Classical High School

Summary:

Classical High School is a public high school located in Providence, Rhode Island, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 1,113. Despite being part of the Providence School District, which is ranked 48 out of 60 districts in the state, Classical High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Rhode Island, ranking 3rd out of 61 schools in the 2023-2024 school year.

Classical High School's academic performance is exceptional, with students significantly outperforming their peers in the Providence School District and the state of Rhode Island on various standardized tests, including the SAT, PSAT, and NGSA. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 88.8% of 11th-grade students at Classical High School were proficient or better in SAT English Language Arts, compared to 29.8% in the Providence School District and 47.8% statewide. The school also excels in serving students from diverse backgrounds, ranking among the top in the state for various student subgroups.

When compared to other high schools in the immediate vicinity, such as Central High School and Providence Career Technical, Classical High School stands out as a clear academic leader, with significantly higher test scores and rankings. This consistent high performance, along with the school's commitment to equity and inclusion, makes Classical High School a model for other schools in the state to emulate.

Detail:

Public 9-12

770 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903

(401) 456-9145

District: Providence

SchoolDigger Rank:
3^rd of 61 Rhode Island High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,489

Student/teacher ratio: 17.7

Number of students: 1,119

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

48.5%

White:

18.9%

African American:

16.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 54.3%

See top rated Rhode Island high schools

Compare Classical High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Classical High School ranks better than 95.1% of high schools in Rhode Island. It also ranks first among 10 ranked high schools in the Providence School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.9. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Classical High School has the largest high school student body size in the Providence School District. Student population at Classical High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (48.5%), White (18.9%), African American (16%). (See more...)

Compare Details 54.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Providence School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Classical High School is 17.7, which is the highest among 10 high schools in the Providence School District! (See more...)

Compare Classical High School employs 63 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Classical High School is $12,489, which is the lowest among 10 high schools in the Providence School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Classical High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Classical High School 3^rd of 61 Rhode Island public high schools. (See Classical High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Providence:

SchoolDigger ranks Providence 48^th of 60 Rhode Island school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Classical High School

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Rank History for all students at Classical High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2009	95.87	2^nd	49	95.9%
2010	93.28	3^rd	50	94.0%
2011	81.23	9^th	45	80.0%
2012	85.38	7^th	45	84.4%
2013	84.61	4^th	45	91.1%
2014	81.40	7^th	47	85.1%
2015	89.77	4^th	56	92.9%
2016	88.29	5^th	57	91.2%
2017	72.85	13^th	56	76.8%
2018	96.94	2^nd	57	96.5%
2019	92.52	4^th	59	93.2%
2021	94.49	4^th	59	93.2%
2022	90.14	6^th	59	89.8%
2023	93.29	3^rd	60	95.0%
2024	95.90	3^rd	61	95.1%

See the entire list of Rhode Island High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Classical High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	83.25	3^rd	20	85.0%
2023	88.71	1^st	21	95.2%
2024	94.76	2^nd	25	92.0%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Classical High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	97.12	1^st	54	98.1%
2023	99.19	1^st	58	98.3%
2024	98.97	1^st	58	98.3%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Classical High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	86.53	6^th	58	89.7%
2023	87.41	6^th	59	89.8%
2024	91.86	3^rd	56	94.6%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Classical High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	92.96	2^nd	54	96.3%
2023	96.43	3^rd	56	94.6%
2024	97.05	1^st	57	98.2%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Classical High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	77.69	2^nd	9	77.8%
2023	82.97	3^rd	10	70.0%
2024	80.61	4^th	11	63.6%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Classical High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	96.96	1^st	28	96.4%
2023	99.55	1^st	26	96.2%
2024	98.64	1^st	28	96.4%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Classical High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	95.29	4^th	49	91.8%
2023	97.46	2^nd	53	96.2%
2024	99.10	2^nd	54	96.3%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Classical High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	RI State Percentile
2022	94.84	1^st	42	97.6%
2023	94.18	2^nd	43	95.3%
2024	98.94	1^st	43	97.7%

See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for White Students!

