Martin Luther King Elementary School

Q: Is Martin Luther King Elementary School a good school?

Martin Luther King Elementary School ranks 86 th of 166 Rhode Island elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Martin Luther King Elementary School is a public elementary school in Providence, Rhode Island, serving 407 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Providence school district, which is ranked 48 out of 60 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite serving a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with 71.25% to 77.29% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, Martin Luther King Elementary School consistently outperforms the Providence district average in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics proficiency. In the 2023-2024 school year, 31.1% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 15.3% for the district, and 33.7% were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 14.7% for the district. The school's per-student spending has also increased from $14,361 in 2017-2018 to $19,152 in 2020-2021, and the student-teacher ratio has improved from 16.5 in 2020-2021 to 14.2 in 2022-2023.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Veazie Street School and Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School, Martin Luther King Elementary School generally outperforms them in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency. However, the school's proficiency rates are still lower than the state-wide averages, indicating that there is room for further improvement. The school's ranking has been steadily improving, from 157 out of 169 schools in 2018-2019 to 86 out of 166 schools in 2023-2024, suggesting that the school is making progress in improving student outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

35 Camp Street
Providence, RI 02906

(401) 456-9398

District: Providence

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,152

Students who attend Martin Luther King Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Esek Hopkins Middle
	Gilbert Stuart Middle School
	Governor Christopher DelSesto
	Nathan Bishop Middle
	More...
	Nathanael Greene Middle
	Roger Williams Middle
High:	Central High School
	Classical High School
	Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School
	Hope High School
	More...
	Mount Pleasant High
	W B Cooley & Academy Internationa

Student/teacher ratio: 14.2

Number of students: 399

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

43.9%

African American:

22.1%

Not Specified:

13.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 69.2%

See top rated Rhode Island elementary schools

Compare Martin Luther King Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Martin Luther King Elementary School ranks worse than 51.8% of elementary schools in Rhode Island. It also ranks 3^rd among 20 ranked elementary schools in the Providence School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.2. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (43.9%), African American (22.1%), White (10.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 69.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Martin Luther King Elementary School is 14.2, which is the 7^th best among 20 elementary schools in the Providence School District. (See more...)

Compare Martin Luther King Elementary School employs 28 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Martin Luther King Elementary School is $19,152, which is the 5^th highest among 20 elementary schools in the Providence School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Martin Luther King Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Providence:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Martin Luther King Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	RI State Percentile
2009	23.01	134^th	169	20.7%
2010	17.40	140^th	169	17.2%
2011	24.54	136^th	165	17.6%
2012	17.17	141^st	165	14.5%
2013	16.84	143^rd	165	13.3%
2014	25.35	124^th	159	22.0%
2015	21.15	136^th	169	19.5%
2016	19.95	143^rd	170	15.9%
2017	5.92	164^th	168	2.4%
2018	7.45	164^th	169	3.0%
2019	10.40	157^th	169	7.1%
2021	18.01	134^th	166	19.3%
2022	23.55	121^st	166	27.1%
2023	37.09	97^th	167	41.9%
2024	44.20	86^th	166	48.2%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, February 4, 2017

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Enrollment information for Martin Luther King Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	282	222	30	45	3	n/a	n/a	0	582
1989	288	218	35	42	8	n/a	n/a	0	591
1990	273	219	37	61	6	n/a	n/a	0	596
1991	260	236	27	60	4	n/a	n/a	0	587
1992	229	239	29	77	10	n/a	n/a	0	584
1993	258	197	25	92	8	n/a	n/a	0	580
1994	307	241	25	113	13	n/a	n/a	0	699
1995	263	295	22	105	11	n/a	n/a	0	696
1996	263	295	22	105	11	n/a	n/a	0	696
1997	249	272	15	100	10	n/a	n/a	0	646
1998	329	279	19	82	11	n/a	n/a	0	720
1999	312	304	19	97	13	n/a	n/a	0	745
2000	317	300	15	97	11	n/a	n/a	0	740
2001	211	284	10	101	12	n/a	n/a	0	618
2002	185	267	7	114	6	n/a	n/a	0	579
2003	185	267	7	114	6	n/a	n/a	0	579
2004	157	273	5	119	10	n/a	n/a	0	564
2005	123	218	5	101	7	n/a	n/a	0	454
2006	125	218	6	111	8	n/a	n/a	0	468
2007	115	214	5	126	9	n/a	n/a	0	469
2008	101	224	6	126	6	n/a	n/a	0	463
2009	109	225	11	111	5	n/a	n/a	0	461
2010	121	229	13	130	10	n/a	n/a	0	503
2011	94	189	15	150	8	2	35	0	493
2012	101	219	18	208	8	1	37	0	592
2013	92	204	18	203	9	1	38	0	565
2014	91	201	14	203	6	0	36	0	551
2015	82	188	13	197	7	1	34	0	522
2016	73	168	14	189	7	1	46	0	498
2017	62	203	12	209	8	1	45	0	540
2018	58	197	9	223	6	1	39	0	533
2019	55	173	14	207	9	1	42	0	501
2020	47	138	13	179	8	0	40	0	425
2021	36	114	16	150	5	0	40	0	361
2022	32	106	15	171	3	0	32	7	366
2023	55	96	26	192	1	1	33	3	407
2024	43	88	14	175	2	1	24	52	399

