The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in English language arts. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Sylvio J Gilbert School
Sylvio J Gilbert School sits on Sunset Avenue in Augusta, Maine's capital city, serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade as one of four elementary schools in the Augusta Public Schools district. The school's enrollment is moderate for its grade band, with a fairly even distribution across grades and a sizable pre-kindergarten cohort. The student body is predominantly white, with small representation from Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial students. A moderate share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a mixed-income community rather than one dominated by either end of the economic spectrum. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported, so those population sizes are unknown here.
On Maine's Through Year Assessment, Gilbert's results in math and English language arts are solid. Roughly two-thirds of tested students in grades three through eight reached proficiency in ELA, and just under two-thirds did so in math. Participation was near-universal in both subjects. Science results tell a different story. Only about a third of tested students demonstrated proficiency, though the tested group was small, likely reflecting a single tested grade level. A parent may want to look into how the school approaches science instruction and whether this is an area of focus. Average scale scores were not available for any subject, so the proficiency rates are the primary academic signal here. No multi-year trend data was provided, making it hard to judge whether these results represent growth, stability, or decline.
Because Gilbert serves only through grade six, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not sit within the grade bands where that measure applies.
Augusta itself is a small state capital shaped by government work, health care, retail, and the University of Maine at Augusta. The city stretches across both sides of the Kennebec River, with a compact downtown near the State House and dispersed residential neighborhoods that make a car essential for most daily life. The Kennebec River Rail Trail offers a pedestrian and biking corridor, and civic anchors like the Lithgow Public Library, the Maine State Museum, and Old Fort Western give the city cultural substance. The population is aging and growth is modest, with no sign of rapid expansion. Housing in Gilbert's zip code is relatively affordable compared with both state and national benchmarks. Typical home values sit well below the statewide figure, and rents are moderate. Mortgage costs at current rates run somewhat above typical rents, but the price-to-income ratio remains approachable for the region.
The district context matters for families considering Gilbert. In 2024, Augusta voters were asked three times whether to consolidate the city's four elementary schools into two buildings, and three times they said no. That means Gilbert will continue operating as a standalone neighborhood school, preserving the current structure of school assignments, class sizes, and community identity that Augusta families have known. The school budget passed in the same cycle, keeping district operations funded.
Some things a parent might want are simply not in the available data. No information was provided on staffing ratios, course offerings beyond the standard elementary curriculum, discipline practices, attendance patterns, Title I status, or specialized programs. Civil rights data was absent as well. Without these pieces, the picture of Gilbert is grounded mainly in its assessment results, its demographic profile, and its place within Augusta's neighborhood school system. What the data does show is a school where most students are hitting state benchmarks in reading and math, in a community that has chosen to keep its elementary schools small and local.
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