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

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Classical High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	842	108	68	58	1	n/a	n/a	0	1077
1989	826	114	84	72	1	n/a	n/a	0	1097
1990	773	114	103	83	2	n/a	n/a	0	1075
1991	764	127	100	91	3	n/a	n/a	0	1085
1992	757	136	128	105	3	n/a	n/a	0	1129
1993	713	157	140	120	4	n/a	n/a	0	1134
1994	683	175	147	142	6	n/a	n/a	0	1153
1995	620	157	167	155	5	n/a	n/a	0	1104
1996	620	157	167	155	5	n/a	n/a	0	1104
1997	595	162	178	159	4	n/a	n/a	0	1098
1998	567	189	177	156	3	n/a	n/a	0	1092
1999	575	208	160	176	2	n/a	n/a	0	1121
2000	569	212	162	185	1	n/a	n/a	0	1129
2001	560	216	165	196	4	n/a	n/a	0	1141
2002	500	204	151	258	3	n/a	n/a	0	1116
2003	500	204	151	258	3	n/a	n/a	0	1116
2004	488	219	142	282	3	n/a	n/a	0	1134
2005	451	216	138	311	6	n/a	n/a	0	1122
2006	424	206	121	331	6	n/a	n/a	0	1088
2007	407	209	115	347	6	n/a	n/a	0	1084
2008	363	210	111	354	7	n/a	n/a	0	1045
2009	331	208	103	385	6	n/a	n/a	0	1033
2010	294	216	112	402	7	n/a	n/a	0	1031
2011	277	193	109	443	9	1	15	0	1047
2012	281	202	103	491	7	1	20	0	1105
2013	288	180	96	512	6	2	29	0	1113
2014	297	183	89	507	6	2	35	0	1119
2015	283	187	96	510	3	1	38	0	1118
2016	263	195	107	535	3	2	38	0	1143
2017	275	201	110	504	2	2	38	0	1132
2018	281	177	110	519	2	2	35	0	1126
2019	271	165	104	497	2	3	45	0	1087
2020	279	165	100	494	2	3	52	0	1095
2021	270	168	102	523	5	2	45	0	1115
2022	246	181	102	515	4	1	49	5	1103
2023	221	193	100	533	5	0	52	9	1113
2024	212	179	94	543	4	1	52	34	1119

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 Classical High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1077	n/a	n/a	5.6
1989	1097	n/a	n/a	4.6
1990	1075	n/a	n/a	7.1
1991	1085	59.6	18.2	5.3
1992	1129	67.0	16.8	8.1
1993	1134	59.2	19.2	8
1994	1153	65.0	17.7	13.5
1995	1104	66.0	16.7	22.9
1996	1104	66.0	16.7	22.9
1997	1098	61.0	18.0	27.1
1998	1092	61.0	17.9	29
1999	1121	62.0	18.1	35.9
2000	1129	59.0	19.1	35.5
2001	1141	53.0	21.5	34.2
2002	1116	n/a	n/a	51.5
2003	1116	n/a	n/a	51.5
2004	1134	74.0	15.3	50.3
2005	1122	71.0	15.8	35.5
2006	1088	72.0	15.1	48.2
2007	1084	68.5	15.8	28.8
2008	1045	58.0	18.0	57.2
2009	1033	61.0	14.4	59.3
2010	1031	57.0	18.0	61.9
2011	1047	62.8	16.6	60.1
2012	1105	63.0	17.5	60.4
2013	1113	54.0	20.6	61.3
2014	1119	54.0	20.7	61.5
2015	1118	51.0	21.9	63.1
2016	1143	61.0	18.7	62.6
2017	1132	63.0	17.9	68
2018	1126	62.0	18.1	70
2019	1087	66.0	16.4	59.8
2020	1095	64.0	17.1	72
2021	1115	65.2	17.1	58.9
2022	1103	65.2	16.9	54.5
2023	1113	64.0	17.3	58.3
2024	1119	63.0	17.7	54.3

