Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 6 schools in district

Pownal Elementary School

587 Elmwood Road, Pownal, ME 04069RSU 05 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
96
Students
Total enrolled
$18,155
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 27% vs nat'l
8.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 44% vs nat'l
42/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 16% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 96 students in grades PK–05 in Pownal, Maine.
27% above average funding
District spends $18,155 per pupil, 27% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 42th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Pownal Elementary School is a small elementary in Pownal, Maine, serving grades PK–05 with 96 students. The district invests $18,155 per student — 27% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 8.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 18% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Pownal Elementary School

96
Total Students
8.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
18%
Free Lunch
11
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution49 male · 47 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility18%
National avg 52% · 17 students
Student Composition
92%
White92%
Hispanic / Latino2%
Black2%
Multiracial3%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 231478900683

Academic Outcomes at Pownal Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
42
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 42th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 41th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 04069

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,155Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,155
State avg
$25,124
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,988
Student Support$3,450
Administration$2,179
Operations$2,723
Other$1,816
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,155 spent per student, an estimated $8,043 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
23%
71%
State government
22.9%
Local (property tax)
71.1%
Federal programs
6.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $18,155/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 8.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 18% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Durham Community SchoolMorse Street SchoolMast Landing School
↓
Middle
Freeport Middle School
↓
High School
Freeport High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyCumberland County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictRSU 05 →
Phone: (207)688-4832
NCES ID: 231478900683
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Pownal seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in RSU 05
High
Freeport High School
620 students · 09–12
● 46 opp17% FRL
Elem
Durham Community School
466 students · PK–08
● 43 opp18% FRL
Elem
Morse Street School
327 students · PK–02
● 46 opp24% FRL
Mid
Freeport Middle School
307 students · 06–08
● 46 opp23% FRL
Elem
Mast Landing School
253 students · 03–05
● 46 opp21% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
587 Elmwood Road, Pownal, ME 04069
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.