Spruce Mountain Middle School

Summary:

Spruce Mountain Middle School is a public middle school in Jay, Maine, serving 358 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Regional School Unit 73 district, which is ranked 149 out of 177 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Spruce Mountain Middle School faces several challenges compared to nearby schools. The school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (95.25%) than nearby Winthrop Middle School and Maranacook Community Middle School, which have more diverse student populations. Spruce Mountain Middle School also consistently ranks in the bottom half of Maine middle schools, with a 1-star rating, lower than the 3-star ratings of the nearby schools. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are lower than state and regional averages, and it has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 32.39% to 57.82% over the past three years.

However, the school has seen some positive developments, such as a significant decrease in chronic absenteeism from 99.7% in 2020-2021 to 0.0% in 2022-2023. This suggests the school has made efforts to address this issue. While Spruce Mountain Middle School faces challenges, there may be opportunities to learn from the practices of higher-performing nearby schools, such as Winthrop Middle School and Maranacook Community Middle School, to drive further improvements.

Detail:

Public 6-8

23 Community Drive
Jay, ME 04239

(207) 897-4319

District: Regional School Unit 73

SchoolDigger Rank:
87^th of 96 Maine Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,942

Students who attend Spruce Mountain Middle School usually attend:

High:

Spruce Mountain High School

Feeder schools for Spruce Mountain Middle School:

Elementary:	Spruce Mountain Elementary School
	Spruce Mountain Primary School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.8

Number of students: 335

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.6%

African American:

2.4%

Asian:

0.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 67.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Spruce Mountain Middle School ranks worse than 90.6% of middle schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.91. (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 (94.6%), African American (2.4%), American Indian (0.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 67.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Spruce Mountain Middle School is 11.8. (See more...)

Compare Spruce Mountain Middle School employs 28.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Spruce Mountain Middle School is $16,942.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Spruce Mountain Middle School 87^th of 96 Maine public middle schools. (See Spruce Mountain Middle School in the ranking list.)

Regional School Unit 73:

SchoolDigger ranks Regional School Unit 73 149^th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Spruce Mountain Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Spruce Mountain Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile
2016	28.91	66^th	85	22.4%
2017	15.67	82^nd	87	5.7%
2018	19.49	78^th	85	8.2%
2019	25.38	70^th	86	18.6%
2021	41.69	58^th	92	37.0%
2022	46.90	56^th	93	39.8%
2023	16.91	87^th	96	9.4%

See the entire list of Maine Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Spruce Mountain Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	39.67	43^rd	64	32.8%
2021	25.70	50^th	66	24.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Spruce Mountain Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	18.14	71^st	78	9.0%
2021	61.64	41^st	83	50.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Spruce Mountain Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	33.50	56^th	78	28.2%
2021	15.92	72^nd	83	13.3%

See the entire list of Best Maine Middle 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 Spruce Mountain Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2013	336	4	0	14	1	0	355
2014	353	3	0	12	1	0	369
2015	351	4	0	10	1	0	366
2016	324	1	0	4	1	0	330
2017	290	3	0	3	1	0	297
2018	287	4	0	3	0	2	296
2019	314	4	2	5	1	8	334
2020	291	3	3	4	1	7	309
2021	322	4	4	4	1	4	339
2022	307	1	2	3	1	4	318
2023	341	6	5	4	1	1	358
2024	317	8	3	2	3	2	335

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 Spruce Mountain Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	355	27.2	13.0	60.8
2014	369	28.2	13.0	58.8
2015	366	28.0	13.0	60.9
2016	330	30.0	11.0	60
2017	297	28.1	10.5	56.9
2018	296	20.4	14.5	55.4
2019	334	25.1	13.3	58.1
2020	309	25.2	12.2	50.5
2021	339	26.2	12.9	49.6
2022	318	27.2	11.6	32.4
2023	358	26.1	13.7	57.8
2024	335	28.3	11.8	67.8

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 Spruce Mountain Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	355	27.2	13.0	60.8
2014	369	28.2	13.0	58.8
2015	366	28.0	13.0	60.9
2016	330	30.0	11.0	60
2017	297	28.1	10.5	56.9
2018	296	20.4	14.5	55.4
2019	334	25.1	13.3	58.1
2020	309	25.2	12.2	50.5
2021	339	26.2	12.9	49.6
2022	318	27.2	11.6	32.4
2023	358	26.1	13.7	57.8
2024	335	28.3	11.8	67.8

