ME Commissioner of Education Pender Makin 2023 | Maine Department of Education
ME Commissioner of Education Pender Makin 2023 | Maine Department of Education
Data showed that Maine welcomed 170,404 students during the 2023-24 school year. Black or African American students comprised 5.1% of the student body, the second most represented ethnicity in the state.
In addition to Black or African American students, white students continued to make up the largest share of the student population at 85.2% countywide. Other represented groups included multiracial students at 3.8%, Hispanic students at 3.6%, Asian students at 1.4%, American Indian or Alaskan Native students at 0.8%, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students at just 0.1%.
Among the 16 Maine counties, Cumberland County registered the highest enrollment of Black or African American students in the 2023-24 school year, welcoming 3,917 students.
As of 2025, the average student-to-teacher ratio in public schools in Maine is 11:1, much lower than the national average of one teacher for every 15 students. A lower student-to-teacher ratio has been found to improve students' school performance.
| County Name | Black or African American Students Enrollment | Total Enrollment in 2023-24 | % of Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | 3,917 | 38,239 | 10.2% |
| Androscoggin County | 2,816 | 15,256 | 18.5% |
| York County | 908 | 25,578 | 3.5% |
| Penobscot County | 273 | 19,234 | 1.4% |
| Kennebec County | 214 | 15,893 | 1.3% |
| Aroostook County | 113 | 8,496 | 1.3% |
| Hancock County | 86 | 6,209 | 1.4% |
| Oxford County | 82 | 8,487 | 1% |
| Sagadahoc County | 70 | 4,533 | 1.5% |
| Knox County | 42 | 4,183 | 1% |
| Franklin County | 37 | 4,068 | 0.9% |
| Lincoln County | 30 | 3,921 | 0.8% |
| Somerset County | 28 | 6,259 | 0.4% |
| Washington County | 27 | 3,959 | 0.7% |
| Waldo County | 24 | 3,861 | 0.6% |
| Piscataquis County | 12 | 2,228 | 0.5% |
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