The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 26% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Woodland Elementary School
Woodland Elementary School sits in the Woodland census-designated place at the heart of Baileyville, a small rural town in Washington County along the St. Croix River at the Canadian border. The school serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade and is part of Baileyville Public Schools, the local district also known as AOS 90. It is a traditional public school, not a charter or magnet, and it is small for its grade band, with a total enrollment that keeps class sizes intimate. The student body is predominantly white, reflecting the surrounding community, and nearly half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
Academically, the most recent state assessment results from the current school year tell a mixed story. In English language arts, roughly half of tested students in grades three through eight reached proficiency, a result that stands as a relative strength for the school. Mathematics was considerably weaker, with only about a quarter of tested students demonstrating proficiency. Full participation was achieved across both subjects. Science results were suppressed due to the small number of tested students, which is common when only one or two grade levels sit for the science exam in a school this size. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability. A parent weighing this school may want to look into how the district supports math instruction and what interventions are in place, given the gap between reading and numeracy outcomes.
The town of Baileyville has a deep industrial past. Ezekiel Bailey's oilcloth factories once anchored the local economy before fire destroyed them, and later the Georgia-Pacific paper mill complex at Woodland became the dominant employer. Rail service that once moved massive volumes of freight for the mills has largely been discontinued, with only a spur line into New Brunswick remaining. Current major employers are not well documented in available sources, though the town government and school district would be expected to be among the largest. The community describes itself as family-friendly and hosts Octoberfest, a multi-week celebration that serves as a civic anchor alongside the St. Croix River and the nearby Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Baring.
Housing here is notably affordable compared with both the Maine state benchmark and the national one. Home values in the school's zip code sit well below state and national medians, and the price-to-income ratio suggests that ownership is within reach for many local families earning a typical income. Rent data was not available, so the rental picture cannot be characterized. The town has a low population density spread across roughly forty-two square miles, and an aging population with a substantial share of residents over sixty-five. Limited new housing development or growth trajectory information was found, so the direction of the housing market beyond modest year-over-year value changes is unclear.
Walkability is minimal. The Woodland CDP has a modest street grid with First Avenue, Fourth Avenue, and Broadway Street, and the schools and town office are integrated into that core rather than sitting on isolated campuses. But outside that small center, the town is overwhelmingly rural with little pedestrian infrastructure. No public library or transit system information was found.
The school's setting is one of rural quiet and community embeddedness, with civic life and education concentrated in a compact downtown area along a river that defines the international border. For families drawn to a small, close-knit environment with affordable housing, Woodland Elementary offers that context. The academic picture points to solid reading outcomes alongside a math gap that merits direct inquiry, and the absence of trend data or detailed program information means a family would want to ask the school directly about its instructional priorities and support structures.
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