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 Classical High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1077	n/a	n/a	5.6
1989	1097	n/a	n/a	4.6
1990	1075	n/a	n/a	7.1
1991	1085	59.6	18.2	5.3
1992	1129	67.0	16.8	8.1
1993	1134	59.2	19.2	8
1994	1153	65.0	17.7	13.5
1995	1104	66.0	16.7	22.9
1996	1104	66.0	16.7	22.9
1997	1098	61.0	18.0	27.1
1998	1092	61.0	17.9	29
1999	1121	62.0	18.1	35.9
2000	1129	59.0	19.1	35.5
2001	1141	53.0	21.5	34.2
2002	1116	n/a	n/a	51.5
2003	1116	n/a	n/a	51.5
2004	1134	74.0	15.3	50.3
2005	1122	71.0	15.8	35.5
2006	1088	72.0	15.1	48.2
2007	1084	68.5	15.8	28.8
2008	1045	58.0	18.0	57.2
2009	1033	61.0	14.4	59.3
2010	1031	57.0	18.0	61.9
2011	1047	62.8	16.6	60.1
2012	1105	63.0	17.5	60.4
2013	1113	54.0	20.6	61.3
2014	1119	54.0	20.7	61.5
2015	1118	51.0	21.9	63.1
2016	1143	61.0	18.7	62.6
2017	1132	63.0	17.9	68
2018	1126	62.0	18.1	70
2019	1087	66.0	16.4	59.8
2020	1095	64.0	17.1	72
2021	1115	65.2	17.1	58.9
2022	1103	65.2	16.9	54.5
2023	1113	64.0	17.3	58.3
2024	1119	63.0	17.7	54.3

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 Classical High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$210 (1.9%)	$10,746 (98.1%)	$10,956
2019	$222 (1.9%)	$11,471 (98.1%)	$11,692
2020	$315 (2.8%)	$10,813 (97.2%)	$11,128
2021	$511 (4.1%)	$11,978 (95.9%)	$12,489

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Classical High 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 4^th of 59 High schools	Ranks 3^rd of 60 High schools	1.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Classical High School)	95.6	90.9	4.7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Providence)	37.9	37.2	0.7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	60.1	55.3	4.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Classical High School)	67.7	61.5	6.2%
10th Grade Mathematics (Providence)	15.9	15.5	0.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	31	27.2	3.8%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Classical High School)	90.1	83.8	6.3%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Providence)	25.5	27.6	2.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	50.5	49.1	1.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Classical High School)	74.7	58.3	16.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Providence)	14.8	13.4	1.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	31.2	25.3	5.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1087	1113	2.4%
African American	165	193	17%
American Indian	2	5	150%
Asian	104	100	3.8%
Hispanic	497	533	7.2%
Pacific Islander	3	0	100%
White	271	221	18.5%
Two or More Races	45	52	15.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	59.8%	58.3%	1.5%

