Best Schools in Providence, Rhode Island
85 schools · 39 Elementary · 14 Middle · 24 High · 8 Other
Choosing a school in Providence?
Use this page to compare every school in Providence by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Vartan Gregorian El. School
Elementary · Providence. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Achievement First Providence
Elementary · Achievement First Rhode Island. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Paul Cuffee Lower School
Elementary · Paul Cuffee Charter Sch. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Providence for 2026 are Vartan Gregorian El. School (8.7/10), Achievement First Providence (8.0/10), and Paul Cuffee Lower School (8.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 57 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
85
59 public · 26 private
Avg Score
5.9
out of 10
Median Home
$297,936
home value · ACS
Districts
17
serving the city
Schools
85
59 public · 26 private
Avg Score
5.9
out of 10
Median Home
$297,936
home value · ACS
Districts
17
serving the city
Rates 8.7/10 despite 44% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.4 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Providence schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +26.1 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Providence schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Providence
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 57 rated schools; 85 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vartan Gregorian El. School | 8.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Achievement First Providence | 8.0 / 10 |
| 3 | Paul Cuffee Lower School | 8.0 / 10 |
| 4 | Paul Cuffee Middle School | 8.0 / 10 |
| 5 | Times2 Elementary School | 8.0 / 10 |
| 6 | Classical High School | 7.6 / 10 |
| 7 | Mary E. Fogarty El. School | 7.5 / 10 |
| 8 | Leviton Dual Language School | 7.5 / 10 |
| 9 | George J. West El. School | 7.4 / 10 |
| 10 | Af Providence Mayoral Middle | 7.2 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.9/10
- Median household income
- $68,948
- Median home value
- $297,936
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 35%
- Avg commute
- 26 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 55%
27% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Providence compares
Rhode Island rank
#30 of 33
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.4
below Rhode Island avg (6.4)
Median household income
$69k
70% of Rhode Island median
Schools in this city
82
Education Snapshot
Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence's 81 schools span 17 districts and roughly 30,335 enrolled students, with the level mix dominated by 38 elementary campuses versus 23 high schools and 14 middle schools. The city's average MySchoolScout composite rating of 6.0/10, measured across 78 scored schools, falls 0.2 points below Rhode Island's state average of 6.2/10 — a difference worth noting when comparing Providence to other cities in the state. Charter schools account for 20 of those 81 campuses, putting roughly one in four schools outside the traditional district structure and broadening the options available to families who choose to apply. The median household income of $69,689 sits 23% below the state median of $90,939, marking a clear economic gap between Providence and much of Rhode Island overall. Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher represent 37% of the city's adult population.
Providence runs 63% of Providence's public schools
Providence touches 17 districts, but Providence is the one most addresses actually attend.
Providence accounts for 37 of 59 public schools (63%). The other 16 districts hold the remaining 22.
Among 57 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 2.9 to 8.7 — the spread is inside Providence, not a citywide average.
20 of the 59 public schools are charters (34%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Providence37 public · 63%
- Achievement First Rhode Island5 public · 8%
- Paul Cuffee Charter Sch3 public · 5%
- Charette Charter1 public · 2%
- Highlander1 public · 2%
About Schools in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island has 58 ranked public schools spanning elementary through high school, giving families a wide pool to evaluate. The city's average school score sits at 6.0 out of 10, which reflects a broad performance range rather than a uniformly strong or weak system. Thirteen schools — 22% of the total — score 7 or higher, so strong options exist, but parents need to look carefully at individual schools rather than assuming neighborhood assignment will land a child in one of them.
At the top of the rankings, Anthony Carnevale Elementary and Times2 Elementary School both score 8.7 out of 10, making them the highest-rated public schools in Providence. Vartan Gregorian Elementary follows at 8.4, and Martin Luther King Elementary rounds out the upper tier at 8.2. E-Cubed Academy is the standout at the high school level, scoring 8.3 and placing among the city's top five overall. These schools demonstrate that Providence produces high performers across grade bands, not just at one level.
The practical picture for parents is this: the top tier is real and accessible, but it covers only a fraction of the city's 58 schools. With 78% of schools scoring below 7, assignment zone and enrollment options matter a great deal. Parents comparing Providence schools should weight individual ratings heavily, check whether high-scoring schools like Carnevale or Times2 accept open enrollment or have lottery processes, and use the 6.0 city average as a baseline — any school above it is performing better than most in Providence, and anything at 8.0 or above is genuinely competitive.
For families willing to research enrollment pathways, Providence offers real upside. The concentration of strong elementary options near the top of the rankings is a meaningful advantage for parents of younger children. High school options are narrower, but E-Cubed Academy's 8.3 rating signals that selective or themed programs can deliver strong outcomes within the city. Start with the 13 schools at 7 or above, compare them against your child's grade level and your household's location, and build your list from there.
