Aroostook County Schools & Education
Aroostook County, Maine
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
49/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
84.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
84.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 86.1%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,860
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,738
School Score
49/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 57/100
State Score Position
#14
of 16 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Aroostook County
Measured School Summary
Aroostook County has midrange measured school signals (score: 49/100) with a graduation rate of 84.4%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Aroostook County spends $8,860 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 14% below the Maine average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 9% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Aroostook County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
42 public schools and 20 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
49/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #14 of 16 Maine counties with school score data.
Completion
84.4%
1.7 pts below the state average
Funding context
$8,860
$878 below the state average
School coverage
42
20 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Aroostook County has 42 public schools across 20 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Aroostook County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Mixed school landscape
Aroostook County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#14
of 16 Maine counties with school score data. The county score is 8 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 88% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
RSU 79/MSAD 01
Elementary to high school visible
1,715 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
RSU 29/MSAD 29
Elementary to high school visible
1,267 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
RSU 39
Elementary and high visible
1,220 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
MSAD 27
Elementary to high school visible
818 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
RSU 79/MSAD 01 is the largest listed district slice, with 6 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Aroostook County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Aroostook County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Which schools are missing enrollment or ratio fields, and does the district publish a newer local profile than the NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data?
Education Overview
About Schools in Aroostook County, Maine
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Education Across Maine's North Woods
Aroostook County operates 42 public schools, including 19 elementary and 13 high schools, across 20 distinct districts. These schools serve a total enrollment of 8,788 students. The high number of districts relative to enrollment reflects the county's vast geographic footprint.
Deep-Rooted Districts Serving Small Populations
RSU 79 (MSAD 01) is the largest district in the county with 1,715 students across 6 schools. RSU 29 follows with 1,267 students, while most other districts, like RSU 88, serve much smaller groups. There are currently no charter schools in the county, with all students attending traditional public institutions.
Small Schools and Quiet Town Centers
With 36 of its 42 schools located in rural settings, Aroostook offers a deeply traditional educational feel. The average school size is just 238 students, though Caribou Community School serves as a regional hub with 750 students. This environment ensures personalized attention and a tight-knit relationship between schools and residents.
School Overview
Total Schools
42
in Aroostook County
Reported Enrollment
8,788
37 schools reporting
School Districts
20
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
20 School Districts in Aroostook County
RSU 79/MSAD 01
RSU 29/MSAD 29
RSU 39
MSAD 27
RSU 70/MSAD 70
RSU 86/MSAD 20
Madawaska Public Schools
RSU 42/MSAD 42
RSU 50
RSU 45/MSAD 45
42 Public Schools in Aroostook County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 42 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caribou Community School | Record | RSU 39 | Caribou, 04736Town: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 750 |
| Caribou High School | Record | RSU 39 | Caribou, 04736Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 470 |
| Presque Isle High School | Record | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Presque Isle, 04769Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 468 |
| Fort Kent Elementary School | Record | MSAD 27 | Fort Kent, 04743Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 465 |
| Pine Street Elementary School | Record | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Presque Isle, 04769Rural: Fringe | PK–2 | Primary | 388 |
| Presque Isle Middle School | Record | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Presque Isle, 04769Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 367 |
| Houlton High School | Record | RSU 29/MSAD 29 | Houlton, 04730Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 346 |
| So Aroostook School | Record | RSU 50 | Dyer Brook, 04747Rural: Remote | PK–12 | Other | 330 |
| Houlton Southside School | Record | RSU 29/MSAD 29 | Houlton, 04730Rural: Fringe | 3–5 | Primary | 317 |
| Houlton Junior High School | Record | RSU 29/MSAD 29 | Houlton, 04730Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 308 |
| Houlton Elementary School | Record | RSU 29/MSAD 29 | Houlton, 04730Rural: Fringe | PK–2 | Primary | 296 |
| Mill Pond School | Record | RSU 70/MSAD 70 | Hodgdon, 04730Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 291 |
| Fort Fairfield Middle/High School | Record | RSU 86/MSAD 20 | Fort Fairfield, 04742Rural: Distant | 6–12 | High | 270 |
| Eva Hoyt Zippel School | Record | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Presque Isle, 04769Town: Remote | 3–5 | Primary | 259 |
| Fort Kent Community High School | Record | MSAD 27 | Fort Kent, 04743Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 252 |
| Mapleton Elementary School | Record | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mapleton, 04757Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 233 |
| Ashland District School | Record | RSU 32/MSAD 32 | Ashland, 04732Rural: Remote | PK–12 | Other | 232 |
| Madawaska Elementary School | Record | Madawaska Public Schools | Madawaska, 04756Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 222 |
| Fort Fairfield Elementary School | Record | RSU 86/MSAD 20 | Fort Fairfield, 04742Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 212 |
| Hodgdon Middle/High School | Record | RSU 70/MSAD 70 | Hodgdon, 04730Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 209 |
Pine Street Elementary School
RSU 79/MSAD 01
Presque Isle, 04769 / Rural: Fringe
Presque Isle Middle School
RSU 79/MSAD 01
Presque Isle, 04769 / Rural: Fringe
Fort Fairfield Middle/High School
RSU 86/MSAD 20
Fort Fairfield, 04742 / Rural: Distant
Mapleton Elementary School
RSU 79/MSAD 01
Mapleton, 04757 / Rural: Distant
Madawaska Elementary School
Madawaska Public Schools
Madawaska, 04756 / Rural: Remote
Fort Fairfield Elementary School
RSU 86/MSAD 20
Fort Fairfield, 04742 / Rural: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,860
State avg $9,738
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Aroostook County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
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See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Maine counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Maine?
How should I read the school score in Aroostook County?
What is the graduation rate in Aroostook County?
How much does Aroostook County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Aroostook County, Maine — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Aroostook County, Maine?
Aroostook County operates 42 public schools, including 19 elementary and 13 high schools, across 20 distinct districts. These schools serve a total enrollment of 8,788 students. The high number of districts relative to enrollment reflects the county's vast geographic footprint.
What are the major school districts in Aroostook County, Maine?
RSU 79 (MSAD 01) is the largest district in the county with 1,715 students across 6 schools. RSU 29 follows with 1,267 students, while most other districts, like RSU 88, serve much smaller groups. There are currently no charter schools in the county, with all students attending traditional public institutions.
What is the school experience like in Aroostook County?
With 36 of its 42 schools located in rural settings, Aroostook offers a deeply traditional educational feel. The average school size is just 238 students, though Caribou Community School serves as a regional hub with 750 students. This environment ensures personalized attention and a tight-knit relationship between schools and residents.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.