Public schools in Portland, ME
16 open public schools with an address in Portland, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
16
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
6,888
15 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
10.5:1
Maine median 10.9:1
Charter schools
1
0 virtual
An overview of Portland public schools
The federal directory lists 16 public schools in Portland, ME: 8 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high, 1 combined or other. The 15 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 6,888 students, an average of 459 per school. The largest campus is Portland High School (912 students), and the largest elementary school is Harrison Lyseth Elem School (489).
Portland Public Schools operates the most schools here (15), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 10.5:1, similar to the statewide school median of 10.9:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 54% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Portland
Elementary schools in Portland
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amanda C Rowe School Portland Public Schools | PK–05 | 470 | 10.4:1 | |
| East End Community School Portland Public Schools | PK–05 | 391 | 9.8:1 | |
| Gerald E Talbot Community School Portland Public Schools | PK–05 | 394 | 10.6:1 | |
| Harrison Lyseth Elem School Portland Public Schools | PK–05 | 489 | 12.2:1 | |
| Howard C Reiche Community Sch Portland Public Schools | PK–05 | 467 | 10.3:1 | |
| Longfellow School-Portland Portland Public Schools | PK–05 | 263 | 11.4:1 | |
| Ocean Avenue Portland Public Schools | KG–05 | 337 | 10.5:1 | |
| Presumpscot School Portland Public Schools | PK–05 | 266 | 10.5:1 |
Middle schools in Portland
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Middle School Portland Public Schools | 06–08 | 434 | 9.6:1 | |
| Lincoln Middle School Portland Public Schools | 06–08 | 382 | 9:1 | |
| Lyman Moore Middle School Portland Public Schools | 06–08 | 470 | 10.4:1 |
High schools in Portland
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter Academy for Tech & Sciences Baxter Academy for Technology and Science · Charter | 09–12 | 384 | 14.1:1 | |
| Casco Bay High School Portland Public Schools | 09–12 | 379 | 13.2:1 | |
| Deering High School Portland Public Schools | 09–12 | 850 | 12.4:1 | |
| Portland High School Portland Public Schools | 09–12 | 912 | 14.4:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Portland
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Arts & Technology H S Portland Public Schools · Career and Technical School | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White49.2%
- Hispanic10.2%
- Black29.6%
- Asian4.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial6.4%
Enrollment-weighted across 15 Portland schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (6,888 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Portland
How many public schools are in Portland, ME?
The current NCES directory lists 16 open public schools with a location address in Portland: 8 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 6,888 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Portland?
Schools with an address in Portland belong to 2 education agencies, led by Portland Public Schools (15 schools), Baxter Academy for Technology and Science (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Portland?
Portland High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Portland, with 912 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Portland?
Yes. 1 of the 16 public schools in Portland are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Baxter Academy for Tech & Sciences. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Portland schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Portland public schools is 10.5:1, similar to the Maine school median of 10.9:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Portland guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Maine cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Maine cities