Enrollment
193
Maine · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · South Portland, ME
Dora L Small Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Dora L Small Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 231233000575
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dora L Small Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Maine schools.
- #2 of 5
- elementary schools in South Portland · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 8:1
- small classes for Maine
- 16.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Dora L Small Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 89% of Maine schools. Computed live against every Maine school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dora L Small Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in South Portland, ME.
School address
District: South Portland Public Schools · Maine
NCES ID 231233000575 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8:1
vs 11.1:1 Maine avg
-28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
16.2%
vs 34.0% Maine avg
-52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dora L Small Elementary School compares with Maine and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dora L Small Elementary School
Dora L Small Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in South Portland, Maine, enrolling 193 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8:1, Dora L Small Elementary School is leaner than roughly 89% of Maine schools and 28% under the state's 11.1:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 16.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 193 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maine median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 569 scored Maine schools.
Against 92 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #22.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 193 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
17.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among South Portland's elementary schools, it stands alongside Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School (424 students): Dora L Small Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8:1 vs 11.8:1).
South Portland Public Schools also operates South Portland High School (928 students) and Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School (424 students) alongside Dora L Small Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Dora L Small Elementary School compares
Dora L Small Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Maine and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maine | Maine avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8:1 | ▼ 28% | 11.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.2% | ▼ 52% | 34.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 193 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
193
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
16.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% below the Maine average of 34.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
8:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 11% in Maine - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$16,364
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maine avg of $20,083
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 193 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 82.4%
Two or More 7.8%
African American 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 82.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.1, Dora L Small Elementary School is more mixed than the Maine school average of 20.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Portland Public Schools, which includes Dora L Small Elementary School.
$16,364
Per student
-19%
vs Maine
Avg $20,083
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 77.2%
State 20.6%
Federal 2.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Dora L Small Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Portland High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Memorial Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Waldo T Skillin Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frank I Brown Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dora L Small Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 928
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 388
- Students per teacher
- 9.9:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 302
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 213
- Students per teacher
- 8.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar elementary schools in South Portland
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School
Standard public school
424 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Waldo T Skillin Elementary School
Standard public school
302 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Frank I Brown Elementary School
Standard public school
213 students 8.5:1 students per teacher
Dyer Elementary School
Standard public school
194 students 9.7:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Maine, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~193 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dora L Small Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Dora L Small Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- South Portland Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Dora L Small Elementary School
How many students attend Dora L Small Elementary School?
Dora L Small Elementary School has 193 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in South Portland, ME.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dora L Small Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dora L Small Elementary School is 8:1, which is 28% lower than the Maine average of 11.1:1 and 49% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dora L Small Elementary School?
16.2% of students at Dora L Small Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maine average of 34.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dora L Small Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Dora L Small Elementary School is White at 82.4% of enrollment, in South Portland, ME.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dora L Small Elementary School?
Dora L Small Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Dora L Small Elementary School rank among elementary schools in South Portland?
By Resource Investment Index, Dora L Small Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in South Portland, ME. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in South Portland on the city page.
Is Dora L Small Elementary School a good school?
Dora L Small Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Maine schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in South Portland Public Schools?
Besides Dora L Small Elementary School, South Portland Public Schools also operates South Portland High School (928 students), Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School (424 students), and Memorial Middle School (388 students). See the South Portland Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.