Mid Coast Today

There were 3,436 white students enrolled in Waldo County ditricts in the 2022-23 school year, 0.7% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that white students made up 93% of the 3,696 students in Waldo County ditricts during the 2022-23 school year. They were the most represented ethnicity.

Among the 10 districts in Waldo County, Regional School Unit 71 recorded the highest enrollment of white students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 1,281 students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Waldo 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 71	1,281	1,415	90.5%
Regional School Unit 03/Maine School Administrative District 03	959	1,035	92.7%
Regional School Unit 20	420	438	95.9%
Lincolnville Public Schools	202	207	97.6%
Hope Public Schools	144	144	100%
Appleton Public Schools	126	136	92.6%
Northport Public Schools	128	136	94.1%
Ecology Learning Center	93	99	93.9%
Islesboro Public Schools	73	76	96.1%
Dennistown Plantation Public Schools	10	10	100%