Portland Maine News

There were 3,921 Black or African American students enrolled in Cumberland County ditricts in the 2022-23 school year, 9.2% more than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that Black or African American students made up 10.5% of the 37,401 students in Cumberland County ditricts during the 2022-23 school year. They were the second most represented ethnicity.

Among the 22 districts in Cumberland County, Portland Public Schools recorded the highest enrollment of Black or African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 2,133 students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Cumberland 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	Black or African American Students Enrollment	Total Enrollment	% of Total Enrollment
Portland Public Schools	2,133	6,722	31.7%
Regional School Unit 14	73	3,180	2.3%
South Portland Public Schools	654	3,044	21.5%
Scarborough Public Schools	130	2,880	4.5%
Gorham Public Schools	71	2,736	2.6%
Brunswick Public Schools	85	2,352	3.6%
Westbrook Public Schools	505	2,351	21.5%
Regional School Unit 51/Maine School Administrative District 51	23	2,173	1.1%
Regional School Unit 05	68	2,029	3.4%
Falmouth Public Schools	42	1,994	2.1%
Regional School Unit 15/Maine School Administrative District 15	30	1,838	1.6%
Yarmouth Schools	44	1,658	2.7%
Regional School Unit 61/Maine School Administrative District 61	10	1,579	0.6%
Cape Elizabeth Public Schools	17	1,508	1.1%
Maine Connections Academy	12	442	2.7%
Baxter Academy for Technology and Science	12	340	3.5%
Sebago Public Schools	5	208	2.4%
Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences	5	185	2.7%
Harpswell Coastal Academy	2	110	1.8%
Chebeague Island Public Schools	0	35	--
Long Island Public Schools	0	30	--
Arthur R. Gould School--LCYDC	0	7	--