Mid Coast Today

There were 3,976 white students enrolled in Knox County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 0.4% less than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that white students made up 93.8% of the 4,240 students in Knox County schools at the time. They were the most represented ethnicity.

Among the 19 schools in the county, Camden Hills Regional High School recorded the highest enrollment of white students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 676 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	White Students Enrollment	Total Enrollment	% of Total Enrollment
Camden Hills Regional High School	676	709	95.3%
Oceanside High School	457	492	92.9%
Camden-Rockport Elementary School	358	380	94.2%
Camden-Rockport Middle School	327	353	92.6%
Oceanside Middle School	313	336	93.2%
Warren Community School	294	320	91.9%
South School	235	263	89.4%
St. George School	205	211	97.2%
Ash Point Community School	164	173	94.8%
Vinalhaven School	153	157	97.5%
Thomaston Grammar School	130	149	87.2%
Hope Elementary School	143	143	100%
Appleton Village School	125	135	92.6%
Union Elementary School	106	113	93.8%
Prescott Memorial School	94	100	94%
Friendship Village School	77	82	93.9%
Cushing Community School	72	72	100%
North Haven Community School	45	50	90%
Isle Au Haut Rural School	2	2	100%