Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

James Otis Kaler Elementary School

Q: Is James Otis Kaler Elementary School a good school?

James Otis Kaler Elementary School ranks 63 rd of 289 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

63^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 289 Maine Elementary Schools

Better than 78% of Maine elementary schools

Summary

James Otis Kaler Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 179 students in grades PK-4 in South Portland, Maine. The school is part of the South Portland Public Schools district, which is ranked 39 out of 176 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

James Otis Kaler Elementary School has consistently strong academic performance, with 67.35% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 76% proficient or better in Mathematics on the Maine Educational Assessments (MEA) in 2024-2025. The school performs particularly well for certain student subgroups, ranking 1st out of 20 Maine elementary schools for English Language Learner students and 17th out of 192 for Special Education students, both with 5-star ratings. However, the school has seen an increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.3% in 2021-2022 to 23.4% in 2023-2024, which is an area of concern.

When compared to other elementary schools in the South Portland district, James Otis Kaler Elementary generally performs better academically. For example, in 2024-2025, it had higher proficiency rates in both English Language Arts (67.35% vs. 57.55% at Waldo T Skillin Elementary) and Mathematics (76% vs. 58.16% at Waldo T Skillin). However, the school lags behind some of the top-performing elementary schools in the region, such as Pond Cove Elementary in Cape Elizabeth, which ranked 1st in the state in 2024-2025 with 88.79% proficiency in English Language Arts and 90.65% in Mathematics.

179

Students ?

8.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$29,111

Per pupil spending ?

59.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

165 South Kelsey Street
South Portland, ME 04106

(207) 799-3214

District: South Portland Public Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.6%

African American:

22.3%

Hispanic:

16.2%

See top rated Maine elementary schools

Compare James Otis Kaler Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 4th percentile in 2015 → 78th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maine average (72% vs 57% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 22% of Maine elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 74 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Near the bottom of South Portland Public Schools's ranking

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school72%

District avg61%

Maine avg57%

63^rd of 289

Maine public elementary schools ?

Top 22%▲ up 75 pts since 2015

From bottom 4% (2015) to top 22% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Maine Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 5Elementary Schools in the South Portland Public Schools

39^th of 176South Portland Public Schools among Maine districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maine percentile	Rating
2025	78.4	63 of 289	78.2%	★★★★☆
2024	72.6	84 of 288	70.8%	★★★★☆
2023	56.1	141 of 290	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	20.3	166 of 210	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.9	182 of 228	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	40.5	164 of 258	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.2	123 of 254	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	26.0	212 of 256	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	14.7	241 of 255	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	13.6	274 of 284	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	5.7	258 of 261	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	35.3	202 of 258	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	14.6	176 of 186	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	12.7	189 of 193	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	19.3	200 of 209	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	32.5	150 of 195	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	50.0	102 of 198	48.5%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maine percentile	Rating
2025	73.2	10 of 28	64.3%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maine percentile	Rating
2025	98.4	1 of 20	95.0%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maine percentile	Rating
2025	53.7	133 of 251	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	4.6	83 of 90	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	23.2	135 of 153	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maine percentile	Rating
2021	2.5	61 of 64	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maine percentile	Rating
2025	73.6	81 of 251	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	35.5	61 of 90	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	40.0	100 of 153	34.6%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maine percentile	Rating
2025	93.6	17 of 192	91.1%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maine percentile	Rating
2025	85.3	25 of 150	83.3%	★★★★☆
2021	44.0	16 of 31	48.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.5	24 of 48	50.0%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2025)95th percentile+17 vs school

Special Education (2025)91st percentile+13 vs school

White (2025)83rd percentile+5 vs school

Male (2025)68th percentile-10 vs school

African American (2025)64th percentile-14 vs school

Female (2025)47th percentile-31 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)5th percentile-15 vs school

By subject vs Maine (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics76%+27 vs state

English Language Arts67%+4 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate James Otis Kaler Elementary School and help other families decide.

