SOUTH PORTLAND — In this year’s state of the schools presentation on Jan. 25, Superintendent Ken Kunin provided a snapshot of the district, including a rise in student homelessness and increased graduation rate from 2010.
In 2020, South Portland High School graduated 217 students with a four-year graduation rate of 91.5 percent, Kunin said.
“We’ve been averaging about 90 percent four-year graduation rate over the last five years, and that is up from a 79 percent four-year graduation rate in 2010,” he said. “From 2010 on, South Portland has done tremendous work to really increase the rate of graduation for our students and provide students opportunities for their future.”
Compared to the 2019 and 2020 school year, the free and reduced lunch rate has dropped from 38 percent to 35 percent, Kunin said. However, due to COVID-19, through the academic year meals are free for all students, but a drop in reduced and free lunches may impact future funding.
Among the challenges mentioned in the presentation that have arisen through COVID-19, homelessness was one issue that Kunin and Vice Superintendent Jodi Mezzanotte discussed.
As of Jan. 25, South Portland Schools has seen 113 students without a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, and 86 of those 113 are enrolled in school, Kunin said. In previous years, this number had seen a more steady rate, with 37 total students in the 2018-2019 school year.
The rate has not slowed down as of Jan. 25, said Mezzanotte. Two motels on Route 1 that have served as warming shelters for families are full, and general assistance in Portland is giving families new to Maine vouchers to stay at other motel locations.
Housing in Portland is hard to find, Mezzanotte said, causing families to live in motels and register at South Portland Schools until permanent housing is found.
“We’ve met with the school counselors who have been in touch with families, seeing how they’re doing, seeing if they’re still doubled-up or found permanent housing and such,” she said. “We feel like we’re able to support our families and support them well.”
The rate of homeless students does not appear to be slowing down, Kunin said. Future board meetings may include discussions of possible resources if needed.
“It’s hard to overestimate the impact on economic disruption and dislocation on families, and it’s caused people to move across the country,” he said.
For students who are enrolled in special education programs, receiving personalized learning during a time of remote learning can be difficult, Kunin said. There are over 560 students, 19.65 percent of the student population, enrolled in special education programs this year.
Looking to the future, a challenge will be the resuming of in-person education for all, he said.
“What’s the magic set of metrics, numbers?” Kunin said. “What do we need to see? Will the vaccination, as that spreads throughout all of our staff, when will that make it more possible for us to be all back together safely, and what will be doing in the fall in terms of both in-person and remote learning? Those are questions we’re going to have to answer and wrestle with over the next few months.”
The district will also see uncertainty financially as well as the city as a whole, Kunin said.
“We know even without increase in programs, any increase in expense, some homeowners could see a 10 percent tax increase just to do nothing different and to spend no more money, because of reevaluation of their property, and we do have to understand that,” he said.
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