Summary:
The city of Foster, Rhode Island has only one public elementary school, Capt. Isaac Paine Elementary School, which serves students from grades K-5. The school has seen a concerning decline in its statewide ranking over the past three years, dropping from 59th out of 166 Rhode Island elementary schools in 2021-2022 to 95th out of 166 in 2023-2024, placing it in the bottom half of elementary schools in the state.
Capt. Isaac Paine Elementary School's academic performance is also a cause for concern, with test scores significantly lower than the state averages across all grade levels in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, in 2023-2024, only 24.1% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 37.8%, 30.1%, and 29.7% for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, respectively. Similarly, in Mathematics, only 27.8% of students were proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 39.1%, 35.4%, and 30.1% for the same grade levels.
While the school spends a relatively high amount per student ($18,875 in 2020-2021) and has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.5 to 1, these resources do not appear to be translating into improved academic outcomes. Additionally, the school serves a population with a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (31.22% in 2022-2023), which may indicate socioeconomic challenges that could be contributing to the school's underperformance. Addressing these issues and developing targeted strategies to improve student achievement should be a priority for the Foster school district.
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