Providence School District
School District · Providence, Rhode Island
Avg Rating
5.5
out of 10
Schools
37
20 elem, 7 mid, 10 high
Enrollment
19,856
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.7:1
Avg Rating
5.5
out of 10
Schools
37
20 elem, 7 mid, 10 high
Enrollment
19,856
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.7:1
How this district compares
Rhode Island rank
#34 of 38
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-0.8
below Rhode Island avg
Per-pupil spending
$25,050
+$4,373 vs Rhode Island median
District size
19,856 students
Much larger than Rhode Island median
The short answer
Providence ranks #34 of 38 Rhode Island districts by overall school rating. Providence's schools with real test data average 5.5/10 across 37 schools. Its top-rated schools are Vartan Gregorian El. School (8.7/10), Times2 Elementary School (8.0/10), and Classical High School (7.6/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
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 rating using only schools with real test data (37 of 37). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vartan Gregorian El. School | 8.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Times2 Elementary School | 8.0 / 10 |
| 3 | Classical High School | 7.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Mary E. Fogarty El. School | 7.5 / 10 |
| 5 | Leviton Dual Language School | 7.5 / 10 |
| 6 | George J. West El. School | 7.4 / 10 |
| 7 | Robert L. Bailey IV | 7.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Lillian Feinstein El. School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 9 | Robert F. Kennedy El. School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 10 | Nathan Bishop Middle | 6.7 / 10 |
See all 37 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Providence
Providence is a Providence, Rhode Island school district serving 37 schools.The district educates 19,856 students with a student-teacher ratio of 13.7:1. District-level spending was $25,050 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).
With an average rating of 5.5/10, Providence demonstrates solid academic performance.
The highest-rated school in the district is Vartan Gregorian El. School, which has a composite score of 8.7/10.
In standardized testing, Providence students show an average math proficiency of 19.8% and ELA proficiency of 26.6%.
The district includes 20 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 10 high schools.
District Map
Schools in Providence, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Providence with test data.
Schools in Providence
37 schoolsElementary Schools20
Middle Schools7
District Details
- State
- Rhode Island
- City
- Providence
- Total Enrollment
- 19,856
- Teachers (FTE)
- 1,452
- District spending per student
- $25,050NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- Child poverty rate
- 26.2%Census SAIPE · 2024
- District directory year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Providence?
Providence has 37 schools in total — 20 elementary, 7 middle, and 10 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Providence?
The average composite rating for Providence is 5.5/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the district spending per student in Providence?
Providence's district-level spending was $25,050 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Providence?
The average student-teacher ratio in Providence is 13.7:1.
What is the top-rated school in Providence?
Vartan Gregorian El. School is the highest-rated school in Providence with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What are the test scores in Providence?
Across schools in Providence with test data, the average math proficiency is 19.8% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 26.6%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Providence compare to other districts in Rhode Island?
Providence has an average school rating of 5.5/10 across 37 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Rhode Island by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 5.5/10
- Math Proficiency
- 19.8%
- ELA Proficiency
- 26.6%
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 rateOther School Districts in RI
Compare Providence with neighboring districts in the state.
- Cranston (23)
- Warwick (19)
- Pawtucket (16)
- East Providence (12)
- Woonsocket (10)
- Cumberland (9)
- Chariho (8)
- Coventry (8)
- Johnston (8)
- North Kingstown (8)
- North Providence (8)
- Achievement First Rhode Island (7)
- Central Falls (7)
- Barrington (6)
- Blackstone Valley Prep a Ri Mayoral Academy (6)
- Bristol Warren (6)
- East Greenwich (6)
- Lincoln (6)
- West Warwick (6)
- Westerly (6)
- Burrillville (5)
- Exeter-West Greenwich (5)
- Middletown (5)
- Scituate (5)
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.
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