Melville School

Summary:

Melville School is an elementary school located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 328 students. The school is part of the highly-ranked Portsmouth School District, which is ranked 5 out of 60 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Melville School has a strong performance history, ranking as high as 7th out of 166 Rhode Island elementary schools in the 2023-2024 school year and consistently earning 4-5 stars from SchoolDigger over the past decade. The school consistently outperforms the Portsmouth district and the state of Rhode Island in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics on the RICAS assessments. Additionally, Melville School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending compared to nearby schools, suggesting it has additional resources to support student learning.

While Melville School has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to many nearby schools, indicating a more affluent student population, the school's consistent high performance suggests it has effective teaching practices and a supportive learning environment that enables students to excel. Continued analysis of the school's strategies and the factors contributing to its success could provide valuable insights for other schools seeking to improve their educational outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

1351 West Main Road
Portsmouth, RI 02871

(401) 683-1650

District: Portsmouth

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,674

Students who attend Melville School usually attend:

Middle:	Portsmouth Middle School
High:	Portsmouth High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.2

Number of students: 330

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.7%

Hispanic:

8.2%

Two or more races:

7.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 12.7%

See top rated Rhode Island elementary schools

Compare Melville School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Melville School ranks better than 95.8% of elementary schools in Rhode Island. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.07. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79.7%), Hispanic (8.2%), two or more races (7.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 12.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Melville School is 12.2. (See more...)

Compare Melville School employs 27 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Melville School is $16,674.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Melville School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Portsmouth:

SchoolDigger ranks Portsmouth 5^th of 60 Rhode Island school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Melville School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	RI State Percentile
2009	78.81	33^rd	169	80.5%
2010	84.94	21^st	169	87.6%
2011	89.09	9^th	165	94.5%
2012	87.43	14^th	165	91.5%
2013	80.62	29^th	165	82.4%
2014	87.00	11^th	159	93.1%
2015	78.91	34^th	169	79.9%
2016	82.48	23^rd	170	86.5%
2017	59.05	73^rd	168	56.5%
2018	90.67	14^th	169	91.7%
2019	77.91	34^th	169	79.9%
2021	81.14	34^th	166	79.5%
2022	78.95	37^th	166	77.7%
2023	86.04	28^th	167	83.2%
2024	94.07	7^th	166	95.8%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Melville School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	304	6	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	316
1989	292	6	5	2	1	n/a	n/a	306
1990	314	7	5	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	326
1991	317	11	5	2	1	n/a	n/a	336
1992	351	12	6	5	2	n/a	n/a	376
1993	322	11	7	5	0	n/a	n/a	345
1994	323	7	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	344
1995	311	3	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	325
1996	311	3	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	325
1997	322	4	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	327
1998	296	7	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	317
1999	277	14	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	299
2000	308	9	6	4	0	n/a	n/a	327
2001	277	11	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	297
2002	313	13	6	3	0	n/a	n/a	335
2003	313	13	6	3	0	n/a	n/a	335
2004	353	17	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	381
2005	333	15	11	3	1	n/a	n/a	363
2006	291	14	9	4	0	n/a	n/a	318
2007	284	10	9	2	1	n/a	n/a	306
2008	307	6	13	0	0	n/a	n/a	326
2009	327	10	10	5	0	n/a	n/a	352
2010	338	9	11	3	0	n/a	n/a	361
2011	317	5	6	11	0	0	10	349
2012	294	7	4	17	0	0	12	334
2013	266	12	5	15	0	0	12	310
2014	260	14	9	13	0	0	10	306
2015	241	17	5	23	0	0	8	294
2016	241	14	10	27	0	0	4	296
2017	240	15	9	26	0	0	1	291
2018	299	10	9	33	0	0	3	354
2019	258	11	12	40	0	1	11	333
2020	281	13	11	31	1	2	12	351
2021	266	11	11	31	2	2	12	335
2022	273	12	11	30	3	0	20	349
2023	267	6	8	21	0	0	26	328
2024	263	5	9	27	0	0	26	330

