Searsport District Middle School

Summary:

Searsport District Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Searsport, Maine, with a relatively small student population of 111. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Maine middle schools over the past several years and has received below-average performance ratings compared to other schools in the state.

Searsport District Middle School faces several challenges, including significantly lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to state and regional averages. The school also experiences high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 23.4% to 44.3% in recent years, which is notably higher than the nearby Camden-Rockport Middle School and Reeds Brook Middle School. Additionally, Searsport District Middle School has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 57-69.37% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools.

The stark contrast between Searsport District Middle School and the higher-performing nearby schools highlights the potential for improvement. Understanding the practices and strategies employed by these successful schools could provide valuable insights for Searsport District Middle School to enhance its own performance. Additionally, addressing the root causes of the school's challenges, such as chronic absenteeism and the unique needs of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, could be crucial steps in improving the school's overall outcomes. Opportunities for collaboration and resource sharing within the Regional School Unit 20 district may also help Searsport District Middle School leverage the expertise and resources available in the local educational community.

Detail:

Public 6-8

26 Mortland Road
Searsport, ME 04974

(207) 548-2313

District: Regional School Unit 20

SchoolDigger Rank:
91^st of 92 Maine Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $31,921

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 98.9% of middle schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6.44. (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 $31,921. (See more...)

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Searsport District Middle School 91^st of 92 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%
2024	6.44	91^st	92	1.1%

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
2024	$31,921

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 (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MEA English Language Arts (2024)	MEA Mathematics (2024)	MEA Science (2024)	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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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%)	6.4	91^st of 92 public middle schools	1.1%		16.2	89^th of 96 public middle schools	7.3%	2	48.5	19.0	18.5	$31,921
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%)	31	66^th of 92 public middle schools	28.3%		28.7	75^th of 96 public middle schools	21.9%	9	56.0	41.4	35.9	$24,384
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%)	35.3	60^th of 92 public middle schools	34.8%		38.7	62^nd of 96 public middle schools	35.4%	2	64.3	32.1	33.8	$22,658
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%)	48.9	40^th of 92 public middle schools	56.5%		51.9	36^th of 96 public middle schools	62.5%	4	68.7	42.1	34.1	$21,170
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%)	28	72^nd of 92 public middle schools	21.7%		13.2	93^rd of 96 public middle schools	3.1%	21	59.2	28.8	40.3	$23,344
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%)	80.8	12^th of 92 public middle schools	87.0%		82.6	12^th of 96 public middle schools	87.5%		83.0	59.1	40.7	$27,730
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%)	93.6	6^th of 92 public middle schools	93.5%		94.4	5^th of 96 public middle schools	94.8%	1	87.0	67.7	65.9	$19,166

Frequently Asked Questions about 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

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

How many students attend Searsport District Middle School?

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

Is Searsport District Middle School a good school?

Searsport District Middle School ranks in the bottom 1.1% of Maine middle schools.

Rate Searsport District Middle School!

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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.