The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in English language arts. The lowest is 75% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Prescott Memorial School
Prescott Memorial School sits on Waldoboro Road in Washington, Maine, serving children from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade as part of RSU 40. The school is small, with an enrollment that fits its rural setting, and families here are part of a community where the town itself functions more as a collection of scattered villages than a concentrated center. Washington Village, West Washington, Razorville, Stickney Corner, and other hamlets spread across wooded, rolling terrain along Route 17 between Rockland and Augusta. The town office, Gibbs Library, and volunteer fire station share a municipal campus that serves as the closest thing to a civic hub. There is no downtown, no public water or sewer, and no public transit. Properties rely on private wells and septic systems. What the town does have is municipally owned broadband operated by Axiom, which stands out as a meaningful infrastructure investment in a place where most amenities are limited.
The housing market here is relatively modest compared with state and national benchmarks. Home values sit below both the Maine and national medians, and the price-to-income ratio is close to the national midpoint. This is a place where families can find affordability, though the tradeoff is rural isolation and dependence on driving for nearly everything. No major employers were identified in the available research; the local economy appears to rest on small businesses, town government, the school itself, and seasonal summer camps like Med-O-Lark and Medomak Camp. Most working residents likely commute to larger employment centers.
Academically, Prescott Memorial shows strong results on Maine's state assessments. In English language arts, a large majority of tested students in grades three through eight reached proficiency, and in math the share was also strong, with roughly three quarters meeting that bar. Participation was near universal. Science proficiency results were suppressed due to a very small number of tested students, which is common for schools where only a single grade level takes the science assessment. A parent looking at these results should feel encouraged by the reading and math performance, and a conversation with the school about science instruction would be a reasonable next step if that subject is a priority.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. That is a function of the grade band, not a gap. After sixth grade, students move on to Medomak Valley Middle School and Medomak Valley High School, both located in nearby Waldoboro. Families considering Prescott should understand that their children will transition to a different town for secondary education, which is standard in this part of Maine but worth planning for.
The student body is predominantly white, with a small number of students identifying as Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native, or two or more races. About two-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on special education enrollment and English learner status was not available, so those dimensions of student support cannot be characterized here. A parent whose child receives special education services or English language support may want to ask the school directly about staffing and program details.
No information was available on course access, staffing ratios, discipline, attendance, Title I status, or specific program offerings. The district brief for RSU 40 turned up little in the way of recent parent-relevant changes, so there is nothing to report on that front. What the data does show is a small rural elementary school with solid academic outcomes in core subjects, situated in a town that is quiet, affordable, and deeply rural. Prescott Memorial fits families who value a small-school environment, are comfortable with rural living, and want their children in a setting where most students are meeting state academic expectations. The transition to secondary school in Waldoboro is part of the package, and the lack of detailed program and staffing data means some questions will need to go straight to the school itself.
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