- Enrollment
- 1,115
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sanford, ME
Margaret Chase Smith
Federal NCES profile for Margaret Chase Smith, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 231050023190
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Margaret Chase Smith earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maine median.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Sanford · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.7:1
- students per teacher
- 36.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Margaret Chase Smith has class sizes near the Maine median. Computed live against every Maine school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Margaret Chase Smith ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Sanford, ME.
School address
District: Sanford Public Schools · Maine
NCES ID 231050023190 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+14 students YoY
Margaret Chase Smith held near 439 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+14 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 37.9 → 35.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+14 students YoY 231050023190 · Sanford, ME Other · SMALL · TRAD
396 enr · 10.7:1 · 36.7% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Sanford High School (1,115 students)
Margaret Chase Smith held near 439 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+14 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 37.9 → 35.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Maine schools → · Find another →
Margaret Chase Smith in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Sanford High S
Sanford High School
1,115 students
- Sanford Middle
Sanford Middle School
920 students
- Carl J Lamb Sc 436
Carl J Lamb School
436 students
- This school 396
Margaret Chase Smith
396 students
- Sanford Pride 383
Sanford Pride Elementary School
383 students
What this shows Margaret Chase Smith reports 396 students on the CCD universe file.
How Margaret Chase Smith compares
Margaret Chase Smith 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 | 10.7:1 | ▼ 4% | 11.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.7% | ▲ 8% | 34.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 396 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.7:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
396
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
36.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% above the Maine average of 34.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
10.7:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 46% in Maine - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.0%
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
$17,579
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maine avg of $20,907
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 396 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 82.3%
African American 7.3%
Two or More 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.8%
Asian 1.0%
Largest group: White at 82.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.3, Margaret Chase Smith is more mixed than the Maine school average of 20.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Sanford Public Schools reports $17,579 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Margaret Chase Smith Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sanford Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carl J Lamb School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sanford Pride Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Margaret Chase Smith's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 920
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 383
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Sanford
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~396 students)
Frequently asked questions about Margaret Chase Smith
How many students attend Margaret Chase Smith?
Margaret Chase Smith has 396 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sanford, ME. CCD year-over-year: 425 (2022-23) → 439 (2023-24), nearly flat (+14).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Margaret Chase Smith?
The student-teacher ratio at Margaret Chase Smith is 10.7:1, which is 4% lower than the Maine average of 11.1:1 and 32% 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 Margaret Chase Smith?
36.7% of students at Margaret Chase Smith are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maine average of 34.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Margaret Chase Smith?
The largest demographic group at Margaret Chase Smith is White at 82.3% of enrollment, in Sanford, ME.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Margaret Chase Smith?
Margaret Chase Smith has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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).
How does Margaret Chase Smith rank among public schools in Sanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Margaret Chase Smith ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Sanford, ME. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Sanford Public Schools?
Besides Margaret Chase Smith, Sanford Public Schools also operates Sanford High School (1,115 students), Sanford Middle School (920 students), and Carl J Lamb School (436 students). See the Sanford Public Schools district page for the complete list.