D. R. Gaul Middle School is in Union, Maine, a blueberry­farming town where the summer fair finds kids competing in pig scrambles and pie­eating contests.

Gaul, with about 170 seventh and eighth graders, has its own history of lower level academic achievement. One likely reason: Education beyond the basic requirements hasn't always been a top priority for families who have worked the same land for generations. Here, few adults have college degrees, and outsiders (teachers included) are often kept at a respectful distance.