The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 36% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Washburn School
Washburn School sits on Lake Auburn Avenue in the city of Auburn, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade as part of Auburn Public Schools. It is a traditional public school, not a charter or magnet, and its enrollment is modest for its grade band, which means class sizes tend to stay manageable and the building has the feel of a neighborhood elementary rather than a large campus.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller populations of students identifying as Black, multiracial, and Hispanic. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which reflects the economic profile of the surrounding community. Auburn itself is a mid-sized city that serves as the county seat of Androscoggin County and forms the Lewiston-Auburn Twin Cities metro area with its sister city across the river. Once a shoe-manufacturing mill town, Auburn lost its largest manufacturers decades ago and has since diversified into a mix of residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, and institutional employers. Central Maine Community College is located here, and the Good Shepherd Food Bank distributes food across the state from its main warehouse in the city. Neighborhoods include Danville, East Auburn, New Auburn, North Auburn, Stevens Mill, Littlefield Corner, and Marston Corner. The area around Washburn carries the character of a working-city community that has rebuilt itself economically.
On the most recent state assessments, Washburn's English language arts results were moderate, with roughly half of tested students meeting proficiency standards. Math results were lower, with about a third of students reaching proficiency. Science results were suppressed, so no proficiency picture is available for that subject. Participation was very high across all tested subjects. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and pre-kindergarten through second grade are not part of state testing. We looked for multi-year trend data but none was available, so year-over-year direction cannot be described. A parent considering Washburn may want to ask the school how it supports math growth specifically, since that is the area where proficiency lags furthest behind English.
Data on special populations, including students with individualized education programs and English learners, was not available in the sources we reviewed. The same is true for staffing, attendance, discipline, course access, and Title I status. These gaps mean the picture of student support at Washburn is incomplete from public data alone, and a family would want to ask the school directly about those services.
The housing market around Washburn is relatively affordable compared with state and national benchmarks. Home values sit below the Maine statewide figure, and rents are modest. Monthly rent runs lower than the estimated mortgage payment on a typical home, which means renting is the cheaper path for many families in this zip code. Home values have risen only slightly year over year, and rents have crept up at a similarly gentle pace. For families thinking about buying, the area offers a lower entry point than much of Maine.
At the district level, Auburn Public Schools is in a period of investment and potential change. In November 2024, voters approved bonds for a new boiler system plus security and accessibility upgrades across district buildings, and for renovating the transition program building at Edward Little High School. These are lasting infrastructure improvements that affect school conditions for years to come. The district budget grew for the current school year, shaping staffing and programs across all eight schools. Publicly reported discussions about consolidating elementary schools have also surfaced as part of long-term facilities planning, a possibility that could reshape school assignments and feeder patterns for families across the district. Anyone enrolling at Washburn should be aware that its boundaries and role within the district could shift if those consolidation plans move forward.
What Washburn offers is a small, neighborhood elementary experience in an affordable, diversifying city with strong institutional anchors and active district investment. Its reading results are a relative bright spot, while its math results suggest room for growth. Families looking for a close-knit elementary setting may find it fits, and those concerned about math outcomes or the possibility of future redistricting should bring those questions directly to the school and district.
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