Portland School Department, Maine, elections
| Portland School Department |
|---|
 |
| District details |
| School board members: 9 |
| Students: 6,649 (2023-2024) |
| Schools: 17 (2023-2024) |
| Website: Link |
Portland School Department is a school district in Maine (Cumberland County). During the 2024 school year, 6,649 students attended one of the district's 17 schools.
This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.
Elections
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Portland Public Schools, At-large
General election
Special general election for Portland Public Schools, At-large
Cassidy S. Lacroix and Jayne Q. Sawtelle ran in the special general election for Portland Public Schools, At-large on June 10, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Cassidy S. Lacroix (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Jayne Q. Sawtelle (Nonpartisan) | ||
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Portland Public Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Portland Public Schools, At-large (2 seats)
Sarah M. Lentz and Jayne Q. Sawtelle ran in the general election for Portland Public Schools, At-large on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Sarah M. Lentz (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Jayne Q. Sawtelle (Nonpartisan) | ||
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Portland Public Schools, District 3
General election
General election for Portland Public Schools, District 3
Julianne R. Opperman ran in the general election for Portland Public Schools, District 3 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Julianne R. Opperman (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Portland Public Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Portland Public Schools, At-large
Maya J. Lena and John T. Rousseau ran in the general election for Portland Public Schools, At-large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Maya J. Lena (Nonpartisan) | ||
| John T. Rousseau (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Portland Public Schools, District 1
General election
General election for Portland Public Schools, District 1
Abusana M. Bondo ran in the general election for Portland Public Schools, District 1 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Abusana M. Bondo (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Portland Public Schools, District 2
General election
General election for Portland Public Schools, District 2
Abdulkadir M. Ali ran in the general election for Portland Public Schools, District 2 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Abdulkadir M. Ali (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
About the district
School board
The Portland School Department consists of nine members serving three-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.
| Name | Seat | Year assumed office | Year term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Lentz | At-large | 2028 | |
| Julianne Opperman | District 3 | 2028 | |
| Jayne Sawtelle | At-large | 2028 | |
| Ali Ali | District 2 | 2025 | 2027 |
| Maya Lena | At-large | 2025 | 2027 |
| Abusana Bondo | District 1 | 2018 | 2027 |
| Sarah Brydon | District 5 | 2026 | |
| Usira Ali | At-large | 2023 | 2026 |
| Fatuma Noor | District 4 | 2023 | 2026 |
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District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[1]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $12,921,000 | $1,996 | 9% |
| Local: | $101,622,000 | $15,702 | 68% |
| State: | $34,758,000 | $5,371 | 23% |
| Total: | $149,301,000 | $23,069 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $142,297,000 | $21,986 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $132,298,000 | $20,441 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $77,646,000 | $11,997 | 55% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $19,406,000 | $2,998 | 14% |
| Administration: | $16,068,000 | $2,482 | 11% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $19,178,000 | $2,963 | 13% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $586,000 | $90 | |
| Construction: | $0 | $0 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $5,025,000 | $776 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $3,115,000 | $481 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[2]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 71 | 65-69 | 48 | 55-59 | >=50 | 75-79 | 86 |
| 2020-2021 | 71 | 75-79 | 49 | 55-59 | >=50 | 70-74 | 84 |
| 2018-2019 | 35 | 30-34 | 12 | 20-24 | <50 | 35-39 | 49 |
| 2017-2018 | 36 | 40-44 | 15 | 20-24 | <50 | 35-39 | 48 |
| 2016-2017 | 38 | 40-44 | 14 | 20-24 | <50 | 40-44 | 48 |
