There were 81 Hispanic students enrolled in Waldo County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 9.5% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.
Data showed that Hispanic students made up 2% of the 3,962 students in Waldo County schools at the time. They were the third most represented ethnicity.
Among the 25 schools in the county, Belfast Area High School recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 17 students.
Recent data from Maine’s public schools for the 2023-2024 school year reveal a noticeable growth in Hispanic, Black and multiracial enrollment over the past decade. While over 85% of students still identify as white, this shows a slow but steady increase in diversity within the state schools.
Despite these shifts, Maine’s public school enrollment remains about 4% below pre-pandemic levels, despite a slight rebound from the sharp drop during the 2020-21 school year. The decline is partly due to an increase in homeschooling and more students completing high school early through college courses and adult education.
A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Education also mentioned in an interview with Maine Public some other pandemic-related factors persist, with “some parents choosing not to enroll younger children in school and older students who took on jobs to support their families during the pandemic and who are still counted on to provide that support.”
| School Name | Hispanic Students Enrollment | Total Enrollment | % of Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast Area High School | 17 | 490 | 3.5% |
| Troy A. Howard Middle School | 8 | 348 | 2.3% |
| Mt. View High School | 10 | 295 | 3.4% |
| Leroy H. Smith School | 2 | 264 | 0.8% |
| Captain Albert W. Stevens School | 4 | 252 | 1.6% |
| Mt. View Middle School | 1 | 222 | 0.5% |
| Mt. View Elementary School | 8 | 217 | 3.7% |
| Searsport Elementary School | 0 | 209 | — |
| Samuel L. Wagner Middle School | 4 | 208 | 1.9% |
| Lincolnville Central School | 1 | 203 | 0.5% |
| Searsport District High School | 6 | 128 | 4.7% |
| Ames Elementary School | 2 | 124 | 1.6% |
| Palermo Consolidated School | 2 | 120 | 1.7% |
| Morse Memorial School | 0 | 101 | — |
| East Belfast School | 2 | 99 | 2% |
| Ecology Learning Center | 0 | 99 | — |
| Searsport District Middle School | 3 | 92 | 3.3% |
| Edna Drinkwater School | 1 | 82 | 1.2% |
| Islesboro Central School | 0 | 78 | — |
| Gladys Weymouth Elementary School | 3 | 77 | 3.9% |
| Monroe Elementary School | 2 | 66 | 3% |
| Walker Memorial School | 3 | 62 | 4.8% |
| Kermit S. Nickerson School | 1 | 54 | 1.9% |
| Troy Central School | 0 | 52 | — |
| Unity Elementary School | 1 | 20 | 5% |