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 Spruce Mountain Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$14,888
2019	$13,704
2020	$15,007
2021	$16,618
2022	$18,031
2023	$16,942

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Spruce Mountain 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 70^th of 86 Middle schools	Ranks 87^th of 96 Middle schools	9.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Spruce Mountain Middle School)	47.4	82.8	35.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Regional School Unit 73)	43.2	77.3	34.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Spruce Mountain Middle School)	24.9	82.9	57.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Regional School Unit 73)	25.2	76.9	51.7%
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	334	358	7.2%
African American	4	6	50%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	2	5	150%
Hispanic	5	4	20%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	314	341	8.6%
Two or More Races	8	1	87.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	58.1%	57.8%	0.3%

Schools Near Spruce Mountain 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
Spruce Mountain Middle School	Public	6-8	23 Community Drive	Jay	04239	Franklin County	Regional School Unit 73	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 897-4319	335	28	11.8	67.8%	317 (94.6%)	8 (2.4%)	2 (0.6%)	3 (0.9%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	16.9	87^th of 96 public middle schools	9.4%		46.9	56^th of 93 public middle schools	39.8%	31	54.3	28.7	31.0	$16,942
Mt Blue Middle School	Public	6-8	269 Middle St	Farmington	04938	Franklin County	Regional School Unit 09	No	No	No	No	(207) 778-3511	507	38	13.3	52.3%	484 (95.5%)	2 (0.4%)	9 (1.8%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.6%)	26.3	78^th of 96 public middle schools	18.8%		44.5	59^th of 93 public middle schools	36.6%	19	53.3	37.7	42.7	$15,342
T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School	Public	6-8	45 Middle School Drive	Dixfield	04224	Oxford County	Regional School Unit 56	No	No	No	No	(207) 562-7552	167	13	12.8	56.9%	150 (89.8%)	2 (1.2%)	7 (4.2%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.2%)	22.6	81^st of 96 public middle schools	15.6%		29.7	71^st of 93 public middle schools	23.7%	10	56.9	29.1	36.1	$18,598
Maranacook Community Middle School	Public	6-8	2100 Millard Harrison Drive	Readfield	04355	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 38	No	No	No	No	(207) 685-3128	297	27	11.0	21.5%	282 (94.9%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.0%)	51.1	39^th of 96 public middle schools	59.4%		66.6	27^th of 93 public middle schools	71.0%	12	68.8	38.9	50.0	$18,507
Tripp Middle School	Public	7-8	65 Mathews Way	Turner	04282	Androscoggin County	Regional School Unit 52/Maine School Admin District 52	No	No	No	No	(207) 225-1070	326	28	11.8	34.0%	311 (95.4%)	3 (0.9%)	8 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	46.3	49^th of 96 public middle schools	49.0%		51	50^th of 93 public middle schools	46.2%	1	63.4	39.7	50.0	$17,646
Mountain Valley Middle School	Public	5-8	58 Highland Terrace	Mexico	04257	Oxford County	Regional School Unit 10	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 364-7926	367	32	11.6	72.8%	323 (88.0%)	7 (1.9%)	24 (6.5%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.5%)	7.1	95^th of 96 public middle schools	1.0%		8.5	87^th of 93 public middle schools	6.5%	8	48.5	25.7	16.3	$19,316
Winthrop Middle School	Public	6-8	400 Rambler Road	Winthrop	04364	Kennebec County	Winthrop Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 377-2249	198	15	13.0	34.3%	180 (90.9%)	5 (2.5%)	4 (2.0%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	53	34^th of 96 public middle schools	64.6%		82.9	13^th of 93 public middle schools	86.0%	21	62.7	47.0	60.7	$18,575

Frequently Asked Questions about Spruce Mountain Middle School

How many students attend Spruce Mountain Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 335 students attended Spruce Mountain Middle School.

What district is Spruce Mountain Middle School in?

Regional School Unit 73

Is Spruce Mountain Middle School a good school?

Spruce Mountain Middle School ranks in the bottom 9.4% of Maine middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Spruce Mountain Middle School?

Students at Spruce Mountain Middle School are 95% White, 2% African American.

What high school do graduates of Spruce Mountain Middle School attend?

Students who attend Spruce Mountain Middle School usually go on to attend Spruce Mountain High School

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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.