Joseph A. Whelan School

Summary:

Joseph A. Whelan School is an elementary school located in North Providence, Rhode Island, serving 247 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the North Providence School District, which is ranked 31 out of 60 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's relatively high spending per student, ranging from $12,111 to $14,942 over the past four years, Joseph A. Whelan School has consistently underperformed compared to the North Providence district and the state of Rhode Island in terms of proficiency rates on the RICAS exams for English Language Arts and Mathematics. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 20.5% in ELA and 19.8% in Math, compared to the district's 31.9% and 22% respectively. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 41.37% to 52.92% over the past three school years, indicating a higher proportion of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

When comparing Joseph A. Whelan School to nearby schools within the North Providence district, such as James L. McGuire School, Centredale School, and Greystone School, it appears to be the lowest-performing in terms of academic proficiency rates. Interestingly, when compared to some elementary schools in the neighboring Providence School District, which is ranked lower than the North Providence district, Joseph A. Whelan School still underperforms, with schools like Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School and Times2 Elementary School in Providence having higher proficiency rates.

Detail:

Public K-5

1440 Mineral Spring Avenue
North Providence, RI 02904

(401) 233-1180

District: North Providence

SchoolDigger Rank:
126^th of 166 Rhode Island Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,942

Students who attend Joseph A. Whelan School usually attend:

Middle:	Birchwood Middle School
High:	North Providence High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.2

Number of students: 245

Racial breakdown:

White:

42.0%

Hispanic:

25.7%

African American:

13.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 42.9%

See top rated Rhode Island elementary schools

Compare Joseph A. Whelan School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Joseph A. Whelan School ranks worse than 75.9% of elementary schools in Rhode Island. It also ranks last among 5 ranked elementary schools in the North Providence School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.71. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Joseph A. Whelan School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (42%), Hispanic (25.7%), African American (13.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 42.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the North Providence School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Joseph A. Whelan School is 12.2. 2 elementary schools in the North Providence School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Joseph A. Whelan School employs 20 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Joseph A. Whelan School is $14,942. 2 elementary schools in the North Providence School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Joseph A. Whelan School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

North Providence:

SchoolDigger ranks North Providence 31^st of 60 Rhode Island school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Joseph A. Whelan School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	RI State Percentile
2009	65.08	71^st	169	58.0%
2010	50.40	98^th	169	42.0%
2011	49.05	99^th	165	40.0%
2012	77.39	43^rd	165	73.9%
2013	66.10	70^th	165	57.6%
2014	68.84	53^rd	159	66.7%
2015	37.26	111^th	169	34.3%
2016	44.24	102^nd	170	40.0%
2017	44.42	103^rd	168	38.7%
2018	42.89	97^th	169	42.6%
2019	44.06	92^nd	169	45.6%
2021	25.48	120^th	166	27.7%
2022	25.61	118^th	166	28.9%
2023	35.49	101^st	167	39.5%
2024	23.71	126^th	166	24.1%

See the entire list of Rhode Island Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Rhode Island Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Joseph A. Whelan School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	236	2	1	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	260
1989	257	2	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	263
1990	259	1	2	5	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	267
1991	256	1	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	266
1992	265	0	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	275
1993	279	0	4	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	291
1994	289	0	9	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	307
1995	294	1	3	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	310
1996	294	1	3	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	310
1997	312	1	2	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	328
1998	280	2	3	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	299
1999	265	1	4	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	286
2000	268	1	4	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	291
2001	252	5	3	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	281
2002	164	14	6	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	201
2003	164	14	6	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	201
2004	167	5	4	16	4	n/a	n/a	0	196
2005	160	4	4	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	190
2006	169	4	4	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	192
2007	139	4	6	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	174
2008	147	6	5	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	183
2009	150	5	5	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	182
2010	157	7	5	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	192
2011	160	10	6	22	1	0	0	0	199
2012	156	17	7	26	1	0	2	0	209
2013	182	20	4	30	0	0	7	0	243
2014	184	23	5	38	0	0	4	0	254
2015	178	22	8	40	2	0	10	0	260
2016	168	24	9	48	0	0	12	0	261
2017	168	25	7	47	0	0	10	0	257
2018	164	27	13	53	0	0	7	0	264
2019	148	32	13	55	0	0	8	0	256
2020	158	39	10	61	0	0	10	0	278
2021	136	43	9	58	0	0	11	0	257
2022	128	28	8	62	0	0	23	0	249
2023	115	33	7	66	0	0	26	0	247
2024	103	32	10	63	2	1	22	12	245