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 Melville School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	316	n/a	n/a	2.2
1989	306	n/a	n/a	n/a
1990	326	n/a	n/a	2.8
1991	336	26.8	12.5	4.2
1992	376	25.0	15.0	4.5
1993	345	23.2	14.9	4.9
1994	344	21.8	15.8	7.3
1995	325	21.1	15.4	4.6
1996	325	21.1	15.4	4.6
1997	327	22.4	14.6	6.7
1998	317	21.4	14.8	6
1999	299	25.1	11.9	13
2000	327	24.1	13.6	9.2
2001	297	22.5	13.2	8.8
2002	335	n/a	n/a	6
2003	335	n/a	n/a	6
2004	381	27.0	14.1	7.3
2005	363	27.1	13.4	8
2006	318	31.0	10.3	4.4
2007	306	17.0	18.0	5.9
2008	326	25.0	13.0	5.2
2009	352	27.6	10.2	5.1
2010	361	30.0	12.0	7.8
2011	349	25.0	13.9	10
2012	334	27.0	12.3	11.7
2013	310	23.0	13.4	13.2
2014	306	21.0	14.5	16.7
2015	294	20.0	14.7	19.7
2016	296	26.0	11.3	17.9
2017	291	26.8	10.8	17.2
2018	354	24.2	14.6	19.8
2019	333	26.8	12.4	16.2
2020	351	24.8	14.1	16.5
2021	335	26.2	12.7	13.4
2022	349	25.8	13.5	8.9
2023	328	27.4	11.9	13.1
2024	330	27.0	12.2	12.7

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 Melville School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	316	n/a	n/a	2.2
1989	306	n/a	n/a	n/a
1990	326	n/a	n/a	2.8
1991	336	26.8	12.5	4.2
1992	376	25.0	15.0	4.5
1993	345	23.2	14.9	4.9
1994	344	21.8	15.8	7.3
1995	325	21.1	15.4	4.6
1996	325	21.1	15.4	4.6
1997	327	22.4	14.6	6.7
1998	317	21.4	14.8	6
1999	299	25.1	11.9	13
2000	327	24.1	13.6	9.2
2001	297	22.5	13.2	8.8
2002	335	n/a	n/a	6
2003	335	n/a	n/a	6
2004	381	27.0	14.1	7.3
2005	363	27.1	13.4	8
2006	318	31.0	10.3	4.4
2007	306	17.0	18.0	5.9
2008	326	25.0	13.0	5.2
2009	352	27.6	10.2	5.1
2010	361	30.0	12.0	7.8
2011	349	25.0	13.9	10
2012	334	27.0	12.3	11.7
2013	310	23.0	13.4	13.2
2014	306	21.0	14.5	16.7
2015	294	20.0	14.7	19.7
2016	296	26.0	11.3	17.9
2017	291	26.8	10.8	17.2
2018	354	24.2	14.6	19.8
2019	333	26.8	12.4	16.2
2020	351	24.8	14.1	16.5
2021	335	26.2	12.7	13.4
2022	349	25.8	13.5	8.9
2023	328	27.4	11.9	13.1
2024	330	27.0	12.2	12.7

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 Melville School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$395 (2.7%)	$14,130 (97.3%)	$14,526
2019	$504 (3.2%)	$15,042 (96.8%)	$15,546
2020	$392 (2.7%)	$13,973 (97.3%)	$14,365
2021	$751 (4.5%)	$15,923 (95.5%)	$16,674

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Melville 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 34^th of 169 Elementary schools	Ranks 28^th of 167 Elementary schools	3.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Melville School)	56.9	56.9
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Portsmouth)	55.2	54.6	0.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	47.9	36.8	11.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Melville School)	44.6	48.3	3.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Portsmouth)	42.9	47.2	4.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	36.1	34.5	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Melville School)	79.6	57.6	22%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Portsmouth)	62.5	55.1	7.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	37.2	33.3	3.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Melville School)	73.5	66.7	6.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Portsmouth)	57.9	63.9	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	32.6	36	3.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Melville School)	66.7	57.3	9.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Portsmouth)	55.8	49.8	6%
All Grades Mathematics (Melville School)	57	58.1	1.1%
All Grades Mathematics (Portsmouth)	45.1	51.7	6.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	333	328	1.5%
African American	11	6	45.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	12	8	33.3%
Hispanic	40	21	47.5%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	258	267	3.5%
Two or More Races	11	26	136.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	16.2%	13.1%	3.1%

