Dirigo Elementary School

Summary:

Dirigo Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Peru, Maine, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 359 students. The school is part of the Andover Public Schools district, which is ranked 169 out of 177 districts in Maine and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Dirigo Elementary School faces several challenges, including declining academic performance, high rates of poverty and chronic absenteeism, and a lack of racial diversity compared to the state and nearby schools. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (50.58%), Mathematics (44.12%), and Science (9.62%) for the 2022-2023 school year are all below the state averages and the scores of surrounding schools like Andover Elementary School and Woodstock School. Additionally, Dirigo Elementary has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (45.96%) and a chronic absenteeism rate of 22%, both of which are significantly higher than the state average and many nearby schools.

While some nearby schools, such as Andover Elementary School and Woodstock School, perform better academically and have higher rankings, others, like Agnes Gray School and Spruce Mountain Primary School, face similar challenges to Dirigo Elementary School. Addressing the issues of declining performance, high poverty and absenteeism rates, and lack of diversity may be crucial for improving the overall quality and student outcomes at Dirigo Elementary School.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

117 Auburn Road
Peru, ME 04290

(207) 562-4207

District: Regional School Unit 56

SchoolDigger Rank:
256^th of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,188

Students who attend Dirigo Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School
High:	Dirigo High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.3

Number of students: 355

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.1%

Two or more races:

4.2%

Hispanic:

1.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dirigo Elementary School ranks worse than 88.3% of elementary schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.95. (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 (92.1%), two or more races (4.2%), Hispanic (1.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dirigo Elementary School is 12.3. (See more...)

Compare Dirigo Elementary School employs 28.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dirigo Elementary School is $18,188.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Dirigo Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Regional School Unit 56:

SchoolDigger ranks Regional School Unit 56 169^th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Dirigo Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Dirigo Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2017	15.34	242^nd	256	5.5%
2018	26.29	207^th	254	18.5%
2019	22.54	222^nd	258	14.0%
2021	10.27	195^th	228	14.5%
2022	12.69	184^th	210	12.4%
2023	20.95	256^th	290	11.7%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dirigo Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	24.45	73^rd	82	11.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Dirigo Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	15.63	145^th	153	5.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Dirigo Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	30.43	118^th	153	22.9%

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

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Enrollment information for Dirigo Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2018	365	4	2	2	1	1	375
2019	374	5	2	4	1	1	387
2020	371	7	2	5	1	3	389
2021	324	6	1	6	1	8	346
2022	321	4	1	7	1	14	348
2023	334	5	1	7	2	10	359
2024	327	5	1	6	1	15	355

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 Dirigo Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	375	26.0	14.4	60.3
2019	387	29.1	13.2	59.4
2020	389	28.8	13.5	62.2
2021	346	29.3	11.8	56.1
2022	348	30.6	11.3	50
2023	359	30.6	11.7	46
2024	355	28.8	12.3	50.1

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 Dirigo Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	375	26.0	14.4	60.3
2019	387	29.1	13.2	59.4
2020	389	28.8	13.5	62.2
2021	346	29.3	11.8	56.1
2022	348	30.6	11.3	50
2023	359	30.6	11.7	46
2024	355	28.8	12.3	50.1

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 Dirigo Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$14,339
2020	$14,255
2021	$18,570
2022	$17,517
2023	$18,188

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dirigo Elementary 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 222^nd of 258 Elementary schools	Ranks 256^th of 290 Elementary schools	2.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Dirigo Elementary School)	44.3	77.6	33.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Regional School Unit 56)	44.4	76.7	32.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Dirigo Elementary School)	28	70.6	42.6%
All Grades Mathematics (Regional School Unit 56)	18.6	73.2	54.6%
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	387	359	7.2%
African American	5	5
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	4	7	75%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	374	334	10.7%
Two or More Races	1	10	900%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	59.4%	46%	13.5%

