James Otis Kaler Elementary School

James Otis Kaler Elementary School is an elementary school of low-enrollment scale in South Portland, Maine, operated by South Portland Public Schools, hosting 179 students in grades pre-K through 4. That puts it 22% smaller than the typical public school in Maine, which averages around 229 students.

South Portland Public Schools comprises 7 schools with combined enrollment of 2,816 students; James Otis Kaler Elementary School is among them.

For racial and ethnic makeup, James Otis Kaler Elementary School shows that the largest single group is White at 49%, but no single group is in the majority. Other groups include 22% Black, 16% Hispanic, 7% multiracial, 6% Asian. That is considerably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 86%.

Looking at school resources, The school reports having 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 8.1:1. The state averages around 10.5:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Roughly 59% of students at James Otis Kaler Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Cumberland County (around 34%), the school's rate is north of typical.

In the broader community, Cumberland County reports that median household earnings sit near $95,677, about 53% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 4%. James Otis Kaler Elementary School is one of 99 public schools in Cumberland County (combined enrollment of about 38,224 students).

South Portland High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.5 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

James Otis Kaler Elementary School operates from an urban location.

Five-year trend. James Otis Kaler Elementary School's enrollment has contracted 21% since 2018, when it stood at 228 (now 179). The White share of enrollment decreased from 71% to 49% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 10.3:1 in 2018 to 8.1:1 today.

On this page, members of the James Otis Kaler Elementary School community share and discuss school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.