The top reported proficiency rate is 87% in English language arts. The lowest is 39% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mildred L Day School
Mildred L Day School sits on Limerick Road in Arundel, Maine, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as part of RSU 21, a regional district that also takes in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. It is the town's only elementary school, and once children finish fifth grade they leave Arundel entirely for middle school at the Middle School of the Kennebunks in Kennebunk, then on to Kennebunk High School. The school underwent a substantial renovation a few years back, which speaks to the community's investment in its youngest learners.
The academic results here are strong where the state measures them most closely. In math, a very large share of tested students reached proficiency or above, and in English language arts the results were even stronger, placing this school among the higher-performing elementary programs in the state. Participation in state testing was near universal. Science results tell a different story. The share of students meeting proficiency in science was markedly lower than in math and reading, sitting well below what the school posts in those other subjects. The science assessment only covers a subset of grades, so the tested group is smaller, but the gap is wide enough that a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how science instruction is structured and what supports are in place.
The school is small for its grade band, with roughly two classrooms per grade level. Its student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of students identifying as Hispanic and very small numbers in other racial and ethnic categories. The share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch is low compared with most public schools in Maine, which aligns with the economic profile of the surrounding community. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported, so those figures cannot be characterized here. Because this is a K through 5 building, there is no graduation rate to report, and the state testing framework only begins at grade 3, so kindergarten through second grade sit outside those measures.
Arundel itself is a bedroom community in the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Publicly reported sources describe it as a town that transitioned from dairy farming to a suburban residential community, with no traditional downtown or concentrated commercial center. Civic buildings and homes are dispersed along rural roads, and the town is crossed by Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1, making car travel the default way residents get around. The town was recognized by Downeast Magazine as a desirable place to live, which may have reinforced its appeal to families relocating from elsewhere. Key civic anchors include the Municipal Building on Limerick Road, a transfer station, a fire and rescue main station also on Limerick Road, and a parks and recreation department. No public library was identified within Arundel itself; residents likely use library services in neighboring Kennebunk.
The housing market here is expensive relative to both Maine and the nation. Typical home values in the school's zip code run well above the state benchmark and roughly double the national figure, and the price-to-income ratio is steep. Renting is somewhat more manageable than buying at current mortgage rates, but rents still absorb a considerable portion of typical household income. For families already settled in the area, this is a community where housing costs reflect the town's affluence and desirability rather than any sign of distress. For families considering a move, the cost of entry is high.
The district brief for RSU 21 did not surface concrete, confirmed changes with clear lasting impact for parents from recent budget cycles or strategic planning documents. This does not mean nothing is happening at the district level, only that available public sources did not provide verified specifics worth reporting.
What parents get at Mildred L Day is a small, well-resourced elementary school with strong reading and math outcomes, a peer group drawn from an affluent commuter town, and a clear pathway into the RSU 21 secondary system in Kennebunk. The science results are the most visible soft spot in the data. The setting is quiet and car-dependent, with no walkable center, and the housing market reflects that.
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