T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

Summary:

T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School is a public middle school in Dixfield, Maine, serving 171 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Regional School Unit 56 district, which is ranked 169 out of 177 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While the school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (93.57%) compared to surrounding schools, it faces several challenges. The school has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 25.8% to 32.3% over the past three years, which is notably higher than the state average and nearby schools. Academically, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are generally lower than the state and regional averages. For example, in 2022-2023, the school's proficiency rates were 56.89% in English Language Arts, 29.09% in Mathematics, and 36.07% in Science, compared to the state averages of 64.63%, 48.68%, and 36.36%, respectively. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 50.88% to 64.5% over the past three years, suggesting significant socioeconomic challenges.

While T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School has some unique characteristics, the surrounding schools in the region, such as Mountain Valley Middle School, also face similar challenges. The school's high chronic absenteeism and low academic performance, particularly in mathematics, suggest that there may be opportunities for targeted interventions and support to address these areas of concern. A broader, regional approach to addressing these issues may be warranted, as the challenges faced by T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School are not unique to the school but rather reflect the broader educational landscape in the area.

Detail:

Public 6-8

45 Middle School Drive
Dixfield, ME 04224

(207) 562-7552

District: Regional School Unit 56

SchoolDigger Rank:
81^st of 96 Maine Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,598

Students who attend T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School usually attend:

High:

Dirigo High School

Feeder schools for T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School:

Elementary:

Dirigo Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 167

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.8%

Hispanic:

4.2%

Two or more races:

4.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 56.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School ranks worse than 84.4% of middle schools in Maine. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.59. (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 (89.8%), Hispanic (4.2%), two or more races (4.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 56.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School is 12.8. (See more...)

Compare T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School employs 13 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School is $18,598.

Schooldigger Rankings:

T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School 81^st of 96 Maine public middle schools. (See T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School in the ranking list.)

Regional School Unit 56:

SchoolDigger ranks Regional School Unit 56 169^th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

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Rank History for all students at T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile
2017	14.94	84^th	87	3.4%
2018	6.52	84^th	85	1.2%
2019	18.93	76^th	86	11.6%
2021	39.93	61^st	92	33.7%
2022	29.70	71^st	93	23.7%
2023	22.59	81^st	96	15.6%

See the entire list of Maine Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	3.35	64^th	64	0.0%
2021	59.57	28^th	66	57.6%

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

Rank History for Female students at T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	20.12	69^th	78	11.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	20.99	68^th	78	12.8%

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 T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2018	150	3	0	5	1	159
2019	172	2	2	4	2	182
2020	164	6	2	2	1	175
2021	167	0	1	0	1	169
2022	166	0	2	2	2	172
2023	160	1	1	3	6	171
2024	150	2	1	7	7	167

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 T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	159	11.8	13.4	59.1
2019	182	12.5	14.5	62.1
2020	175	10.4	16.8	66.9
2021	169	11.8	14.3	64.5
2022	172	12.9	13.3	57
2023	171	13.2	12.9	50.9
2024	167	13.0	12.8	56.9

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 T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	159	11.8	13.4	59.1
2019	182	12.5	14.5	62.1
2020	175	10.4	16.8	66.9
2021	169	11.8	14.3	64.5
2022	172	12.9	13.3	57
2023	171	13.2	12.9	50.9
2024	167	13.0	12.8	56.9

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 T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$15,711
2020	$15,677
2021	$20,135
2022	$20,771
2023	$18,598

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on T W Kelly Dirigo 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 76^th of 86 Middle schools	Ranks 81^st of 96 Middle schools	4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School)	47.8	82	34.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Regional School Unit 56)	44.4	76.7	32.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%
All Grades Mathematics (T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School)	12.9	76.2	63.3%
All Grades Mathematics (Regional School Unit 56)	18.6	73.2	54.6%
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	182	171	6%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	4	3	25%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	172	160	7%
Two or More Races	2	6	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	62.1%	50.9%	11.2%

Schools Near T W Kelly Dirigo 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
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
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
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
Telstar Middle School	Public	6-8	284 Walkers Mills Rd	Bethel	04217	Oxford County	Regional School Unit 44/Maine School Admin District 44	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 824-2136	168	17	9.7	45.8%	150 (89.3%)	1 (0.6%)	5 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	2 (1.2%)	9 (5.4%)	32.5	70^th of 96 public middle schools	27.1%		60.1	39^th of 93 public middle schools	58.1%	31	60.9	37.0	37.2	$17,394
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

Frequently Asked Questions about T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

What district is T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School in?

Regional School Unit 56

How many students attend T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 167 students attended T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School.

What high school do graduates of T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School attend?

Students who attend T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School usually go on to attend Dirigo High School

What is the racial makeup of T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School?

Students at T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School are 90% White, 4% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Is T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School a good school?

T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School ranks in the bottom 15.6% of Maine middle schools.

Rate T W Kelly Dirigo Middle 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.