Wells Elementary School

Summary:

Wells Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 551 students in grades K-4 in the Wells-Ogunquit Central School District in Wells, Maine, located approximately 11-12 miles from several other nearby elementary schools.

Wells Elementary School consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Maine, with students demonstrating strong academic achievement that significantly exceeds state averages. The school has a relatively low percentage of students from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds compared to nearby schools like Margaret Chase Smith and Kennebunkport Consolidated School. Wells Elementary also maintains a lower chronic absenteeism rate and a much lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch than several surrounding schools, suggesting it serves a relatively affluent community.

While Wells Elementary School's consistent high performance and low chronic absenteeism are positive indicators, the school's lack of racial diversity may be an area for improvement. The school should consider ways to promote inclusivity and representation within its student population. Additionally, the school may want to monitor the recent increase in chronic absenteeism to ensure all students have the support they need to attend school regularly. Overall, Wells Elementary School stands out as a high-quality educational institution in the region, but there are opportunities to further enhance equity and access for all students.

Detail:

Public K-4

276 Sanford RD
Wells, ME 04090

(207) 646-5953

District: Wells-Ogunquit Central School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
23^rd of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,750

Students who attend Wells Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Wells Junior High School
High:	Wells High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 559

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.6%

Two or more races:

4.7%

Hispanic:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 18.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Wells Elementary School ranks better than 92.1% of elementary schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.28. (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 (88.6%), two or more races (4.7%), Hispanic (3.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 18.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wells Elementary School is 12.8. (See more...)

Compare Wells Elementary School employs 43.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wells Elementary School is $18,750.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Wells Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Wells-Ogunquit Central School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Wells-Ogunquit Central School District 30^th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Wells Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Wells Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2006	88.12	5^th	192	97.4%
2007	82.14	15^th	198	92.4%
2008	82.29	17^th	195	91.3%
2009	79.99	7^th	209	96.7%
2010	86.73	7^th	193	96.4%
2011	90.40	7^th	186	96.2%
2012	81.80	17^th	258	93.4%
2013	82.75	14^th	261	94.6%
2015	85.72	38^th	284	86.6%
2016	71.15	54^th	255	78.8%
2017	79.74	31^st	256	87.9%
2018	77.94	31^st	254	87.8%
2019	66.15	68^th	258	73.6%
2021	71.90	46^th	228	79.8%
2022	82.60	27^th	210	87.1%
2023	90.28	23^rd	290	92.1%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Wells Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	66.82	38^th	153	75.2%
2021	81.23	12^th	90	86.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Wells Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	54.21	60^th	153	60.8%
2021	63.66	34^th	90	62.2%

See the entire list of Best Maine Elementary Schools for Male 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 Wells Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	603	603
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	580	580
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	474	474
1994	459	1	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	-1	468
1995	444	0	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	451
1996	444	0	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	451
1997	453	3	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	459
1998	445	0	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	451
1999	455	0	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	461
2000	455	0	2	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	466
2001	454	2	1	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	465
2002	433	3	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	446
2003	433	3	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	446
2004	449	3	3	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	463
2005	509	2	4	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	520
2006	502	3	4	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	514
2007	483	3	4	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	493
2008	518	4	7	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	531
2009	506	5	4	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	520
2010	483	4	6	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	497
2011	477	5	6	6	0	0	7	0	501
2012	452	5	5	7	1	0	6	0	476
2013	423	5	4	8	2	0	4	0	446
2014	433	5	4	11	2	2	3	0	460
2015	416	3	6	11	1	2	6	0	445
2016	426	2	6	11	2	0	2	0	449
2017	460	4	4	9	1	0	6	0	484
2018	471	6	5	10	0	0	5	0	497
2019	509	8	5	9	0	3	5	0	539
2020	510	5	9	10	0	2	2	0	538
2021	480	5	7	8	0	1	9	0	510
2022	513	5	10	11	0	1	12	0	552
2023	503	3	11	11	0	1	22	0	551
2024	495	6	10	21	0	1	26	0	559

