Sumner Middle School

Sumner Middle School is a public middle school located in Sullivan, Maine, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 166 students. The school is part of the Regional School Unit 24 district, which is ranked 99 out of 176 districts in Maine and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Sumner Middle School has consistently underperformed compared to the regional and state averages in standardized test scores, with proficiency rates of 59.15% in English Language Arts, 20.98% in Mathematics, and 38.3% in Science, all of which were lower than the Regional School Unit 24 and Maine state averages. The school has also experienced high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 23.4% to 32.6% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, 46.99% of Sumner Middle School's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

However, the school's relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.8 to 11.9 over the past few years, could be a positive factor, as it may allow for more individualized attention and support for students. Additionally, the school's special education students performed relatively well, ranking 42 out of 86 Maine middle schools, suggesting that the school may be providing effective support for this population. Despite these strengths, Sumner Middle School's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past few years, from 92 out of 96 Maine middle schools in 2022-2023 to 76 out of 91 in 2024-2025, indicating that the school may be facing challenges in maintaining or improving its academic performance.