Schools Near Melville 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
Melville School	Public	PK, KG-4	1351 West Main Road	Portsmouth	02871	Newport County	Portsmouth	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 683-1650	330	27	12.2	12.7%	263 (79.7%)	5 (1.5%)	27 (8.2%)	9 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.9%)	94.1	7^th of 166 public elementary schools	95.8%		86	28^th of 167 public elementary schools	83.2%	21		64.6	62.5		63.6	67.7	76.8		71.9	$16,674	$751	$15,923
Howard Hathaway School	Public	K-4	53 Tallman Avenue	Portsmouth	02871	Newport County	Portsmouth	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 683-0500	401	32	12.5	16.5%	321 (80.0%)	6 (1.5%)	34 (8.5%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (8.2%)	84.6	29^th of 166 public elementary schools	82.5%		81.6	32^nd of 167 public elementary schools	80.8%	3		47.9	56.1		52.3	58.9	67.1		63.2	$14,405	$656	$13,749
Forest Avenue School	Public	K-3	315 Forest Avenue	Middletown	02842	Newport County	Middletown	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 849-9434	309	25	12.3	36.2%	161 (52.1%)	26 (8.4%)	83 (26.9%)	6 (1.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (10.0%)	47.4	82^nd of 166 public elementary schools	50.6%		50.1	75^th of 167 public elementary schools	55.1%	7		37.3				40.6				$16,865	$1,219	$15,646
Fort Barton School	Public	K-4	99 Lawton Avenue	Tiverton	02878	Newport County	Tiverton	No	(n/a)	No	No	(401) 624-6114	172	16	10.7	13.4%	152 (88.4%)	2 (1.2%)	7 (4.1%)	3 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.7%)	94	8^th of 166 public elementary schools	95.2%		89.7	19^th of 167 public elementary schools	88.6%	11		74.2	61.9		67.1	77.4	59.5		67.1	$17,166	$466	$16,699
Gaudet Learning Academy	Public	4-5	1113 Aquidneck Ave.	Middletown	02842	Newport County	Middletown	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 846-6395	273	21	13.0	32.6%	172 (63.0%)	18 (6.6%)	54 (19.8%)	11 (4.0%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	15 (5.5%)								(n/a)	36.1		41.4	29.2	35.4		26.3	18.8	22.4	$14,039	$633	$13,406
Claiborne Pell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	35 Dexter Street	Newport	02840	Newport County	Newport	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 842-1900	716	71	10.0	71.4%	233 (32.5%)	69 (9.6%)	282 (39.4%)	11 (1.5%)	16 (2.2%)	2 (0.3%)	103 (14.4%)	17.7	141^st of 166 public elementary schools	15.1%		13.7	151^st of 167 public elementary schools	9.6%	10		26.0	10.4		17.9	27.1	15.7		21.2	$17,849	$2,166	$15,683
Aquidneck School	Public	PK, KG-3	70 Reservoir Avenue	Middletown	02842	Newport County	Middletown	No	(n/a)	No	No	(401) 847-4921	303	22	13.7	22.8%	202 (66.7%)	15 (5.0%)	54 (17.8%)	9 (3.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.3%)	56.2	61^st of 166 public elementary schools	63.3%		45.7	86^th of 167 public elementary schools	48.5%	25		44.4				42.1				$16,935	$418	$16,518
Colt Andrews School	Public	K-5	570-574 Hope Street	Bristol	02809	Bristol County	Bristol Warren	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 254-5987	266	19	14.0	41.7%	222 (83.5%)	3 (1.1%)	24 (9.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.0%)	69.2	49^th of 166 public elementary schools	70.5%		83.1	30^th of 167 public elementary schools	82.0%	19	45.6	34.0	65.9	37.9	45.0	48.9	56.8	36.8	46.6	$17,661	$1,695	$15,966
Ranger School	Public	PK, KG-4	278 North Brayton Road	Tiverton	02878	Newport County	Tiverton	No	(n/a)	No	No	(401) 624-8467	221	15	14.7	19.0%	189 (85.5%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (8.6%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (0.9%)	8 (3.6%)	75.5	42^nd of 166 public elementary schools	74.7%		86.3	27^th of 167 public elementary schools	83.8%	15		65.0	33.3		47.7	72.5	45.8		58.0	$15,875	$193	$15,682
Guiteras School	Public	K-5	35 Washington Street	Bristol	02809	Bristol County	Bristol Warren	No	(n/a)	No	No	(401) 254-5932	214	17	12.5	25.7%	174 (81.3%)	1 (0.5%)	26 (12.1%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.1%)	76.2	41^st of 166 public elementary schools	75.3%		75.9	40^th of 167 public elementary schools	76.0%	1	47.8	60.0	40.6	50.0	50.5	45.7	37.5	54.3	46.9	$17,280	$1,056	$16,225

Frequently Asked Questions about Melville School

What schools do graduates of Melville School attend?

Students who attend Melville School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Portsmouth Middle School
High : Portsmouth High School

What is the racial makeup of Melville School?

Students at Melville School are 80% White, 8% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American.

What district is Melville School in?

Portsmouth

How many students attend Melville School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 330 students attended Melville School.

Is Melville School a good school?

Yes! Melville School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 7^th of 166 Rhode Island elementary schools.

Rate Melville School!

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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.