Enrollment
179
Maine · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · South Portland, ME
James Otis Kaler Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for James Otis Kaler Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 231233000716
👥 S:T ratio 62
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Otis Kaler Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Maine schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maine schools.
- #7 of 9
- public schools in South Portland · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.4:1
- small classes for Maine
- 33.2%
- free-lunch eligible
James Otis Kaler Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 77% of Maine schools. Computed live against every Maine school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Otis Kaler Elementary School ranks #7 of 9 public schools in South Portland, ME.
School address
District: South Portland Public Schools · Maine
NCES ID 231233000716 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.4:1
vs 11.1:1 Maine avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.2%
vs 34.0% Maine avg
-2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Otis Kaler Elementary School compares with Maine and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Otis Kaler Elementary School
James Otis Kaler Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in South Portland, Maine, enrolling 179 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 9.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maine schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 33.2% lands close to the Maine typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 179 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maine median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 569 scored Maine schools.
Against 127 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #50.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 179 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among South Portland's public schools, it stands alongside Arthur R. Gould Sch--Lcydc (16 students): James Otis Kaler Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount.
South Portland Public Schools also operates South Portland High School (928 students) and Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School (424 students) alongside James Otis Kaler 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 James Otis Kaler Elementary School compares
James Otis Kaler 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 | 9.4:1 | ▼ 15% | 11.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.2% | ▼ 2% | 34.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 179 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.4:1
Leaner classes than 91% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
179
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
9.4:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 23% in Maine - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
27.4%
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
$16,364
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 179 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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 48.6%
African American 22.3%
Hispanic or Latino 16.2%
Two or More 6.7%
Asian 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 48.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.0, James Otis Kaler 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 James Otis Kaler 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 James Otis Kaler Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Portland High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Memorial Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Waldo T Skillin Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Frank I Brown Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Otis Kaler 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 other schools in South Portland
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~179 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Otis Kaler Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare James Otis Kaler 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 James Otis Kaler Elementary School
How many students attend James Otis Kaler Elementary School?
James Otis Kaler Elementary School has 179 students enrolled. It is a public school in South Portland, ME.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Otis Kaler Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at James Otis Kaler Elementary School is 9.4:1, which is 15% lower than the Maine average of 11.1:1 and 40% 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 James Otis Kaler Elementary School?
33.2% of students at James Otis Kaler Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maine average of 34.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Otis Kaler Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at James Otis Kaler Elementary School is White at 48.6% of enrollment, in South Portland, ME. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Otis Kaler Elementary School?
James Otis Kaler Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical 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 James Otis Kaler Elementary School rank among public schools in South Portland?
By Resource Investment Index, James Otis Kaler Elementary School ranks #7 of 9 public 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 public schools in South Portland on the city page.
Is James Otis Kaler Elementary School a good school?
James Otis Kaler Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% 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 South Portland Public Schools?
Besides James Otis Kaler 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.