Public schools in South Portland, ME
9 open public schools with an address in South Portland, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
9
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
3,336
9 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
9.4:1
Maine median 10.9:1
Charter schools
1
1 virtual
An overview of South Portland public schools
The federal directory lists 9 public schools in South Portland, ME: 5 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high. The 9 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 3,336 students, an average of 371 per school. The largest campus is South Portland High School (928 students), and the largest elementary school is Waldo T Skillin Elementary School (302).
South Portland Public Schools operates the most schools here (7), plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 9.4:1, lower than 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, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 45% 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 South Portland
Elementary schools in South Portland
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dora L Small Elementary School South Portland Public Schools | KG–04 | 193 | 9.4:1 | |
| Dyer Elementary School South Portland Public Schools | PK–04 | 194 | 9.6:1 | |
| Frank I Brown Elementary School South Portland Public Schools | KG–04 | 213 | 10.4:1 | |
| James Otis Kaler Elementary School South Portland Public Schools | PK–04 | 179 | 8.1:1 | |
| Waldo T Skillin Elementary School South Portland Public Schools | KG–04 | 302 | 9.4:1 |
Middle schools in South Portland
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Portland Middle School South Portland Public Schools | 05–08 | 807 | 9.2:1 |
High schools in South Portland
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur R. Gould Sch--LCYDC Arthur R. Gould Sch--LCYDC | 07–12 | 16 | 1.5:1 | |
| Maine Connections Academy Maine Connections Academy · Charter · Virtual | 07–12 | 504 | 18.7:1 | |
| South Portland High School South Portland Public Schools | 09–12 | 928 | 11.5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White66.9%
- Hispanic7.4%
- Black16.8%
- Asian2.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial6%
Enrollment-weighted across 9 South Portland schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (3,336 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in South Portland
How many public schools are in South Portland, ME?
The current NCES directory lists 9 open public schools with a location address in South Portland: 5 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high. Together they reported 3,336 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve South Portland?
Schools with an address in South Portland belong to 3 education agencies, led by South Portland Public Schools (7 schools), Arthur R. Gould Sch--LCYDC (1 school), Maine Connections Academy (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 South Portland?
South Portland High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in South Portland, with 928 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in South Portland?
Yes. 1 of the 9 public schools in South Portland are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Maine Connections Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in South Portland schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across South Portland public schools is 9.4:1, lower than 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 South 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