- Enrollment
- 565
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · West Gardiner, ME
Helen Thompson School
Federal NCES profile for Helen Thompson School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 231059000300
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Helen Thompson School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Maine schools.
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.9:1
- large classes for Maine
- 27.3%
- free-lunch eligible
- 245
- students enrolled
Helen Thompson School has class sizes larger than 83% of Maine schools. Computed live against every Maine school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Rsu 11/Msad 11 · Maine
NCES ID 231059000300 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+4 students YoY
Helen Thompson School held near 257 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+4 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 19.2 → 19.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+4 students YoY 231059000300 · West Gardiner, ME Other · SMALL · TRAD
245 enr · 12.9:1 · 27.3% lunch · RII 34
Nearest enrollment peer: Gardiner Area High School (565 students)
Helen Thompson School held near 257 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+4 headcount). Teacher FTE held 19.2 → 19.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Maine schools → · Find another →
Helen Thompson School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Gardiner Area
Gardiner Area High School
565 students
- Gardiner Regio
Gardiner Regional Middle School
425 students
- This school
Helen Thompson School
245 students
- Laura E Richar 219
Laura E Richards School
219 students
- Pittston-Rando 200
Pittston-Randolph Consolidated School
200 students
- River View Com 192
River View Community School
192 students
What this shows Helen Thompson School reports 245 students on the CCD universe file.
How Helen Thompson School compares
Helen Thompson School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Maine and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maine | Maine avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.9:1 | ▲ 16% | 11.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.3% | ▼ 20% | 34.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 245 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
245
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
27.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 83% in Maine - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
40.0%
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
$16,092
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maine avg of $20,907
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.6 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 93.9%
Two or More 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino 1.6%
Asian 1.2%
African American 0.8%
Largest group: White at 93.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.7, Helen Thompson School is less mixed than the Maine school average of 20.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Rsu 11/Msad 11 reports $16,092 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Helen Thompson School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardiner Area High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gardiner Regional Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laura E Richards School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pittston-Randolph Consolidated School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| River View Community School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Helen Thompson School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 425
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 219
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 200
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 192
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~245 students)
Frequently asked questions about Helen Thompson School
How many students attend Helen Thompson School?
Helen Thompson School has 245 students enrolled. It is a public school in West Gardiner, ME. CCD year-over-year: 253 (2022-23) → 257 (2023-24), nearly flat (+4).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Helen Thompson School?
The student-teacher ratio at Helen Thompson School is 12.9:1, which is 16% higher than the Maine average of 11.1:1 and 18% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Helen Thompson School?
27.3% of students at Helen Thompson School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maine average of 34.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Helen Thompson School?
The largest demographic group at Helen Thompson School is White at 93.9% of enrollment, in West Gardiner, ME.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Helen Thompson School?
Helen Thompson School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Rsu 11/Msad 11?
Besides Helen Thompson School, Rsu 11/Msad 11 also operates Gardiner Area High School (565 students), Gardiner Regional Middle School (425 students), and Laura E Richards School (219 students). See the Rsu 11/Msad 11 district page for the complete list.