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 Wells Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	603	38.6	15.6	n/a
1992	580	39.2	14.7	n/a
1993	474	36.5	13.0	16.9
1994	468	35.6	13.1	15.6
1995	451	32.6	13.8	14.6
1996	451	32.6	13.8	14.6
1997	459	33.7	13.6	13.5
1998	451	33.7	13.4	10.9
1999	461	34.8	13.2	15.4
2000	466	37.8	12.3	17.6
2001	465	38.0	12.2	17.8
2002	446	37.6	11.9	15.5
2003	446	37.6	11.9	15.5
2004	463	36.0	12.9	15.8
2005	520	45.6	11.4	15.6
2006	514	44.4	11.6	16.9
2007	493	48.1	10.2	15
2008	531	59.4	8.9	16.2
2009	520	42.5	11.9	16
2010	497	42.9	11.5	21.5
2011	501	42.0	11.9	24.4
2012	476	41.7	11.4	5.7
2013	446	40.5	11.0	24.7
2014	460	42.6	10.7	23.9
2015	445	40.0	11.1	23.8
2016	449	39.0	11.5	21.4
2017	484	38.4	12.6	23.1
2018	497	39.5	12.5	20.5
2019	539	40.5	13.3	21.3
2020	538	40.5	13.2	20.4
2021	510	40.0	12.7	16.5
2022	552	42.5	12.9	15.8
2023	551	42.5	12.9	14.9
2024	559	43.5	12.8	18.4

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 Wells Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	603	38.6	15.6	n/a
1992	580	39.2	14.7	n/a
1993	474	36.5	13.0	16.9
1994	468	35.6	13.1	15.6
1995	451	32.6	13.8	14.6
1996	451	32.6	13.8	14.6
1997	459	33.7	13.6	13.5
1998	451	33.7	13.4	10.9
1999	461	34.8	13.2	15.4
2000	466	37.8	12.3	17.6
2001	465	38.0	12.2	17.8
2002	446	37.6	11.9	15.5
2003	446	37.6	11.9	15.5
2004	463	36.0	12.9	15.8
2005	520	45.6	11.4	15.6
2006	514	44.4	11.6	16.9
2007	493	48.1	10.2	15
2008	531	59.4	8.9	16.2
2009	520	42.5	11.9	16
2010	497	42.9	11.5	21.5
2011	501	42.0	11.9	24.4
2012	476	41.7	11.4	5.7
2013	446	40.5	11.0	24.7
2014	460	42.6	10.7	23.9
2015	445	40.0	11.1	23.8
2016	449	39.0	11.5	21.4
2017	484	38.4	12.6	23.1
2018	497	39.5	12.5	20.5
2019	539	40.5	13.3	21.3
2020	538	40.5	13.2	20.4
2021	510	40.0	12.7	16.5
2022	552	42.5	12.9	15.8
2023	551	42.5	12.9	14.9
2024	559	43.5	12.8	18.4

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 Wells Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$16,477
2019	$15,597
2020	$16,447
2021	$19,188
2022	$17,825
2023	$18,750

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wells Elementary 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 68^th of 258 Elementary schools	Ranks 23^rd of 290 Elementary schools	18.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Wells Elementary School)	59.7	90	30.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Wells-Ogunquit Central School District)	63.9	89.8	25.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Wells Elementary School)	47.5	90.9	43.4%
All Grades Mathematics (Wells-Ogunquit Central School District)	44.9	90.5	45.6%
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	539	551	2.2%
African American	8	3	62.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	11	120%
Hispanic	9	11	22.2%
Pacific Islander	3	1	66.7%
White	509	503	1.2%
Two or More Races	5	22	340%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	21.3%	14.9%	6.5%

