Portland district reports small enrollment decline after 2023–24 rebound; multilingual population drove recent uptick
Summary
The district presented preliminary October 1 enrollment counts and nine‑year trends showing an overall modest decline in enrollment, a spike in multilingual student enrollment in 2023–24, and school‑level variation including a notable decline at Lincoln Middle School.
Portland Public Schools on Oct. 28 received an enrollment update from the district data team that showed a modest decline in total students after a rebound in the 2023–24 school year and notable variation across individual schools.
Haley Diedrichsen, presenting district enrollment data, said the preferred official measure is the Oct. 1 certified count submitted to the state; the district was still finalizing certification at the time of the presentation. She noted that over the last nine years the district’s total enrollment has declined by about 7 percent, with an uptick in 2023–24 driven in part by an increase in multilingual students.
"Enrollment data is one of the most ever changing data points that we're trying to pin down," Diedrichsen said, noting the district cleans data up to certification.
Key findings
- Nine‑year trend: Overall enrollment is down roughly 7% compared with 2017–18, though the district saw a modest rebound in 2023–24.
- Subgroup shifts: Multilingual student enrollment rose sharply in 2023–24 and then declined slightly in the current year; students with IEPs remain relatively steady with a slight uptick.
- School‑level variation: Elementary schools showed varied trends — some (for example, Rose and Reiche) increased while others decreased — and middle schools generally trended downward, with Lincoln Middle showing a pronounced decline.
Board discussion and next steps
Board members asked staff whether the data can be disaggregated to show where departing students enrolled next (other districts, private schools, homeschooling) and whether dropout or truancy codes are contributing to middle‑school declines. Diedrichsen said exit codes show the most common exit is to another Maine district; some exit categories are small enough to be suppressed to protect student privacy.
The board and staff noted the enrollment data will inform boundaries work and resource allocation; staff plans include further drill‑downs into exit reasons and school‑level changes to inform upcoming committee work.
Ending
Board members praised the data team for accessible visualizations and asked for additional breakdowns; staff said certified October counts would be provided once finalized.
Provenance: Enrollment presentation and Q&A recorded beginning with Haley Diedrichsen’s remarks (Oct. 28, 2025) and continuing through board questions about Lincoln and exit codes.
