School Funding Equity in Maine

131 districts ranked by equity score — how equitably is school funding distributed? Equity is computed from NCES F-33 school finance data covering districts in all 50 states. See our methodology.

50
State Avg Score
49
National Avg Score
28
Highly Equitable (70+)
17
Low Equity (<30)
# District Score
1 RSU 41/MSAD 41 84
2 RSU 10 83
3 RSU 59/MSAD 59 83
4 Auburn Public Schools 82
5 RSU 33/MSAD 33 82
6 Milford Public Schools 81
7 RSU 24 79
8 MSAD 46 78
9 RSU 74/MSAD 74 78
10 RSU 32/MSAD 32 78
11 RSU 54/MSAD 54 77
12 RSU 23 77
13 Lewiston Public Schools 76
14 Westbrook Public Schools 76
15 RSU 20 76
16 RSU 13 75
17 RSU 88/MSAD 24 74
18 Wiscasset Public Schools 73
19 RSU 45/MSAD 45 73
20 St George Public Schools 73
21 RSU 26 72
22 Boothbay-Boothbay Hbr CSD 71
23 Deer Isle-Stonington CSD 71
24 Baileyville Public Schools 71
25 RSU 01 - LKRSU 70
26 RSU 31/MSAD 31 70
27 Madawaska Public Schools 70
28 East Millinocket Public Schools 70
29 RSU 61/MSAD 61 68
30 RSU 03/MSAD 03 68
31 Sanford Public Schools 67
32 Bar Harbor Public Schools 67
33 Portland Public Schools 65
34 Waterville Public Schools 65
35 RSU 87/MSAD 23 64
36 Vassalboro Public Schools 64
37 RSU 63/MSAD 63 63
38 Acton Public Schools 63
39 York Public Schools 62
40 Mt Desert CSD 62
41 Glenburn Public Schools 62
42 RSU 89 62
43 Kittery Public Schools 60
44 RSU 56 59
45 Millinocket Public Schools 59
46 RSU 71 58
47 RSU 86/MSAD 20 58
48 RSU 28/MSAD 28 57
49 Calais Public Schools 57
50 RSU 09 55
51 RSU 39 55
52 RSU 30/MSAD 30 55
53 RSU 50 54
54 RSU 73 53
55 RSU 34 53
56 Falmouth Public Schools 52
57 RSU 19 51
58 RSU 58/MSAD 58 51
59 RSU 02 50
60 Dayton Public Schools 50
61 Biddeford Public Schools 49
62 RSU 49/MSAD 49 49
63 RSU 72/MSAD 72 49
64 RSU 70/MSAD 70 49
65 RSU 42/MSAD 42 49
66 RSU 37/MSAD 37 48
67 Brunswick Public Schools 47
68 RSU 04 47
69 RSU 25 47
70 Winslow Schools 47
71 Dedham Public Schools 47
72 RSU 51/MSAD 51 46
73 RSU 38 46
74 RSU 53/MSAD 53 46
75 MSAD 27 46
76 Ellsworth Public Schools 45
77 Lincolnville Public Schools 44
78 RSU 21 43
79 Nobleboro Public Schools 43
80 RSU 75/MSAD 75 42
81 Augusta Public Schools 42
82 RSU 12 42
83 RSU 55/MSAD 55 42
84 RSU 67 42
85 RSU 79/MSAD 01 41
86 RSU 44/MSAD 44 41
87 Machias Public Schools 41
88 Scarborough Public Schools 40
89 RSU 40/MSAD 40 40
90 Cape Elizabeth Public Schools 40
91 Easton Public Schools 40
92 RSU 60/MSAD 60 39
93 RSU 29/MSAD 29 39
94 RSU 80/MSAD 04 39
95 Bristol Public Schools 39
96 RSU 17/MSAD 17 37
97 Great Salt Bay CSD 37
98 Saco Public Schools 36
99 RSU 16 36
100 Five Town CSD 36
101 Orrington Public Schools 36
102 Bangor Public Schools 35
103 RSU 14 35
104 Yarmouth Schools 35
105 Blue Hill Public Schools 34
106 Jefferson Public Schools 34
107 RSU 11/MSAD 11 33
108 Wells-Ogunquit CSD 33
109 Gorham Public Schools 32
110 RSU 05 32
111 Community Regional Charter School 31
112 RSU 64/MSAD 64 30
113 Winthrop Public Schools 30
114 Maine Virtual Academy 30
115 RSU 52/MSAD 52 29
116 RSU 35/MSAD 35 28
117 RSU 15/MSAD 15 28
118 Acadia Academy 28
119 RSU 06/MSAD 06 27
120 South Portland Public Schools 27
121 Maine Connections Academy 27
122 Baxter Academy for Technology and Science 27
123 Maine Arts Academy 27
124 Brewer Public Schools 25
125 RSU 68/MSAD 68 25
126 RSU 22 24
127 Lisbon Public Schools 22
128 RSU 57/MSAD 57 21
129 East Machias Public Schools 20
130 RSU 18 19
131 Hermon Public Schools 14

How the Equity Score Works

The equity score (0-100) evaluates four dimensions of school funding fairness:

Per-Pupil Spending (0-25)
Higher spending relative to peers
Need-Adjusted Spending (0-25)
Spending weighted by poverty level — rewards districts that spend more where need is greatest
Funding Diversity (0-25)
Less reliance on local property taxes, more state/federal support
Resource Access (0-25)
Lower student-teacher ratios = more individualized attention