| 2015-2016 | 40 | 35-39 | 16 | 20-24 | <50 | 35-39 | 51 |
| 2014-2015 | 35 | 30-34 | 11 | 25-29 | <50 | 40-44 | 46 |
| 2013-2014 | 51 | 50-54 | 25 | 35-39 | <50 | 65-69 | 63 |
| 2012-2013 | 52 | 45-49 | 20 | 35-39 | <50 | 60-64 | 65 |
| 2011-2012 | 54 | 50-54 | 25 | 35-39 | <50 | 55-59 | 66 |
| 2010-2011 | 51 | 46 | 22 | 30-34 | >=50 | PS | 63 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 81 | 80-84 | 65 | 65-69 | >=50 | 80-84 | 91 |
| 2020-2021 | 80 | 80-84 | 64 | 65-69 | >=50 | 85-89 | 90 |
| 2018-2019 | 55 | 50-54 | 33 | 40-44 | <50 | 55-59 | 68 |
| 2017-2018 | 49 | 45-49 | 28 | 30-34 | <50 | 50-54 | 61 |
| 2016-2017 | 50 | 50-54 | 25 | 30-34 | <50 | 50-54 | 62 |
| 2015-2016 | 51 | 45-49 | 25 | 35-39 | <50 | 40-44 | 63 |
| 2014-2015 | 47 | 40-44 | 22 | 35-39 | <50 | 45-49 | 58 |
| 2013-2014 | 64 | 55-59 | 40 | 55-59 | <50 | 80-84 | 74 |
| 2012-2013 | 64 | 55-59 | 39 | 50-54 | >=50 | 65-69 | 75 |
| 2011-2012 | 66 | 55-59 | 39 | 55-59 | >=50 | 70-74 | 76 |
| 2010-2011 | 63 | 54 | 35 | 45-49 | >=50 | PS | 75 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 85 | >=80 | 80-84 | 60-69 | PS | >=80 | 88 |
| 2019-2020 | 88 | >=80 | 90-94 | 70-79 | >=80 | 88 | |
| 2018-2019 | 86 | 80-89 | 85-89 | 40-59 | PS | >=80 | 87 |
| 2017-2018 | 87 | >=80 | 80-84 | 80-89 | >=50 | 85-89 | |
| 2016-2017 | 83 | 80-89 | 85-89 | 60-79 | PS | >=50 | 84 |
| 2015-2016 | 83 | 80-89 | 70-74 | 80-89 | PS | >=50 | 86 |
| 2014-2015 | 84 | 80-89 | 80-84 | 60-79 | >=50 | 87 | |
| 2013-2014 | 79 | 80-89 | 70-74 | 60-69 | PS | >=50 | 82 |
| 2012-2013 | 79 | 80-89 | 70-74 | 70-79 | PS | >=50 | 82 |
| 2011-2012 | 77 | 70-79 | 70-74 | 60-79 | PS | PS | 81 |
| 2010-2011 | 79 | 80-89 | 75-79 | 60-79 | PS | >=50 | 80 |
Students
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[3]
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 6,649 | 2.6 |
| 2022-2023 | 6,476 | 0.1 |
| 2021-2022 | 6,472 | -0.8 |
| 2020-2021 | 6,523 | -3.9 |
| 2019-2020 | 6,779 | 0.1 |
| 2018-2019 | 6,770 | 0.1 |
| 2017-2018 | 6,761 | 0.7 |
| 2016-2017 | 6,711 | -1.9 |
| 2015-2016 | 6,838 | -2.0 |
| 2014-2015 | 6,973 | -0.5 |
| 2013-2014 | 7,006 | 0.4 |
| 2012-2013 | 6,976 | 1.1 |
| 2011-2012 | 6,896 | -1.1 |
| 2010-2011 | 6,970 | 0.9 |
| 2009-2010 | 6,906 | -0.1 |
| 2008-2009 | 6,910 | -2.0 |
| 2007-2008 | 7,049 | -0.3 |
| 2006-2007 | 7,071 | -0.3 |
| 2005-2006 | 7,089 | -3.1 |
| 2004-2005 | 7,308 | -3.4 |
| 2003-2004 | 7,555 | 0.0 |
| 2002-2003 | 7,555 | -2.6 |
| 2001-2002 | 7,755 | -0.3 |
| 2000-2001 | 7,781 | -2.0 |
| 1999-2000 | 7,933 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Portland School Department (%) | Maine K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.4 | 0.8 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.2 | 1.3 |
| Black | 31.1 | 4.9 |
| Hispanic | 10.7 | 3.5 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 6.3 | 3.8 |
| White | 47.4 | 85.7 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[4]
As of the 2023-2024 school year, Portland School Department had 622.63 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 10.68.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 32.15 |
| Kindergarten: | 41.07 |
| Elementary: | 357.41 |
| Secondary: | 191.60 |
| Total: | 622.63 |
Portland School Department employed 11.50 district administrators and 53.30 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 11.50 |
| District Administrative Support: | 31.50 |
| School Administrators: | 53.30 |
| School Administrative Support: | 35.70 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 231.40 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 39.40 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 21.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 9.70 |
| Library/Media Support: | 3.50 |
| Student Support Services: | 177.30 |
| Other Support Services: | 171.00 |
Schools
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
School board meetings
The following articles were produced by Citizen Portal using artificial intelligence to analyze public meetings. Citizen Portal publishes articles based on the availability of meeting broadcasts, so the number of articles provided may vary by district. Although these articles are not produced or edited by Ballotpedia, they are included here as a supplemental resource for readers.
About school boards
Education legislation in Maine
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| School Boards | Education Policy | Local Politics | Maine |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2021-22 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed October 18, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
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