Saco Middle School

Q: Is Saco Middle School a good school?

Saco Middle School ranks 19 th of 96 Maine middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Saco Middle School is a public middle school serving 585 students in grades 6-8 in Saco, Maine. The school consistently ranks among the top middle schools in the state, with a current ranking of 19 out of 96 and a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Saco Middle School stands out for its strong academic performance, with students outperforming state and Saco Public Schools district averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. In the 2022-2023 school year, 71.04% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 64.63% statewide and 69.27% for the district. In Math, 51.93% of Saco Middle School students were proficient or better, compared to 48.68% statewide and 52.66% for the district. The school's low student-teacher ratio of 10.2 students per teacher likely contributes to its academic success. However, the school has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 0.0% in 2021-2022 to 15.3% in 2022-2023, an issue the school should address.

Saco Middle School's student population is relatively homogeneous, with 83.76% of students identifying as White, higher than the state average and most nearby schools, such as Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School and Memorial Middle School in South Portland, which have more diverse student bodies. This lack of diversity may be an area for the school to consider addressing. Saco Middle School also serves a relatively more affluent student population, with a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to nearby schools like Westbrook Middle School and Biddeford Middle School.

Detail:

Public 6-8

40 Buxton Road
Saco, ME 04072

(207) 282-4181

District: Saco Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
19^th of 96 Maine Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,560

Feeder schools for Saco Middle School:

Elementary:	C K Burns School
	Governor John Fairfield School
	Young School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.1

Number of students: 586

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.8%

African American:

8.7%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 29%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Saco Middle School ranks better than 80.2% of middle schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.89. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (82.8%), African American (8.7%), Hispanic (3.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 29% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Saco Middle School is 10.1. (See more...)

Compare Saco Middle School employs 57.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Saco Middle School is $21,560.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Saco Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Saco Middle School 19^th of 96 Maine public middle schools. (See Saco Middle School in the ranking list.)

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Rank History for Saco Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Saco Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile
2016	52.80	32^nd	85	62.4%
2017	44.24	42^nd	87	51.7%
2018	73.35	20^th	85	76.5%
2019	60.63	22^nd	86	74.4%
2021	77.04	17^th	92	81.5%
2022	78.96	15^th	93	83.9%
2023	66.89	19^th	96	80.2%

See the entire list of Maine Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Saco Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	66.85	13^th	37	64.9%

See the entire list of Best Maine Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Saco Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	67.86	21^st	64	67.2%
2021	53.58	31^st	66	53.0%

See the entire list of Best Maine Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Saco Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	56.25	28^th	78	64.1%
2021	70.17	29^th	83	65.1%

See the entire list of Best Maine Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Saco Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	60.35	22^nd	78	71.8%
2021	85.54	14^th	83	83.1%

See the entire list of Best Maine Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Saco Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	47.80	16^th	33	51.5%
2021	89.73	4^th	44	90.9%

See the entire list of Best Maine Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Maine Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Maine Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Saco Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2015	579	9	20	15	0	0	0	623
2016	575	14	16	10	1	0	0	616
2017	540	21	17	5	2	1	0	586
2018	529	17	13	5	1	3	5	573
2019	517	11	12	7	1	1	10	559
2020	502	17	15	14	2	0	12	562
2021	520	21	22	22	2	1	13	601
2022	491	27	19	15	2	2	15	571
2023	490	45	19	19	4	2	6	585
2024	485	51	14	21	1	2	12	586

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Saco Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	623	n/a	n/a	33.1
2016	616	59.0	10.4	33.8
2017	586	53.9	10.8	30.9
2018	573	57.9	9.8	29.3
2019	559	60.8	9.1	29.7
2020	562	59.8	9.3	35.8
2021	601	57.1	10.5	30.1
2022	571	58.2	9.8	24.5
2023	585	56.9	10.2	24.8
2024	586	57.6	10.1	29

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Saco Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	623	n/a	n/a	33.1
2016	616	59.0	10.4	33.8
2017	586	53.9	10.8	30.9
2018	573	57.9	9.8	29.3
2019	559	60.8	9.1	29.7
2020	562	59.8	9.3	35.8
2021	601	57.1	10.5	30.1
2022	571	58.2	9.8	24.5
2023	585	56.9	10.2	24.8
2024	586	57.6	10.1	29

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Saco Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$16,512
2019	$16,985
2020	$18,325
2021	$19,595
2022	$21,474
2023	$21,560

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Saco Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 22^nd of 86 Middle schools	Ranks 19^th of 96 Middle schools	5.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Saco Middle School)	60.4	90	29.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Saco Public Schools)	59.4	85.8	26.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Saco Middle School)	38.9	88.6	49.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Saco Public Schools)	41.5	85.5	44.1%
All Grades Mathematics (Maine)	35.7	81.3	45.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	559	585	4.7%
African American	11	45	309.1%
American Indian	1	4	300%
Asian	12	19	58.3%
Hispanic	7	19	171.4%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	517	490	5.2%
Two or More Races	10	6	40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.7%	24.8%	4.9%

