The Growth of Non-Teaching Staff in MSAD 52
Since approximately 2010, student enrollment in MSAD 52 has remained relatively stable or slightly declined. However, the total number of staff has grown significantly. Today, MSAD 52 employs 528 total staff while serving roughly 2,010 students.
How Staffing Has Changed in MSAD 52
The table below compares key staffing and enrollment metrics from around 2010–2012 to the current 2025–2026 school years.
Student Enrollment: ~2,100 – 2,150 students in 2010–2012 vs. ~2,010 – 2,028 students today — a slight decline in enrollment.
Classroom Teachers (FTE): ~165 – 175 teachers then vs. 167 teachers today — classroom staffing has stayed relatively stable.
Total Staff (FTE): ~380 – 420 staff then vs. 528 staff today — a major increase in total staffing levels.
Student-to-Teacher Ratio: ~12:1 then vs. 12:1 today — class sizes have stayed about the same.
Student-to-Total Staff Ratio: ~5.0 – 5.5 students per staff then vs. ~3.8 students per staff today — far more adults per student than 15 years ago.
What This Growth in Non-Teaching Staff Means
While the number of classroom teachers in MSAD 52 has stayed roughly the same, the district has added a large number of non-teaching positions, including instructional coaches, administrators, paraprofessionals, and support staff. This expansion has driven up overall staffing costs without clear, corresponding improvements in student outcomes.
Important Notes for Taxpayers
These savings can be achieved without reducing any classroom teachers or direct instructional positions.
MSAD 52 currently has over 360 non-teaching staff positions.
Reducing approximately 100 non-direct teaching positions would deliver roughly a 12–13% budget reduction while protecting classroom instruction.
The Bottom Line
MSAD 52 can meaningfully reduce its budget by right-sizing the large layer of non-teaching staff that has grown over the past 15 years. By focusing reductions on non-direct teaching roles, the district can lower taxes for local residents while maintaining strong, direct classroom instruction for students.