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Bar Harbor, MEPhoto: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
A+
Schools in Bar Harbor · Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Community School District

Bar Harbor’s public schools outscore 95% of Maine districts

94% of students in Bar Harbor’s public schools are proficient in math, above the Maine average (82%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Bar Harbor, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Maine, not nationally.

#3of 142 Maine townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Maine state tests taken in spring 2022, when 91% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
96%
▲ 12 pts vs ME 84%
2021–22
Math proficiency
94%
▲ 12 pts vs ME 82%
2021–22
Graduate on time
85–89%
▼ 2–2 pts vs ME 87%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$27.9K
▲ 35% vs ME $20.6K
FY2024 · Mount Desert
Students per teacher
8.0
ME 11.3 · smaller classes
Schools in town
2
799 students on the public path
In brief

Bar Harbor’s schools, in brief

Bar Harbor runs its own schools through grade 8, then shares

Conners-Emerson School (K–8) is Bar Harbor’s own. From grade 9, students attend the Mount Desert Community School District with Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor and Tremont: Mt Desert Island High School. The high school’s own results earn an A+, the highest on the path. See the path ↓

Above the state on tests

Reading proficiency is 96% and math 94% across both districts in spring 2022, against 84% and 82% statewide; 85–89% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 87%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Bar Harbor spends $26,121 per student and Mount Desert $27,878, against $20,630 across Maine (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Bar Harbor’s grade

A+ Test scoresC+ Graduation

A+: better than 95% of Maine school districts, #3 of 142 Maine towns. Test scores are above the Maine average; graduation is below it.

Maine school districts we grade (177)Better than 95%
Lower resultsHigher results
Maine towns with similar household incomes (303)Better than 98%
Towns in Hancock County (31)Better than 87%
AA+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 274 test results and a graduating class of 140 could put Bar Harbor anywhere from A to A+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 91% of Bar Harbor’s students in the tested grades sat them (274 in math, 274 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Bar Harbor, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
K–8Conners-Emerson SchoolBar HarborA+
9–12Mt Desert Island High SchoolMount Desert Community School DistrictA+

Bar Harbor runs its own schools through grade 8 (Bar Harbor). From grade 9, students attend the Mount Desert Community School District, shared with Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor and Tremont. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Bar Harbor

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Bar HarborGrades K–8 · 1 schools · 346 students, up 5% since 2020–21 · 7.6 per teacher (ME 11.3)
$26,121ME $20,630 · FY2024
A+
Mount Desert Community School DistrictGrades 9–12 · 1 schools · 453 students, down 15% since 2020–21 · 8.2 per teacher (ME 11.3)
$27,878ME $20,630 · FY2024
A
Test scores · 2021–22

Well above the state in reading

Reading · K–8, Bar Harbor98%
State average 84.1% · 195 students tested
Math · K–8, Bar Harbor92%
State average 81.5% · 197 students tested
Reading · 9–12, Mount Desert Community School District92%
State average 84.1% · 79 students tested
Math · 9–12, Mount Desert Community School District98%
State average 81.5% · 77 students tested

Bar Harbor vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Maine towns that share Bar Harbor’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Bar HarborA+Bar Harbor K–8 · Mount Desert 9–12
GouldsboroCRegional School Unit 24
TrentonB+Trenton
LamoineA+Lamoine
Mount DesertA+Mount Desert PK–8 · Mount Desert 9–12
Winter Harbor—Regional School Unit 24
HancockDHancock

Every school in Bar Harbor

2 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Maine’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in Bar Harborby address
Conners-Emerson School
Elementary · Grades K–8
A+
346 students8:1Rate it →
Mt Desert Island High School
High · Grades 9–12
A+
453 students8:1Rate it →

Questions about Bar Harbor’s schools

Are Bar Harbor’s schools good?

By Maine’s own tests, yes: the public schools Bar Harbor children attend outscore 95% of Maine’s school districts on tests and graduation, an A+ Schools grade, #3 of 142 Maine towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 98%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Bar Harbor in?

Two districts: Bar Harbor runs grades K–8, and Mount Desert Community School District runs grades 9–12, shared with Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor and Tremont.

Where do Bar Harbor kids go to high school?

Mt Desert Island High School, with 453 students; its own test results earn an A+.

What is Bar Harbor’s graduation rate?

85–89% of the class of 2023 in Mount Desert Community School District graduated in four years, against 87% across Maine.

How much does Bar Harbor spend per student?

$26,121 in Bar Harbor and $27,878 in Mount Desert Community School District (FY2024), against $20,630 across Maine. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Bar Harbor families are saying about school.

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Looking for colleges? Colleges near Bar Harbor → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Maine. Stars are from neighbors.