Maine has many wonderful places to raise children, but which school districts stand out as the best of the best?

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Our Pine Tree State offers a number of excellent education options, but before we dive deeper, some questions need answers.

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Credit: Canva / Getty Stock
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Which school districts are the most supportive? And how is this determined? What exactly is a school district, and how does it differ from a single school?

Before we explore further, let's define a 'school district' and what it means to be among the best.

Credit: Canva / Getty Stock
Credit: Canva / Getty Stock
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According to the California Department of Education, school districts are government entities that provide public elementary and secondary education to students within a specific territory, which can include several different towns, cities, regions, or, more locally, counties.

It's important to note that the term 'school district' does not refer to a county office of education, a charter school, a joint powers authority, or any other entity or organizational structure in the field of education.

Credit: Canva / Getty Stock
Credit: Canva / Getty Stock
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Now that we understand what a school district is, how do we determine the best ones, especially in Maine?

Niche, a website that assesses education quality, ranks school districts every year based on factors such as teacher quality, academics, diversity, clubs and activities, and resources and facilities.

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Credit: Canva / Getty Stock
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Niche uses a letter grading scale similar to those used in schools, with A+ being the highest and F the lowest.

According to U.S. News & World Report, Maine had 121 school districts supporting 126 high schools in the 2022-23 academic year.

Which of our 121 school districts made the top 10?

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