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Public high school · Providence · Providence, Rhode Island

Central High School

Central High School rates 4.1, right at the middle of Providence's high schools, whose rated median is 4.4.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
4.1this school

4.1 on a one-to-ten scale; the Providence median is 4.4.

#277 of 303 schools in Rhode Island · Providence: 10 high schools rated, median 4.4

The brief

A Providence high school serving grades 9th – 12th.

Students at Central High School score 7% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 8%).

It ranks 277 of 303 schools in Rhode Island and 29 of 37 in Providence.

Math3%188 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Reading12%191 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Proficiency is down 18 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 7% recently.2022 EdFacts; 28 test records from RI state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
4.5
25% of the rating
Academics
4.1
25% of the rating
College Readiness
5.4
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
1.5
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2024

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 4% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 24% (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 02903; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Central High School and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$62,987
Median home value
$365,600
Median rent
$1,640/mo
College educated
53.2%
Homeownership
21.9%
Poverty rate
20.9%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 02903; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
95
Walker's Paradise
Transit Score
66
Good Transit
Bike Score
74
Very Bikeable
City reported crime
1,858/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Providence. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Providence), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
3 AP courses
20.3% participation · state average 2.6 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
10 sports
5 boys' · 5 girls' · 14 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
87.7%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.6Compare →
  2. 7.1Compare →
  3. Sheila Skip Nowell0.5 mi · charter
    6.1Compare →
  4. Village Green Virtual0.7 mi · charter
    5.6Compare →
  5. Charette Charter School0.5 mi · charter
    5.4Compare →
  6. 5.2Compare →
  7. Rini Middle College0.5 mi · charter
    4.2Compare →
  8. Central High Schoolthis school
    4.1
  9. 3.8Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and seven rate higher than Central High School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Central High School serve?

Central High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Central High School?

Central High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,019 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 14:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Central High School rank in RI?

Central High School ranks #277 of 303 schools in RI.

What is Central High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Central High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Central High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Central High School has 4% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 24% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Central High School a charter school?

No, Central High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Central High School a Title I school?

No, Central High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Central High School?

87.7% of students at Central High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,019
Student-teacher ratio
14:1
Teachers (FTE)
73
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize City
County
Providence County
4-year graduation
79.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#29 of 37
Schools in district
39
District spending per student
$25,050
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
26.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 02903)
12,309
Area average commute
22.4 min
Area median age
35.1

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

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.