Maine Lakes News

There were 2,882 white students enrolled in Franklin 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 93.7% of the 3,076 students in Franklin County ditricts during the 2022-23 school year. They were the most represented ethnicity.

Among the six districts in Franklin County, Regional School Unit 09 recorded the highest enrollment of white students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 2,132 students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Franklin 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 09	2,132	2,268	94%
Regional School Unit 58/Maine School Administrative District 58	442	475	93.1%
Regional School Unit 78	163	176	92.6%
Carrabassett Valley Public Schools	73	79	92.4%
Eustis Public Schools	61	66	92.4%
Coplin Plantation Public Schools	11	12	91.7%