The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in English language arts. The lowest is 50% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Surry Elementary School
Surry Elementary School sits in the village area of a small coastal Maine town between Ellsworth and Blue Hill, on the west bank of Union River Bay. It is the sole school in the Surry Public Schools district and serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, which means it functions as both the elementary and middle school experience for local children before they move on to a regional arrangement for high school. Because the school does not include high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report; that gap reflects the grade band, not any weakness.
The school is small, with a total enrollment that makes for intimate grade cohorts. Just over three quarters of the student body is white, and a small share is Hispanic. The free- and reduced-price lunch rate sits at the lower end, which positions Surry as a comparatively low-poverty school within Maine. Data on individualized education programs and English learner status was not reported, so those figures are absent here rather than implying anything about the school.
On the most recent Maine Through Year Assessment, Surry's results are a genuine bright spot, particularly in English language arts. Roughly four in five tested students reached proficiency or above in ELA, a strong showing by any measure. Math was solid, with about three in five students proficient. Science landed at the midpoint, with half of tested students reaching proficiency, and the tested group for science was much smaller, which can make that figure less stable. Participation was full across all three subjects. Average scale scores were not available, so the picture rests on proficiency rates alone. No multi-year trend data was provided, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent growth, decline, or stability over time.
The town of Surry is rural and car-dependent, with no public transit and no traditional walkable downtown. Scattered residential properties line rural roads, with limited commercial activity along the main route. The town includes several villages, and civic life centers on outdoor spaces managed largely by the Blue Hill Heritage Trust, including Carter Nature Preserve, Patten Stream Preserve, and Furth Wildlife Sanctuary. A family-owned general store and a well-known garden center are among the few local businesses. No major employers were identified; most residents who work likely commute to Ellsworth, the county seat just to the northeast, or to Blue Hill to the southwest. No public library was found within Surry itself, and residents likely use libraries in those neighboring towns.
Housing here carries a coastal premium. The typical home value in the school's zip code sits above the state benchmark and well above the national benchmark, with a price-to-income ratio that suggests buying a home requires a meaningful stretch for many households. Rent data was not available for this zip code. The broader mortgage rate environment remains elevated, which compounds the affordability picture for families considering a move into the area. Surry has seen sustained population growth over recent decades, which points to ongoing residential development pressure in a town that draws people for its coastal setting and proximity to larger neighboring communities.
We looked for district-level strategic changes, referendum activity, or curriculum shifts and found little of lasting impact, so there is nothing specific to report on that front. The school's staffing ratios, course access details, discipline data, and attendance figures were not provided in the available materials, so those dimensions go unaddressed here.
What emerges is a picture of a small, close-knit rural school serving a coastal community where ELA proficiency is a clear strength and math is steady. Science sits at the midpoint and may warrant a closer look if that subject area matters to a family. The peer environment is homogeneous and the poverty rate is low. The housing market is demanding for buyers, and the town's appeal as a residential destination between two larger communities is evident in its sustained growth. For a family seeking a small-school setting with strong literacy outcomes in a quiet coastal town, Surry Elementary presents a grounded option, with the caveat that some academic and school-environment data is thin and worth asking the school about directly.
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