Rate James Otis Kaler Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near James Otis Kaler Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MEA English Language Arts (2025)	MEA Mathematics (2025)	MEA Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MEA English Language Arts All Grades	MEA Mathematics All Grades	MEA Science All Grades	Total
James Otis Kaler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	165 South Kelsey Street	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 799-3214	179	22	8.0	59.2%	87 (48.6%)	40 (22.3%)	29 (16.2%)	10 (5.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (6.7%)	78.4	63^rd of 289 public elementary schools	78.2%		72.6	84^th of 288 public elementary schools	70.8%	21	67.4	76.0		$29,111
Dyer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	52 Alfred Street	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 799-4845	194	20	9.5	28.4%	148 (76.3%)	20 (10.3%)	10 (5.2%)	5 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.7%)	78.8	60^th of 289 public elementary schools	79.2%		73.7	81^st of 288 public elementary schools	71.9%	21	67.1	77.8		$28,410
Frank I Brown Elementary School	Public	K-4	37 Highland AVE	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 799-5196	213	21	10.3	32.4%	141 (66.2%)	37 (17.4%)	16 (7.5%)	5 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.6%)	91.2	23^rd of 289 public elementary schools	92.0%		82.5	46^th of 288 public elementary schools	84.0%	23	77.1	77.4		$26,403
Howard C Reiche Community School	Public	PK, KG-5	166 Brackett ST	Portland	04102	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 874-8175	467	45	10.2	72.8%	134 (28.7%)	209 (44.8%)	100 (21.4%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.9%)	12.8	269^th of 289 public elementary schools	6.9%		13.4	267^th of 288 public elementary schools	7.3%	2	49.5	35.5	14.7	$24,645
Waldo T Skillin Elementary School	Public	K-4	180 Wescott Road	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 773-7375	302	32	9.3	61.3%	137 (45.4%)	100 (33.1%)	38 (12.6%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.3%)	48.9	170^th of 289 public elementary schools	41.2%		74.3	79^th of 288 public elementary schools	72.6%	91	57.6	58.2		$28,012
Dora L Small Elementary School	Public	K-4	87 Thompson Street	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 799-7676	193	21	9.4	28.0%	159 (82.4%)	11 (5.7%)	5 (2.6%)	2 (1.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.8%)	84.1	45^th of 289 public elementary schools	84.4%		90.8	23^rd of 288 public elementary schools	92.0%	22	71.6	74.7		$31,373
Pond Cove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	12 Scott Dyer Road	Cape Elizabeth	04107	Cumberland County	Cape Elizabeth Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 799-7339	579	45	12.8	8.6%	482 (83.2%)	5 (0.9%)	49 (8.5%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.0%)	98.8	1^st of 289 public elementary schools	99.7%		98.3	1^st of 288 public elementary schools	99.7%		88.8	90.7		$24,231
East End Community School	Public	PK, KG-5	195 North ST	Portland	04101	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 874-8228	391	40	9.7	77.2%	109 (27.9%)	190 (48.6%)	48 (12.3%)	21 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.9%)	14.2	266^th of 289 public elementary schools	8.0%		24.8	250^th of 288 public elementary schools	13.2%	16	45.7	40.7	10.0	$27,726
Pleasant Hill School	Public	K-2	143 Highland Avenue	Scarborough	04074	Cumberland County	Scarborough Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 730-5250	180	16	11.2	11.1%	160 (88.9%)	5 (2.8%)	4 (2.2%)	3 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.4%)								(n/a)				$27,265
Longfellow School-Portland	Public	PK, KG-5	432 Stevens AV	Portland	04103	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 874-8195	263	23	11.4	27.0%	205 (77.9%)	22 (8.4%)	10 (3.8%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (8.7%)	98	2^nd of 289 public elementary schools	99.3%		95.7	5^th of 288 public elementary schools	98.3%	3	87.9	82.1	76.3	$24,255

Frequently Asked Questions about James Otis Kaler Elementary School

What district is James Otis Kaler Elementary School in?

South Portland Public Schools

How many students attend James Otis Kaler Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 179 students attended James Otis Kaler Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of James Otis Kaler Elementary School?

Students at James Otis Kaler Elementary School are 49% White, 22% African American, 16% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 6% Asian.

Is James Otis Kaler Elementary School a good school?

James Otis Kaler Elementary School ranks 63^rd of 289 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of James Otis Kaler Elementary School attend?

Students who attend James Otis Kaler Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : South Portland High School

Rate James Otis Kaler Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MEMaine Elementary School Rankings

MEMaine District Rankings

Schools in South Portland, ME

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for James Otis Kaler Elementary School!

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.