Schools Near Classical High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT10 English Language Arts (2024)	PSAT10 Mathematics (2024)	SAT English Language Arts (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	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	PSAT10 English Language Arts 10th Grade	PSAT10 Mathematics 10th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	NGSA Science All Grades	RICAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts All Grades	RICAS Mathematics 8th Grade	RICAS Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Classical High School	Public	9-12	770 Westminster Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9145	1,119	63	17.7	54.3%	212 (18.9%)	179 (16.0%)	543 (48.5%)	94 (8.4%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	52 (4.6%)	95.9	3^rd of 61 public high schools	95.1%		93.3	3^rd of 60 public high schools	95.0%			73.2	88.8	60.1	52.9					$12,489	$511	$11,978
Central High School	Public	9-12	70 Fricker Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9111	1,019	73	13.9	87.7%	27 (2.6%)	112 (11.0%)	744 (73.0%)	55 (5.4%)	6 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (2.1%)	6.8	58^th of 61 public high schools	4.9%		5.1	59^th of 60 public high schools	1.7%	1	17.7		13.2							$15,074	$866	$14,207
Providence Career Technical	Public	9-12	41 Fricker street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9136	711	71	10.0	81.4%	33 (4.6%)	82 (11.5%)	543 (76.4%)	22 (3.1%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (3.0%)	17	45^th of 61 public high schools	26.2%		15.7	45^th of 60 public high schools	25.0%		35.9	6.7	24.2	11.5	15.0					$21,581	$1,793	$19,788
Newcomer Academy	Public	9-12	91 Fricker Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(401) 455-3406	149	11	13.5	69.1%	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	134 (89.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Charette Charter School	Public, Charter	9-12	335 Westminster St.	Providence	02903	Providence County	Charette Charter	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 270-1183	171	12	14.2	95.3%	2 (1.2%)	49 (28.7%)	118 (69.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	8.7	55^th of 61 public high schools	9.8%		9.1	52^nd of 60 public high schools	13.3%	3	22.9		14.3							$12,034	$2,750	$9,284
RINI Middle College	Public, Charter	9-12	150 Washington Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 680-4900	428	31	13.8	40.7%	19 (4.4%)	97 (22.7%)	286 (66.8%)	4 (0.9%)	8 (1.9%)	2 (0.5%)	12 (2.8%)	15.8	46^th of 61 public high schools	24.6%		19.5	41^st of 60 public high schools	31.7%	5	31.5	5.5	26.9		15.6					$14,636	$2,826	$11,810
Sheila Skip Nowell	Public, Charter	9-12	150 Washington Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Sheila Skip Nowell Leadership Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 751-0405	170	17	10.0	100.0%	17 (10.0%)	34 (20.0%)	110 (64.7%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.5%)	5.5	61^st of 61 public high schools	0.0%		8.6	54^th of 60 public high schools	10.0%	7	16.2		10.3							$13,417	$2,214	$11,203
Trinity Academy Performing Art	Public, Charter	7-12	275 Westminster Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 432-7881	205	25	8.2	85.4%	15 (7.3%)	36 (17.6%)	144 (70.2%)	3 (1.5%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.0%)	28.9	37^th of 61 public high schools	39.3%		16.4	44^th of 60 public high schools	26.7%	7	48.7	15.4	53.8		6.9	8.6	6.7	11.4	5.3	$11,502	$1,052	$10,450
YouthBuild Preparatory Academy	Public	9-12	217 Westminister Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	YouthBuild Preparatory Academy	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(401) 273-7528	133	1	133.0	70.7%	3 (2.3%)	36 (27.1%)	88 (66.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.5%)	11.3	51^st of 61 public high schools	16.4%		6.9	57^th of 60 public high schools	5.0%	6	33.3		6.7
Village Green Virtual	Public, Virtual, Charter	9-12	135 Weybosset Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Village Green Virtual	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	Yes	(401) 831-2878	210	14	15.0	94.8%	6 (2.9%)	60 (28.6%)	130 (61.9%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.7%)	20.9	41^st of 61 public high schools	32.8%		23.5	39^th of 60 public high schools	35.0%	2	42.0		18.0							$14,776	$2,515	$12,262

Frequently Asked Questions about Classical High School

What schools feed into Classical High School?

What district is Classical High School in?

Providence

What is the racial makeup of Classical High School?

Students at Classical High School are 49% Hispanic, 19% White, 16% African American, 8% Asian, 5% Two or more races, 3% Not Specified.

How many students attend Classical High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,119 students attended Classical High School.

Is Classical High School a good school?

Yes! Classical High School is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 3^rd of 61 Rhode Island high schools.

Rate Classical High School!

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Schools in Providence, RI

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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.