Mid Coast Today

There were 3,881 white students enrolled in Lincoln County ditricts in the 2022-23 school year, 0.3% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that white students made up 94.4% of the 4,111 students in Lincoln County ditricts during the 2022-23 school year. They were the most represented ethnicity.

Among the 15 districts in Lincoln County, Regional School Unit 12 recorded the highest enrollment of white students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 1,389 students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Lincoln County.

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."

District Name	White Students Enrollment	Total Enrollment	% of Total Enrollment
Regional School Unit 12	1,389	1,471	94.4%
Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District	377	407	92.6%
Great Salt Bay Community School District	357	381	93.7%
Wiscasset Public Schools	353	379	93.1%
Jefferson Public Schools	325	339	95.9%
Bristol Public Schools	269	279	96.4%
Nobleboro Public Schools	209	221	94.6%
Edgecomb Public Schools	151	165	91.5%
Georgetown Public Schools	110	114	96.5%
Newcastle Public Schools	93	101	92.1%
Damariscotta Public Schools	84	86	97.7%
South Bristol Public Schools	77	79	97.5%
Southport Public Schools	42	42	100%
Bremen Public Schools	25	27	92.6%
Maine School Administrative District 10	20	20	100%