Schools Near Wells Elementary 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
Wells Elementary School	Public	K-4	276 Sanford RD	Wells	04090	York County	Wells-Ogunquit Central School District	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 646-5953	559	44	12.8	18.4%	495 (88.6%)	6 (1.1%)	21 (3.8%)	10 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (4.7%)	90.3	23^rd of 290 public elementary schools	92.1%		82.6	27^th of 210 public elementary schools	87.1%	4	75.8	73.3		$18,750
Sea Road School	Public	3-5	29 Sea Road	Kennebunk	04043	York County	Regional School Unit 21	No	No	No	No	(207) 985-1105	294	24	12.1	9.9%	259 (88.1%)	2 (0.7%)	20 (6.8%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.4%)	88.7	28^th of 290 public elementary schools	90.3%		80.4	32^nd of 210 public elementary schools	84.8%	4	78.6	79.0	39.3	$21,870
Kennebunkport Consolidated School	Public	K-5	25 School Street	Kennebunkport	04046	York County	Regional School Unit 21	No	No	No	No	(207) 967-2121	192	20	9.6	5.2%	171 (89.1%)	6 (3.1%)	4 (2.1%)	4 (2.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	85.8	42^nd of 290 public elementary schools	85.5%		59.5	82^nd of 210 public elementary schools	61.0%	40	73.0	70.3		$27,496
Kennebunk Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	177 Alewive Road	Kennebunk	04043	York County	Regional School Unit 21	No	No	No	No	(207) 985-4402	395	30	13.2	8.6%	354 (89.6%)	3 (0.8%)	17 (4.3%)	8 (2.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)								(n/a)				$24,228
North Berwick Elementary School	Public	K-4	25 Varney Road	North Berwick	03906	York County	Regional School Unit 60/Maine School Admin District 60	No	No	No	No	(207) 676-9811	254	23	10.9	24.4%	233 (91.7%)	2 (0.8%)	5 (2.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.3%)	72	85^th of 290 public elementary schools	70.7%		65.9	67^th of 210 public elementary schools	68.1%	18	68.0	61.6		$16,593
Mildred L Day School	Public	K-5	600 Limerick Road	Arundel	04046	York County	Regional School Unit 21	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 284-4677	215	19	11.3	14.9%	192 (89.3%)	3 (1.4%)	12 (5.6%)	4 (1.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	84.7	48^th of 290 public elementary schools	83.4%		82.3	28^th of 210 public elementary schools	86.7%	20	77.2	78.2	32.4	$24,668
Margaret Chase Smith	Public	PK, KG-4	248 Twombley Rd	Sanford	04073	York County	Sanford Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 324-7586	439	36	12.2	48.3%	371 (84.5%)	27 (6.2%)	18 (4.1%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (4.1%)	37.1	205^th of 290 public elementary schools	29.3%		69.1	58^th of 210 public elementary schools	72.4%	147	50.3	54.3		$16,591
Eric L Knowlton School	Public	4-5	8 Noble Lane	Berwick	03901	York County	Regional School Unit 60/Maine School Admin District 60	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 698-1188	225	20	11.4	30.7%	203 (90.2%)	4 (1.8%)	4 (1.8%)	2 (0.9%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.4%)								(n/a)	56.6	48.1	11.2	$17,407
Lyman Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	39 Schoolhouse Road	Lyman	04002	York County	Regional School Unit 57/Maine School Admin District 57	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 499-7228	243	22	11.1	31.7%	222 (91.4%)	1 (0.4%)	8 (3.3%)	6 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.5%)	72.8	79^th of 290 public elementary schools	72.8%		83.6	24^th of 210 public elementary schools	88.6%	55	73.7	65.7	15.2	$17,600
Coastal Ridge Elementary	Public	2-4	1 Coastal Ridge Drive	York	03909	York County	York Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 363-1800	338	32	10.4	15.1%	309 (91.4%)	1 (0.3%)	14 (4.1%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.3%)	96.9	5^th of 290 public elementary schools	98.3%		87.7	11^th of 210 public elementary schools	94.8%	6	81.6	85.2		$22,793

Frequently Asked Questions about Wells Elementary School

How many students attend Wells Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 559 students attended Wells Elementary School.

What district is Wells Elementary School in?

Wells-Ogunquit Central School District

What is the racial makeup of Wells Elementary School?

Students at Wells Elementary School are 89% White, 5% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Wells Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Wells Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Wells Junior High School
High : Wells High School

Is Wells Elementary School a good school?

Yes. Wells Elementary School ranks in the top 7.9% of Maine elementary schools.

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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.