Elementary Schools
39 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 311 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.7 |
| 2 | 461 students · Kindergarten–4th | 8.0 |
| 3 | 357 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.0 |
| 4 | 313 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.0 |
| 5 | 403 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.5 |
| 6 | 300 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.5 |
| 7 | 533 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.4 |
| 8 | 440 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.2 |
| 9 | 432 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.2 |
| 10 | 422 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.0 |
Show all 39 elementary schools in Providence
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
14 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 187 students · 6th–8th | 8.0 |
| 2 | 405 students · 5th–8th | 7.2 |
| 3 | 669 students · 6th–8th | 6.7 |
| 4 | 803 students · 6th–8th | 6.3 |
| 5 | 499 students · 5th–8th | 6.1 |
| 6 | 132 students · 7th–8th | 5.0 |
| 7 | 647 students · 6th–8th | 4.7 |
| 8 | 651 students · 6th–8th | 4.7 |
| 9 | 225 students · 5th–8th | 4.0 |
| 10 | 393 students · 6th–8th | 3.3 |
Show all 14 middle schools in Providence
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
High Schools
24 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,119 students · 9th–12th | 7.6 |
| 2 | 205 students · 7th–12th | 7.1 |
| 3 | 170 students · 9th–12th | 6.1 |
| 4 | 791 students · 9th–12th | 5.9 |
| 5 | 210 students · 9th–12th | 5.6 |
| 6 | 374 students · 6th–12th | 5.6 |
| 7 | 272 students · 9th–12th | 5.5 |
| 8 | 171 students · 9th–12th | 5.4 |
| 9 | 360 students · 9th–12th | 5.4 |
| 10 | 711 students · 9th–12th | 5.2 |
Show all 24 high schools in Providence
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Other Schools
8 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 298 students · 9th–11th | 6.2 | ||
| 2 | 76 students · 2nd–12th | 6.1 | ||
Private Schools6 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | The Grace SchoolPrivate 140 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Lincoln SchoolPrivate 414 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Wheeler SchoolPrivate 755 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | Moses Brown SchoolPrivate 756 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | The Groden CenterPrivate 66 students · 2nd–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 6 | Tavares Ed. CenterPrivate 12 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island · 85 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 11 ZIP codes
Median Income
$68,948
Median Home Value
$297,936
Median Rent
$1,385/mo
Population
278,298
College Educated
35%
Homeownership
55%
Avg Commute
26 min
Poverty Rate
16.1%
Community Profile
Providence has a median household income of $68,948. It is an area where 35% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $297,936, with a median rent of $1,385/month. The area has a poverty rate of 16.1%. The average commute for residents is 26 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Rhode Island
- Elementary
- 39
- Middle
- 14
- High
- 24
- Other
- 8
Resources
School Districts (17)
R.I. Sch for the Deaf
1 school · 76 students
MET Career and Tech
1 school · 793 students
Urban Collaborative
1 school · 132 students
Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts
1 school · 205 students
Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College
1 school · 428 students
Achievement First Rhode Island
7 schools · 2,846 students
Sheila Skip Nowell Leadership Academy
1 school · 170 students
Village Green Virtual
1 school · 210 students
The Hope Academy
1 school · 319 students
SouthSide Charter School
1 school · 140 students
Highlander
2 schools · 612 students
Paul Cuffee Charter Sch
3 schools · 817 students
Charette Charter
1 school · 171 students
Nuestro Mundo Public Charter
1 school · 249 students
Providence Preparatory Charter
1 school · 225 students
YouthBuild Preparatory Academy
1 school · 133 students
Providence
39 schools · 19,856 students
Other Major Cities in Rhode Island
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Providence, Rhode Island
How many schools are in Providence, Rhode Island?
Providence has 85 schools, including 59 public and 26 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Providence, Rhode Island?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Providence is 5.9 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Providence, Rhode Island?
The top-ranked school in Providence on MySchoolScout is Vartan Gregorian El. School with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What is the best elementary school in Providence, Rhode Island?
The top-ranked elementary school in Providence on MySchoolScout is Vartan Gregorian El. School with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What is the best middle school in Providence, Rhode Island?
The top-ranked middle school in Providence on MySchoolScout is Paul Cuffee Middle School with a composite score of 8.0/10.
What is the best high school in Providence, Rhode Island?
The top-ranked high school in Providence on MySchoolScout is Classical High School with a composite score of 7.6/10.
How many school districts serve Providence, Rhode Island?
Providence is served by 17 school districts: R.i. Sch for the Deaf, Met Career and Tech, Urban Collaborative, Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts, Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College, Achievement First Rhode Island, Sheila Skip Nowell Leadership Academy, Village Green Virtual, The Hope Academy, Southside Charter School, Highlander, Paul Cuffee Charter Sch, Charette Charter, Nuestro Mundo Public Charter, Providence Preparatory Charter, Youthbuild Preparatory Academy, Providence.
What is the education level in Providence, Rhode Island?
According to Census data, 35% of adults in Providence have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Providence, Rhode Island?
The median household income in Providence is approximately $68,948 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Providence, Rhode Island?
Yes, Providence has 26 private schools alongside 59 public schools. The top-rated private school is The Grace School with a score of 8.8/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Providence, Rhode Island?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Providence is 15.9:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Providence, Rhode Island?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Rhode Island Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.