Enrollment
394
Maine · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Portland, ME
Gerald E Talbot Community School
Federal NCES profile for Gerald E Talbot Community School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 230993000286
👥 S:T ratio 64
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gerald E Talbot Community School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Maine schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maine schools.
- #4 of 6
- schools in Portland · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 9:1
- small classes for Maine
- 54.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Gerald E Talbot Community School has class sizes smaller than 80% of Maine schools. Computed live against every Maine school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gerald E Talbot Community School ranks #4 of 6 schools in Portland, ME.
School address
District: Portland Public Schools · Maine
NCES ID 230993000286 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9:1
vs 11.1:1 Maine avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.1%
vs 34.0% Maine avg
+59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gerald E Talbot Community School compares with Maine and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gerald E Talbot Community School
Gerald E Talbot Community School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Portland, Maine, enrolling 394 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maine schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 54.1% of students qualify for free meals, 59% above the Maine average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 394 puts it in the larger third of Maine schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 569 scored Maine schools.
Among 83 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maine schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (40%) and White (38%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Portland's public schools, it stands alongside Harrison Lyseth Elem School (489 students): Gerald E Talbot Community School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9:1 vs 11.9:1).
Portland Public Schools also operates Portland High School (912 students) and Deering High School (850 students) alongside Gerald E Talbot Community 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 Gerald E Talbot Community School compares
Gerald E Talbot Community 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 | 9:1 | ▼ 19% | 11.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.1% | ▲ 59% | 34.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 394 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
394
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% above the Maine average of 34.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
9:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 20% in Maine - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
23.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$20,442
per pupil, district-wide
- above Maine avg of $20,083
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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
African American 40.1%
White 38.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
Two or More 7.4%
Asian 6.3%
Largest group: African American at 40.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.8, Gerald E Talbot Community School is more mixed than the Maine school average of 20.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Portland Public Schools, which includes Gerald E Talbot Community School.
$20,442
Per student
+2%
vs Maine
Avg $20,083
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.1%
State 23.3%
Federal 8.7%
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 Gerald E Talbot Community School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Deering High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harrison Lyseth Elem School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Amanda C Rowe School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lyman Moore Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gerald E Talbot Community School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 912
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 850
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 489
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 470
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 470
- Students per teacher
- 9.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar other schools in Portland
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Harrison Lyseth Elem School
Standard public school
489 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Amanda C Rowe School
Standard public school
470 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Howard C Reiche Community Sch
Standard public school
467 students 11.1:1 students per teacher
East End Community School
Standard public school
391 students 9.8:1 students per teacher
Presumpscot School
Standard public school
266 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~394 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gerald E Talbot Community School's federal record.
- Compare Gerald E Talbot Community School against another school. Compare schools
- 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 Gerald E Talbot Community School
How many students attend Gerald E Talbot Community School?
Gerald E Talbot Community School has 394 students enrolled. It is a public school in Portland, ME.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gerald E Talbot Community School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gerald E Talbot Community School is 9:1, which is 19% lower than the Maine average of 11.1:1 and 43% 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 Gerald E Talbot Community School?
54.1% of students at Gerald E Talbot Community School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maine average of 34.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gerald E Talbot Community School?
The largest demographic group at Gerald E Talbot Community School is African American at 40.1% of enrollment, in Portland, ME. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gerald E Talbot Community School?
Gerald E Talbot Community School has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Gerald E Talbot Community School rank among schools in Portland?
By Resource Investment Index, Gerald E Talbot Community School ranks #4 of 6 schools in Portland, ME. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Portland on the city page.
Is Gerald E Talbot Community School a good school?
Gerald E Talbot Community School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Maine schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Portland Public Schools?
Besides Gerald E Talbot Community School, Portland Public Schools also operates Portland High School (912 students), Deering High School (850 students), and Harrison Lyseth Elem School (489 students). See the 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.