Maine Connections Academy

Q: Is Maine Connections Academy a good school?

Maine Connections Academy ranks 25 th of 123 Maine high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Maine Connections Academy is a public charter virtual high school serving grades 7-12 in Scarborough, Maine, with 466 students. The school has consistently outperformed the state average on standardized tests, with significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. Additionally, the school has seen a steady improvement in its four-year graduation rate, reaching 89.5% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average.

Compared to nearby traditional public high schools, such as Scarborough High School, Maine Connections Academy serves a higher percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 40.77% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. However, the school has consistently ranked highly for the performance of its low-income students, indicating that it is effectively supporting this population. The school's relatively homogeneous student population, with a higher percentage of White students compared to nearby schools like Casco Bay High School and Deering High School, is an interesting contrast.

Over the past several years, Maine Connections Academy has steadily improved its performance, moving from a ranking of 52 out of 114 Maine high schools in 2018-2019 to a ranking of 25 out of 123 in 2022-2023. This consistent improvement is a testament to the school's efforts to provide a high-quality virtual education. However, the school's higher student-teacher ratio (20.5:1 in 2022-2023) compared to the nearby traditional public high schools may be a result of its virtual learning model and is an area that may warrant further exploration.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Virtual 7-12

8 Science Park Road
Scarborough, ME 04074

(207) 805-3254

District: Maine Connections Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
25^th of 123 Maine High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,444

Student/teacher ratio: 20.5

Number of students: 466

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.5%

Two or more races:

4.1%

African American:

2.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Maine Connections Academy ranks better than 79.7% of high schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.68. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Maine Connections Academy 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 (89.5%), two or more races (4.1%), African American (2.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 40.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Maine Connections Academy is 20.5. (See more...)

Compare Maine Connections Academy employs 22.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Maine Connections Academy is $11,444.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Maine Connections Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Maine Connections Academy 25^th of 123 Maine public high schools. (See Maine Connections Academy in the ranking list.)

Maine Connections Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Maine Connections Academy 33^rd of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Maine Connections Academy

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Rank History for all students at Maine Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile
2016	53.92	41^st	111	63.1%
2017	46.20	55^th	111	50.5%
2018	47.34	53^rd	114	53.5%
2019	42.50	52^nd	114	54.4%
2021	94.07	2^nd	82	97.6%
2022	82.27	11^th	98	88.8%
2023	63.68	25^th	123	79.7%

See the entire list of Maine High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Maine Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	83.69	12^th	76	84.2%
2021	99.02	1^st	13	92.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Maine Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	42.92	48^th	92	47.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Maine Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	29.17	65^th	92	29.3%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Maine Connections Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2015	231	4	5	5	3	0	8	256
2016	355	4	6	9	4	0	12	390
2017	355	10	6	13	7	1	16	408
2018	365	10	4	11	5	0	11	406
2019	377	14	5	9	5	0	21	431
2020	355	13	3	14	4	0	21	410
2021	410	14	4	7	2	0	21	458
2022	430	11	4	4	4	0	16	469
2023	417	11	5	9	5	0	19	466

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 Maine Connections Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	256	8.0	32.0	52
2016	390	10.0	39.0	48.5
2017	408	12.9	31.6	49.3
2018	406	13.9	29.2	40.4
2019	431	19.4	22.2	39.9
2020	410	18.4	22.2	44.4
2021	458	20.0	22.9	39.5
2022	469	21.7	21.6	39
2023	466	22.7	20.5	40.8

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 Maine Connections Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	256	8.0	32.0	52
2016	390	10.0	39.0	48.5
2017	408	12.9	31.6	49.3
2018	406	13.9	29.2	40.4
2019	431	19.4	22.2	39.9
2020	410	18.4	22.2	44.4
2021	458	20.0	22.9	39.5
2022	469	21.7	21.6	39
2023	466	22.7	20.5	40.8

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 Maine Connections Academy

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$10,023
2019	$9,405
2020	$10,221
2021	$10,303
2022	$11,069
2023	$11,444

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Maine Connections Academy

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 52^nd of 114 High schools	Ranks 25^th of 123 High schools	25.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine Connections Academy)	65.9	90.4	24.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine Connections Academy)	65.9	90.4	24.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Maine Connections Academy)	29.1	92.3	63.2%
All Grades Mathematics (Maine Connections Academy)	29.1	92.3	63.2%
All Grades Mathematics (Maine)	35.7	81.3	45.7%
All Grades Science (Maine Connections Academy)	60.8	54	6.8%
All Grades Science (Maine Connections Academy)	60.8	54	6.8%
All Grades Science (Maine)	60	37	23%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	431	466	8.1%
African American	14	11	21.4%
American Indian	5	5
Asian	5	5
Hispanic	9	9
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	377	417	10.6%
Two or More Races	21	19	9.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	39.9%	40.8%	0.9%