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Joseph A. Whelan School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	260	n/a	n/a	2.3
1989	263	n/a	n/a	3.8
1990	267	n/a	n/a	2.2
1991	266	20.3	13.1	2.3
1992	275	18.0	15.2	4.4
1993	291	18.8	15.5	4.1
1994	307	20.0	15.3	8.5
1995	310	22.1	14.0	10.6
1996	310	22.1	14.0	10.6
1997	328	21.4	15.3	11.9
1998	299	17.0	17.6	8.4
1999	286	16.9	16.9	16.1
2000	291	24.7	11.8	19.6
2001	281	15.0	18.7	21.7
2002	201	n/a	n/a	22.9
2003	201	n/a	n/a	22.9
2004	196	11.0	17.8	27
2005	190	11.0	17.3	30
2006	192	23.0	8.3	28.6
2007	174	11.0	15.8	25.3
2008	183	18.0	10.2	19.1
2009	182	18.0	7.7	39.6
2010	192	19.0	10.1	28.1
2011	199	20.0	9.9	25.6
2012	209	22.0	9.5	33
2013	243	20.1	12.0	36.2
2014	254	20.1	12.6	45.7
2015	260	16.0	16.2	44.6
2016	261	16.0	16.3	34.5
2017	257	15.4	16.6	37
2018	264	17.4	15.1	48.1
2019	256	16.7	15.3	28.1
2020	278	15.9	17.4	51.1
2021	257	13.9	18.4	52.9
2022	249	17.1	14.5	41.4
2023	247	20.1	12.2	43.7
2024	245	20.0	12.2	42.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Joseph A. Whelan School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	260	n/a	n/a	2.3
1989	263	n/a	n/a	3.8
1990	267	n/a	n/a	2.2
1991	266	20.3	13.1	2.3
1992	275	18.0	15.2	4.4
1993	291	18.8	15.5	4.1
1994	307	20.0	15.3	8.5
1995	310	22.1	14.0	10.6
1996	310	22.1	14.0	10.6
1997	328	21.4	15.3	11.9
1998	299	17.0	17.6	8.4
1999	286	16.9	16.9	16.1
2000	291	24.7	11.8	19.6
2001	281	15.0	18.7	21.7
2002	201	n/a	n/a	22.9
2003	201	n/a	n/a	22.9
2004	196	11.0	17.8	27
2005	190	11.0	17.3	30
2006	192	23.0	8.3	28.6
2007	174	11.0	15.8	25.3
2008	183	18.0	10.2	19.1
2009	182	18.0	7.7	39.6
2010	192	19.0	10.1	28.1
2011	199	20.0	9.9	25.6
2012	209	22.0	9.5	33
2013	243	20.1	12.0	36.2
2014	254	20.1	12.6	45.7
2015	260	16.0	16.2	44.6
2016	261	16.0	16.3	34.5
2017	257	15.4	16.6	37
2018	264	17.4	15.1	48.1
2019	256	16.7	15.3	28.1
2020	278	15.9	17.4	51.1
2021	257	13.9	18.4	52.9
2022	249	17.1	14.5	41.4
2023	247	20.1	12.2	43.7
2024	245	20.0	12.2	42.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Joseph A. Whelan School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$254 (2.0%)	$12,327 (98.0%)	$12,580
2019	$280 (2.3%)	$11,831 (97.7%)	$12,111
2020	$652 (5.3%)	$11,678 (94.7%)	$12,329
2021	$1,002 (6.7%)	$13,940 (93.3%)	$14,942

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Joseph A. Whelan School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 92^nd of 169 Elementary schools	Ranks 101^st of 167 Elementary schools	6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Joseph A. Whelan School)	51.3	25.6	25.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (North Providence)	45.3	33.6	11.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	47.9	36.8	11.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Joseph A. Whelan School)	50	22.7	27.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (North Providence)	34.4	26.2	8.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	36.1	34.5	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Joseph A. Whelan School)	36.6	35.9	0.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (North Providence)	33.3	26.7	6.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	37.2	33.3	3.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Joseph A. Whelan School)	34.1	27.5	6.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (North Providence)	24.8	21.9	2.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	32.6	36	3.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Joseph A. Whelan School)	34.8	39	4.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (North Providence)	36.3	37.9	1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	39.1	35.1	4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Joseph A. Whelan School)	15.6	19	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (North Providence)	25.1	20.9	4.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	30.1	30	0.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Joseph A. Whelan School)	40.5	33.3	7.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (North Providence)	42.1	36.7	5.4%
All Grades Mathematics (Joseph A. Whelan School)	32.5	23	9.5%
All Grades Mathematics (North Providence)	27.5	23.8	3.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	256	247	3.5%
African American	32	33	3.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	13	7	46.2%
Hispanic	55	66	20%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	148	115	22.3%
Two or More Races	8	26	225%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	28.1%	43.7%	15.6%

