
2013	183	13.5	13.5	63.9
2014	156	14.5	10.6	71.8
2015	131	15.0	8.7	67.2
2016	99	11.0	9.0	61.6
2017	104	9.1	11.4	57.7
2018	117	8.8	13.2	60.7
2019	117	9.9	11.8	65
2020	93	8.8	10.5	53.8
2021	90	8.9	10.1	56.7
2022	100	9.6	10.4	57
2023	101	9.7	10.4	58.4
2024	111	11.2	9.9	69.4

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 Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	163	14.6	11.1	64.4
2011	155	14.0	11.0	65.2
2012	166	13.4	12.3	n/a
2013	183	13.5	13.5	63.9
2014	156	14.5	10.6	71.8
2015	131	15.0	8.7	67.2
2016	99	11.0	9.0	61.6
2017	104	9.1	11.4	57.7
2018	117	8.8	13.2	60.7
2019	117	9.9	11.8	65
2020	93	8.8	10.5	53.8
2021	90	8.9	10.1	56.7
2022	100	9.6	10.4	57
2023	101	9.7	10.4	58.4
2024	111	11.2	9.9	69.4

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 Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$15,657
2019	$18,823
2020	$21,142
2021	$27,099
2022	$25,766
2023	$25,464

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Searsport District Middle 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 83^rd of 86 Middle schools	Ranks 89^th of 96 Middle schools	3.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Searsport District Middle School)	37.8	75.6	37.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Regional School Unit 20)	40.6	77.6	37%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	117	101	13.7%
African American	0	1
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	4	2	50%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	110	96	12.7%
Two or More Races	1	2	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	65%	58.4%	6.5%

Schools Near Searsport District Middle 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 Middle School	Public	6-8	26 Mortland Road	Searsport	04974	Waldo County	Regional School Unit 20	No	No	No	No	(207) 548-2313	111	11	9.9	69.4%	106 (95.5%)	1 (0.9%)	2 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)	16.2	89^th of 96 public middle schools	7.3%		13.2	82^nd of 93 public middle schools	11.8%	7	48.3	26.1	50.0	$25,464
Troy A Howard Middle School	Public	6-8	173 Lincolnville Avenue	Belfast	04915	Waldo County	Regional School Unit 71	No	No	No	No	(207) 338-3320	343	32	10.7	47.2%	308 (89.8%)	2 (0.6%)	7 (2.0%)	5 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (5.5%)	28.7	75^th of 96 public middle schools	21.9%		19.5	78^th of 93 public middle schools	16.1%	3	56.9	34.8	43.5	$18,620
Bucksport Middle School	Public	5-8	100 Miles Lane	Bucksport	04416	Hancock County	Regional School Unit 25	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 469-6647	291	28	10.3	46.0%	270 (92.8%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (2.1%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.1%)	38.7	62^nd of 96 public middle schools	35.4%		37.7	64^th of 93 public middle schools	31.2%	2	65.9	37.3	31.6	$18,669
Samuel L Wagner Middle School	Public	5-8	19 Williams Way	Winterport	04496	Waldo County	Regional School Unit 22	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 223-4309	198	16	12.6	42.9%	187 (94.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	6 (3.0%)	51.9	36^th of 96 public middle schools	62.5%		47.4	55^th of 93 public middle schools	40.9%	19	67.3	47.2	35.0	$16,704
Mt View Middle School	Public	6-8	575 Mount View Road	Thorndike	04986	Waldo County	Regional School Unit 03/Maine School Admin District 03	No	No	No	No	(207) 568-7561	235	22	10.9	58.7%	217 (92.3%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.5%)	13.2	93^rd of 96 public middle schools	3.1%		0.6	93^rd of 93 public middle schools	0.0%		48.8	28.3	33.8	$17,335
Camden-Rockport Middle School	Public	5-8	34 Knowlton Street	Camden	04843	Knox County	Regional School Unit 28/Maine School Admin District 28	No	No	No	No	(207) 236-7805	357	34	10.3	18.5%	337 (94.4%)	4 (1.1%)	3 (0.8%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.2%)	82.6	12^th of 96 public middle schools	87.5%		84.6	10^th of 93 public middle schools	89.2%	2	84.7	59.0	44.0	$23,249
Reeds Brook Middle School	Public	6-8	28A Main Road South	Hampden	04444	Penobscot County	Regional School Unit 22	No	No	No	No	(207) 862-3540	335	24	13.9	19.1%	305 (91.0%)	2 (0.6%)	4 (1.2%)	4 (1.2%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)	16 (4.8%)	94.4	5^th of 96 public middle schools	94.8%		90.8	6^th of 93 public middle schools	93.5%	1	85.0	68.7	71.2	$14,947

Frequently Asked Questions about Searsport District Middle School

What high school do graduates of Searsport District Middle School attend?

Students who attend Searsport District Middle School usually go on to attend Searsport District High School

Is Searsport District Middle School a good school?

Searsport District Middle School ranks in the bottom 7.3% of Maine middle schools.

How many students attend Searsport District Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 111 students attended Searsport District Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Searsport District Middle School?

Students at Searsport District Middle School are 95% White, 2% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Searsport District Middle 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.