Schools Near Dirigo Elementary 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
Dirigo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	117 Auburn Road	Peru	04290	Oxford County	Regional School Unit 56	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 562-4207	355	29	12.3	50.1%	327 (92.1%)	5 (1.4%)	6 (1.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (4.2%)	20.9	256^th of 290 public elementary schools	11.7%		12.7	184^th of 210 public elementary schools	12.4%	72	50.6	44.1	9.6	$18,188
Meroby Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	21 Cross Street	Mexico	04257	Oxford County	Regional School Unit 10	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 364-3714	241	24	9.8	69.3%	219 (90.9%)	5 (2.1%)	11 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.5%)	28.1	233^rd of 290 public elementary schools	19.7%					(n/a)	34.5	51.7		$20,285
Rumford Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	121 Lincoln Avenue	Rumford	04276	Oxford County	Regional School Unit 10	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 364-8155	241	24	10.0	81.3%	202 (83.8%)	1 (0.4%)	21 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.8%)	10.8	280^th of 290 public elementary schools	3.4%		35.8	139^th of 210 public elementary schools	33.8%	141	42.4	36.4		$20,462
Hartford-Sumner Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	145 Main Street	Sumner	04292	Oxford County	Regional School Unit 10	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 388-2681	289	26	11.2	50.2%	284 (98.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	46.4	178^th of 290 public elementary schools	38.6%		38.6	129^th of 210 public elementary schools	38.6%	49	65.2	47.8	19.4	$19,349
Gerald D Cushing School	Public	PK, KG-1	21 Cushing Dr	Wilton	04294	Franklin County	Regional School Unit 09	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 645-2442	101	11	9.2	46.5%	95 (94.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.0%)								(n/a)				$20,176
Academy Hill School	Public	2-5	585 Depot St	Wilton	04294	Franklin County	Regional School Unit 09	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 645-4488	182	16	11.6	53.8%	175 (96.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.7%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	35.7	212^th of 290 public elementary schools	26.9%		61	79^th of 210 public elementary schools	62.4%	133	55.6	51.6	20.5	$17,914
Spruce Mountain Elementary School	Public	3-5	12 Tiger Drive	Jay	04239	Franklin County	Regional School Unit 73	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 897-5719	297	29	10.2	66.0%	276 (92.9%)	2 (0.7%)	9 (3.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	25.9	239^th of 290 public elementary schools	17.6%		3	200^th of 210 public elementary schools	4.8%	39	61.6	36.1	5.7	$18,001
Woodstock School	Public	K-5	224 Rumford Avenue	Bryant Pond	04219	Oxford County	Regional School Unit 44/Maine School Admin District 44	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 665-2228	58	5	11.1	46.6%	53 (91.4%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (6.9%)	84.2	51^st of 290 public elementary schools	82.4%					(n/a)	78.8	60.6		$17,261
Spruce Mountain Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	107 Gibbs Mill Road	Livermore	04253	Androscoggin County	Regional School Unit 73	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 897-3355	359	31	11.5	61.3%	337 (93.9%)	5 (1.4%)	10 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)								(n/a)				$16,232
Agnes Gray School	Public	PK, KG-6	170 Main Street	West Paris	04289	Oxford County	Regional School Unit 17/Maine School Admin District 17	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 674-2332	122	11	10.9	59.8%	115 (94.3%)	1 (0.8%)	2 (1.6%)	1 (0.8%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	30.5	225^th of 290 public elementary schools	22.4%		10.6	188^th of 210 public elementary schools	10.5%	37	59.4	40.0	29.4	$15,287

Frequently Asked Questions about Dirigo Elementary School

How many students attend Dirigo Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 355 students attended Dirigo Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Dirigo Elementary School?

Students at Dirigo Elementary School are 92% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic, 1% African American.

Is Dirigo Elementary School a good school?

Dirigo Elementary School ranks in the bottom 11.7% of Maine elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Dirigo Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Dirigo Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School
High : Dirigo High School

What district is Dirigo Elementary School in?

Regional School Unit 56

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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.