Best Public Schools in Providence, RI

The city of Providence, Rhode Island is home to 58 schools serving students from elementary through high school, with the majority being part of the Providence School District. The district is ranked 48 out of 60 in the state and has an overall rating of 1 out of 5 stars from SchoolDigger. However, the data reveals a complex picture, with pockets of excellence alongside widespread underperformance across the district.

A few standout schools include Classical High School, which is ranked 3rd out of 61 high schools in the state and has exceptional performance, with 88.8% of 11th graders proficient or better in SAT English Language Arts and 60.1% proficient or better in SAT Mathematics. Another high-performing school is Vartan Gregorian Elementary School, which is ranked 33rd out of 166 elementary schools in the state and has very high proficiency rates, with 50% of students proficient or better in RICAS English Language Arts and 52.7% proficient or better in RICAS Mathematics. The Achievement First charter schools also stand out, with their Providence and Promesa campuses significantly outperforming the district and state averages in RICAS English Language Arts.

However, the data also reveals wide disparities in proficiency rates across schools and subjects, with some schools, such as Esek Hopkins Middle and Mary E. Fogarty Elementary, consistently ranking among the lowest-performing in the state. Many schools in the district also have very high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, indicating high levels of economic disadvantage. Addressing these systemic inequities will require a multifaceted approach focused on resource allocation, teacher quality, and targeted support for the most disadvantaged schools and students.