Mid Coast Today

The majority of students in Knox County schools were white in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Of the 4,240 students attending Knox County schools, 93.8% were white.

Hispanic or Latino students were the second largest ethnic group among Knox County students (2.3%).

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Knox County, representing 94.1% of the student body.

South School had the evenest distribution of races among county schools, with 89.4% white, 4.2% multiracial, 2.7% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% African American, 1.1% Asian, and 0.4% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county dropped 0.1% when compared to the previous year.

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	Most Prevalent Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Students
Cushing Community School	White	99.9%	72
Hope Elementary School	White	99.9%	143
Isle Au Haut Rural School	White	99.9%	2
Vinalhaven School	White	97.5%	157
St. George School	White	97.2%	211
Camden Hills Regional High School	White	95.4%	709
Ash Point Community School	White	94.8%	173
Camden-Rockport Elementary School	White	94.2%	380
Prescott Memorial School	White	94%	100
Friendship Village School	White	93.9%	82
Union Elementary School	White	93.8%	113
Oceanside Middle School	White	93.2%	336
Oceanside High School	White	92.9%	492
Appleton Village School	White	92.6%	135
Camden-Rockport Middle School	White	92.6%	353
Warren Community School	White	91.9%	320
North Haven Community School	White	90%	50
South School	White	89.4%	263
Thomaston Grammar School	White	87.3%	149