Schools Near Saco Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MEA English Language Arts (2023)	MEA Mathematics (2023)	MEA Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MEA English Language Arts All Grades	MEA Mathematics All Grades	MEA Science All Grades	Total
Saco Middle School	Public	6-8	40 Buxton Road	Saco	04072	York County	Saco Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 282-4181	586	58	10.1	29.0%	485 (82.8%)	51 (8.7%)	21 (3.6%)	14 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	12 (2.0%)	66.9	19^th of 96 public middle schools	80.2%		79	15^th of 93 public middle schools	83.9%	4	71.0	51.9	46.6	$21,560
Biddeford Middle School	Public	5-7	25 Tiger Drive	Biddeford	04005	York County	Biddeford Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 282-6400	498	53	9.4	60.6%	360 (72.3%)	63 (12.7%)	27 (5.4%)	11 (2.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.0%)	24	80^th of 96 public middle schools	16.7%		13.8	81^st of 93 public middle schools	12.9%	1	58.6	33.3	28.6	$18,034
Loranger Memorial School	Public	3-8	148 Saco Avenue	Old Orchard Beach	04064	York County	Regional School Unit 23	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 934-4848	262	33	7.9	48.1%	211 (80.5%)	12 (4.6%)	12 (4.6%)	7 (2.7%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.7%)								(n/a)	50.5	44.3	29.7	$26,000
Scarborough Middle School	Public	6-8	21 Quentin Drive	Scarborough	04074	Cumberland County	Scarborough Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 730-4800	651	63	10.3	10.1%	529 (81.3%)	29 (4.5%)	28 (4.3%)	40 (6.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.5%)	81.1	13^th of 96 public middle schools	86.5%		84.1	11^th of 93 public middle schools	88.2%	2	78.7	55.1	76.1	$21,519
Middle School of the Kennebunks	Public	6-8	60 Thompson Road	Kennebunk	04043	York County	Regional School Unit 21	No	No	No	No	(207) 467-8004	477	48	9.9	9.4%	444 (93.1%)	6 (1.3%)	11 (2.3%)	8 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.5%)	94	6^th of 96 public middle schools	93.8%		92	5^th of 93 public middle schools	94.6%	1	83.1	68.8	74.1	$24,226
Gorham Middle School	Public	6-8	106 Weeks Road	Gorham	04038	Cumberland County	Gorham Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 222-1220	668	49	13.7	8.1%	579 (86.7%)	24 (3.6%)	23 (3.4%)	13 (1.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.2%)	76.5	15^th of 96 public middle schools	84.4%		83.1	12^th of 93 public middle schools	87.1%	3	71.8	59.0	51.3	$17,304
South Portland Middle School	Public	5-8	120 Wescott Road	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(207) 773-5629	819	89	9.2	37.6%	516 (63.0%)	170 (20.8%)	55 (6.7%)	21 (2.6%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (6.7%)								(n/a)
Westbrook Middle School	Public	5-8	471 Stroudwater Street	Westbrook	04092	Cumberland County	Westbrook Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 854-0830	711	60	11.8	64.0%	468 (65.8%)	150 (21.1%)	37 (5.2%)	32 (4.5%)	7 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.4%)	32.5	69^th of 96 public middle schools	28.1%		9.2	85^th of 93 public middle schools	8.6%	16	63.2	34.7	31.2	$17,570
Massabesic Middle School	Public	6-8	134 Old Alfred Road	East Waterboro	04030	York County	Regional School Unit 57/Maine School Admin District 57	No	No	No	No	(207) 247-6121	629	55	11.4	33.7%	589 (93.6%)	9 (1.4%)	9 (1.4%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.7%)	51.4	38^th of 96 public middle schools	60.4%		63.4	34^th of 93 public middle schools	63.4%	4	66.7	45.0	41.8	$15,827
Cape Elizabeth Middle School	Public	5-8	14 Scott Dyer Road	Cape Elizabeth	04107	Cumberland County	Cape Elizabeth Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 799-8176	443	44	10.0	4.5%	384 (86.7%)	6 (1.4%)	22 (5.0%)	7 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.2%)	96.9	2^nd of 96 public middle schools	97.9%		94.1	2^nd of 93 public middle schools	97.8%		89.2	77.5	57.1	$24,206

Frequently Asked Questions about Saco Middle School

How many students attend Saco Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 586 students attended Saco Middle School.

Is Saco Middle School a good school?

Saco Middle School ranks 19^th of 96 Maine middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Saco Middle School in?

Saco Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Saco Middle School?

Students at Saco Middle School are 83% White, 9% African American, 4% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maine Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.