Schools Near Maine Connections Academy

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
Maine Connections Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter	7-12	8 Science Park Road	Scarborough	04074	Cumberland County	Maine Connections Academy	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(207) 805-3254	466	23	20.5	40.8%	417 (89.5%)	11 (2.4%)	9 (1.9%)	5 (1.1%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.1%)	63.7	25^th of 123 public high schools	79.7%		82.3	11^th of 98 public high schools	88.8%	14	78.0	33.3	57.5	$11,444
Scarborough High School	Public	9-12	11 Municipal Drive	Scarborough	04074	Cumberland County	Scarborough Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 730-5000	907	80	11.3	8.2%	790 (87.1%)	49 (5.4%)	13 (1.4%)	50 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	93.9	4^th of 123 public high schools	96.7%		67.6	29^th of 98 public high schools	70.4%	25	83.3	67.4	64.0	$20,630
Arthur R. Gould School--LCYDC	Public	7-12	675 Westbrook Street	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	Arthur R. Gould School--LCYDC	No	No	No	No	(207) 822-2660	9	0	1.5	66.7%	6 (66.7%)	2 (22.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (11.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
South Portland High School	Public	9-12	637 Highland Avenue	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 767-3266	1,019	76	13.4	26.6%	645 (63.3%)	209 (20.5%)	80 (7.9%)	39 (3.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (4.3%)	19.6	107^th of 123 public high schools	13.0%		16.4	92^nd of 98 public high schools	6.1%	15	57.9	29.9	24.4	$16,728
Deering High School	Public	9-12	370 Stevens Avenue	Portland	04103	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 874-8260	750	61	12.3	54.1%	318 (42.4%)	260 (34.7%)	80 (10.7%)	46 (6.1%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (5.6%)	9.5	118^th of 123 public high schools	4.1%		0	98^th of 98 public high schools	0.0%	20	48.4	31.6	17.1	$21,088
Portland High School	Public	9-12	284 Cumberland AV	Portland	04101	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 874-8250	952	69	13.8	32.9%	505 (53.0%)	206 (21.6%)	133 (14.0%)	39 (4.1%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (6.9%)	36.1	73^rd of 123 public high schools	40.7%		26.4	84^th of 98 public high schools	14.3%	11	56.2	46.7	33.6	$17,468
Baxter Academy for Technical & Sciences	Public, Charter	9-12	185 Lancaster Street	Portland	04101	Cumberland County	Baxter Academy for Technology and Science	Yes	No	No	No	(207) 699-5500	355	26	13.8	16.9%	314 (88.5%)	13 (3.7%)	10 (2.8%)	10 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.3%)	98	1^st of 123 public high schools	99.2%		87.8	5^th of 98 public high schools	94.9%	4			65.6	$14,487
Cape Elizabeth High School	Public	9-12	345 Ocean House Road	Cape Elizabeth	04107	Cumberland County	Cape Elizabeth Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 799-3309	518	43	12.1	5.2%	463 (89.4%)	8 (1.5%)	20 (3.9%)	16 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.9%)	94.8	3^rd of 123 public high schools	97.6%		81.9	13^th of 98 public high schools	86.7%	10	87.5	68.0	63.0	$23,165
Westbrook High School	Public	9-12	125 Stroudwater Street	Westbrook	04092	Cumberland County	Westbrook Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 854-0810	711	55	12.9	59.2%	468 (65.8%)	133 (18.7%)	35 (4.9%)	42 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	32 (4.5%)	21.3	101^st of 123 public high schools	17.9%		25.4	86^th of 98 public high schools	12.2%	15	55.0	38.9	23.6	$16,063
Casco Bay High School	Public	9-12	196 Allen Avenue	Portland	04103	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 874-8160	382	30	12.8	34.0%	204 (53.4%)	105 (27.5%)	30 (7.9%)	24 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.0%)	48.7	43^rd of 123 public high schools	65.0%		63.8	35^th of 98 public high schools	64.3%	8	69.2	46.3	31.1	$16,387

Frequently Asked Questions about Maine Connections Academy

Is Maine Connections Academy a good school?

Maine Connections Academy ranks 25^th of 123 Maine high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Maine Connections Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 466 students attended Maine Connections Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Maine Connections Academy?

Students at Maine Connections Academy are 89% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American, 2% Hispanic, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian.

What district is Maine Connections Academy in?

Maine Connections Academy

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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.