Schools Near Joseph A. Whelan School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSA Science (2024)	RICAS English Language Arts (2024)				RICAS Mathematics (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSA Science All Grades	RICAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	RICAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts All Grades	RICAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	RICAS Mathematics 4th Grade	RICAS Mathematics 5th Grade	RICAS Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Joseph A. Whelan School	Public	K-5	1440 Mineral Spring Avenue	North Providence	02904	Providence County	North Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 233-1180	245	20	12.2	42.9%	103 (42.0%)	32 (13.1%)	63 (25.7%)	10 (4.1%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	22 (9.0%)	23.7	126^th of 166 public elementary schools	24.1%		35.5	101^st of 167 public elementary schools	39.5%	25	25.6	18.6	16.7	27.0	20.5	23.3	11.4	25.6	19.8	$14,942	$1,002	$13,940
Stephen Olney School	Public	K-5	1378 Douglas Avenue	North Providence	02904	Providence County	North Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 233-1160	414	27	15.3	31.9%	207 (50.0%)	40 (9.7%)	114 (27.5%)	21 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (5.3%)	31.4	107^th of 166 public elementary schools	35.5%		31.9	110^th of 167 public elementary schools	34.1%	3	26.7	36.5	29.5	13.5	26.3	33.3	29.0	12.0	24.5	$14,731	$948	$13,783
Veazie Street School	Public	PK, KG-5	211 Veazie Street	Providence	02904	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 453-8601	459	31	14.8	79.5%	24 (5.2%)	95 (20.7%)	272 (59.3%)	3 (0.7%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (5.4%)	23	131^st of 166 public elementary schools	21.1%		15.4	145^th of 167 public elementary schools	13.2%	14	9.6	36.4	9.3	7.3	16.2	53.8	18.0	14.5	26.6	$14,056	$1,875	$12,181
James L. McGuire School	Public	K-5	55 Central Avenue	North Providence	02911	Providence County	North Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 233-1135	403	24	16.7	37.7%	184 (45.7%)	54 (13.4%)	120 (29.8%)	11 (2.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.2%)	26.9	121^st of 166 public elementary schools	27.1%		35.5	100^th of 167 public elementary schools	40.1%	21	20.4	27.9	33.8	12.2	25.8	14.5	27.9	16.3	20.1	$14,357	$581	$13,776
Nathanael Greene School	Public	PK, KG-5	285 Smithfield Ave Pawtucket	Pawtucket	02861	Providence County	Pawtucket	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 729-6260	404	30	13.4	38.9%	76 (18.8%)	128 (31.7%)	171 (42.3%)	4 (1.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (5.4%)	24.9	124^th of 166 public elementary schools	25.3%		22.8	128^th of 167 public elementary schools	23.4%	4	22.8	23.6	14.8	21.4	19.8	37.5	26.6	8.8	24.3	$14,718	$1,363	$13,355
Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School	Public	K-5	195 Nelson Street	Providence	02908	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9403	422	24	17.5	72.0%	47 (11.1%)	65 (15.4%)	234 (55.5%)	17 (4.0%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.5%)	41.7	87^th of 166 public elementary schools	47.6%		31.4	112^th of 167 public elementary schools	32.9%	25	25.0	34.2	21.6	24.6	26.9	36.5	46.8	29.7	38.2	$14,997	$2,582	$12,416
Centredale School	Public	PK, KG-5	41 Angell Avenue	North Providence	02911	Providence County	North Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 233-1145	220	19	11.5	38.2%	98 (44.5%)	31 (14.1%)	61 (27.7%)	6 (2.7%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.5%)	15 (6.8%)	32.5	103^rd of 166 public elementary schools	38.0%		41.4	93^rd of 167 public elementary schools	44.3%	10	23.3	44.8	26.3	20.0	29.9	21.4	27.5	20.0	23.5	$18,633	$1,939	$16,693
Greystone School	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Morgan Avenue	North Providence	02911	Providence County	North Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 233-1130	311	27	11.5	33.4%	130 (41.8%)	33 (10.6%)	57 (18.3%)	17 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	47.8	80^th of 166 public elementary schools	51.8%		40.6	94^th of 167 public elementary schools	43.7%	14	37.2	34.4	28.3	38.6	33.6	37.5	30.4	28.9	31.7	$17,132	$1,848	$15,283
Harry Kizirian Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	60 Camden Avenue	Providence	02908	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9369	500	31	16.1	80.4%	43 (8.6%)	86 (17.2%)	266 (53.2%)	22 (4.4%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (6.6%)	8.5	162^nd of 166 public elementary schools	2.4%		9.3	159^th of 167 public elementary schools	4.8%	3	6.3	18.3	13.3	6.4	12.8	8.0	8.3		6.5	$14,029	$2,012	$12,017
Times2 Elementary School	Public, Charter	K-5	50 Fillmore Street	Providence	02908	Providence County	Providence	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 272-5094	313	29	10.7	68.4%	22 (7.0%)	76 (24.3%)	183 (58.5%)	10 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.9%)	28.5	116^th of 166 public elementary schools	30.1%		32.8	107^th of 167 public elementary schools	35.9%	9	31.5	27.8	17.0	14.8	19.9	31.5	24.5	24.1	26.7	$13,370		$13,370

Frequently Asked Questions about Joseph A. Whelan School

What schools do graduates of Joseph A. Whelan School attend?

Students who attend Joseph A. Whelan School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Birchwood Middle School
High : North Providence High

What is the racial makeup of Joseph A. Whelan School?

Students at Joseph A. Whelan School are 42% White, 26% Hispanic, 13% African American, 9% Two or more races, 5% Not Specified, 4% Asian.

Is Joseph A. Whelan School a good school?

Joseph A. Whelan School ranks in the bottom 24.1% of Rhode Island elementary schools.

How many students attend Joseph A. Whelan School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 245 students attended Joseph A. Whelan School.

What district is Joseph A. Whelan School in?

North Providence

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Rhode Island Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.