Waldo County Schools & Education
Waldo County, Maine
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
57/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
84.6%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
84.6%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 86.1%
Per-Pupil Spending
$10,669
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,738
School Score
57/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 57/100
State Score Position
#7
of 16 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Waldo County
Measured School Summary
Waldo County has midrange measured school signals (score: 57/100) with a graduation rate of 84.6%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Waldo County spends $10,669 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 1% below the Maine average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Waldo 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
27 public schools and 10 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
57/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #7 of 16 Maine counties with school score data.
Completion
84.6%
1.5 pts below the state average
Funding context
$10,669
$931 above the state average
School coverage
27
10 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
Waldo County has 27 public schools across 10 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 Waldo 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
Waldo 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
#7
of 16 Maine counties with school score data. The county score is roughly in line with the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 96% 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 71
Elementary to high school visible
1,451 students
7 listed schools in this county slice.
RSU 03/MSAD 03
Elementary to high school visible
1,070 students
8 listed schools in this county slice.
RSU 22
Elementary and middle visible
487 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
RSU 20
Elementary to high school visible
448 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
RSU 03/MSAD 03 is the largest listed district slice, with 8 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 Waldo County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Waldo County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
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 Waldo 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.
Waldo County's Coastal School Network
Waldo County maintains 27 public schools across 10 districts, serving a total of 4,049 students. The network is composed of 15 elementary schools and 5 high schools.
RSU 22 and RSU 71 Lead the Way
RSU 22 is the largest district serving Waldo students with 2,278 enrolled across 7 schools. The county also hosts one charter school, providing a unique alternative to the standard district model.
Small Schools in a Rural Setting
Waldo County is known for its intimate learning environments, with an average school size of only 156 students. Nearly all schools (24 of 27) are located in rural areas, fostering close community ties.
School Overview
Total Schools
27
in Waldo County
Reported Enrollment
4,049
26 schools reporting
School Districts
10
districts
Charter Schools
1
4% of total
School Level Breakdown
10 School Districts in Waldo County
RSU 22
RSU 71
RSU 03/MSAD 03
RSU 20
Lincolnville Public Schools
Ecology Learning Center
Northport Public Schools
Islesboro Public Schools
Maine Ocean School
Waldo-Region 7
27 Public Schools in Waldo 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 27 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast Area High School | Record | RSU 71 | Belfast, 04915Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 496 |
| Troy A Howard Middle School | Record | RSU 71 | Belfast, 04915Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 340 |
| Mt View High School | Record | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Thorndike, 04986Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 315 |
| Leroy H Smith School | Record | RSU 22 | Winterport, 04496Rural: Distant | PK–4 | Primary | 274 |
| Captain Albert W. Stevens School | Record | RSU 71 | Belfast, 04915Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 258 |
| Mt View Middle School | Record | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Thorndike, 04986Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 230 |
| Mt View Elementary School | Record | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Thorndike, 04986Rural: Distant | KG–5 | Primary | 216 |
| Searsport Elementary | Record | RSU 20 | Searsport, 04974Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 214 |
| Samuel L Wagner Middle School | Record | RSU 22 | Winterport, 04496Rural: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 213 |
| Lincolnville Central School | Record | Lincolnville Public Schools | Lincolnville, 04849Rural: Distant | KG–8 | Primary | 204 |
| Searsport District High School | Record | RSU 20 | Searsport, 04974Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 133 |
| Ames Elementary School | Record | RSU 71 | Searsmont, 04973Rural: Distant | 2–5 | Primary | 126 |
| Palermo Consolidated School | Record | RSU 12 | Palermo, 04354Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 122 |
| Morse Memorial School | Record | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Brooks, 04921Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 103 |
| Searsport District Middle School | Record | RSU 20 | Searsport, 04974Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 101 |
| Ecology Learning Ctr | Record | Ecology Learning Center | Unity, 04988Rural: Distant | 9–12 | Charter | 100 |
| East Belfast School | Record | RSU 71 | Belfast, 04915Town: Distant | PK–2 | Primary | 97 |
| Edna Drinkwater School | Record | Northport Public Schools | Northport, 04849Rural: Fringe | KG–8 | Primary | 84 |
| Islesboro Central School | Record | Islesboro Public Schools | Islesboro, 04848Rural: Distant | KG–12 | Other | 82 |
| Gladys Weymouth Elem School | Record | RSU 71 | Morrill, 04952Rural: Distant | PK–1 | Primary | 74 |
Mt View Elementary School
RSU 03/MSAD 03
Thorndike, 04986 / Rural: Distant
Lincolnville Central School
Lincolnville Public Schools
Lincolnville, 04849 / Rural: Distant
Ecology Learning Ctr
Ecology Learning Center
Unity, 04988 / Rural: Distant
Edna Drinkwater School
Northport Public Schools
Northport, 04849 / Rural: Fringe
Islesboro Central School
Islesboro Public Schools
Islesboro, 04848 / Rural: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$10,669
State avg $9,738
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Waldo County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
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 Waldo County?
What is the graduation rate in Waldo County?
How much does Waldo County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Waldo County, Maine — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Waldo County, Maine?
Waldo County maintains 27 public schools across 10 districts, serving a total of 4,049 students. The network is composed of 15 elementary schools and 5 high schools.
What are the major school districts in Waldo County, Maine?
RSU 22 is the largest district serving Waldo students with 2,278 enrolled across 7 schools. The county also hosts one charter school, providing a unique alternative to the standard district model.
What is the school experience like in Waldo County?
Waldo County is known for its intimate learning environments, with an average school size of only 156 students. Nearly all schools (24 of 27) are located in rural areas, fostering close community ties.
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.