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 Martin Luther King Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	582	n/a	n/a	39.5
1989	591	n/a	n/a	33.3
1990	596	n/a	n/a	39.3
1991	587	26.2	22.4	41.7
1992	584	30.0	19.4	39.2
1993	580	27.8	20.9	39.5
1994	699	32.0	21.8	46.5
1995	696	32.5	21.4	51
1996	696	32.5	21.4	51
1997	646	33.0	19.6	42.7
1998	720	33.0	21.8	44.4
1999	745	19.0	39.2	51
2000	740	34.0	21.8	50.3
2001	618	29.0	21.3	60.5
2002	579	n/a	n/a	74.6
2003	579	n/a	n/a	74.6
2004	564	35.0	16.1	71.1
2005	454	37.0	12.3	72.7
2006	468	37.0	12.6	67.7
2007	469	33.6	14.0	69.1
2008	463	30.7	15.1	74.1
2009	461	29.8	12.9	68.8
2010	503	30.3	16.6	72
2011	493	29.2	16.8	71
2012	592	33.0	17.9	76
2013	565	28.0	20.1	78.8
2014	551	29.0	19.0	76.8
2015	522	28.0	18.6	77
2016	498	32.0	15.5	75.9
2017	540	32.0	16.8	83.1
2018	533	30.0	17.7	82.9
2019	501	30.8	16.2	80.8
2020	425	24.8	17.1	80.2
2021	361	21.8	16.5	77.3
2022	366	24.8	14.7	77
2023	407	28.6	14.2	71.3
2024	399	28.0	14.2	69.2

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 Martin Luther King Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	582	n/a	n/a	39.5
1989	591	n/a	n/a	33.3
1990	596	n/a	n/a	39.3
1991	587	26.2	22.4	41.7
1992	584	30.0	19.4	39.2
1993	580	27.8	20.9	39.5
1994	699	32.0	21.8	46.5
1995	696	32.5	21.4	51
1996	696	32.5	21.4	51
1997	646	33.0	19.6	42.7
1998	720	33.0	21.8	44.4
1999	745	19.0	39.2	51
2000	740	34.0	21.8	50.3
2001	618	29.0	21.3	60.5
2002	579	n/a	n/a	74.6
2003	579	n/a	n/a	74.6
2004	564	35.0	16.1	71.1
2005	454	37.0	12.3	72.7
2006	468	37.0	12.6	67.7
2007	469	33.6	14.0	69.1
2008	463	30.7	15.1	74.1
2009	461	29.8	12.9	68.8
2010	503	30.3	16.6	72
2011	493	29.2	16.8	71
2012	592	33.0	17.9	76
2013	565	28.0	20.1	78.8
2014	551	29.0	19.0	76.8
2015	522	28.0	18.6	77
2016	498	32.0	15.5	75.9
2017	540	32.0	16.8	83.1
2018	533	30.0	17.7	82.9
2019	501	30.8	16.2	80.8
2020	425	24.8	17.1	80.2
2021	361	21.8	16.5	77.3
2022	366	24.8	14.7	77
2023	407	28.6	14.2	71.3
2024	399	28.0	14.2	69.2

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 Martin Luther King Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$2,055 (14.3%)	$12,306 (85.7%)	$14,361
2019	$2,146 (13.7%)	$13,493 (86.3%)	$15,639
2020	$2,736 (16.4%)	$13,932 (83.6%)	$16,668
2021	$3,228 (16.9%)	$15,924 (83.1%)	$19,152

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Martin Luther King Elementary 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 157^th of 169 Elementary schools	Ranks 97^th of 167 Elementary schools	34.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Martin Luther King Elementary School)	31	29.2	1.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Providence)	26.4	19.2	7.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	47.9	36.8	11.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Martin Luther King Elementary School)	11	32.4	21.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Providence)	17	20.8	3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	36.1	34.5	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Martin Luther King Elementary School)	9	32.4	23.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Providence)	15.2	17.1	1.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	37.2	33.3	3.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Martin Luther King Elementary School)	6.3	29.6	23.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Providence)	14.1	19.1	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	32.6	36	3.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Martin Luther King Elementary School)	23	25	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Providence)	19.9	17	2.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	39.1	35.1	4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Martin Luther King Elementary School)	11.1	33.3	22.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Providence)	12.9	14.8	1.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	30.1	30	0.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Martin Luther King Elementary School)	21	29.4	8.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Providence)	17.2	15.1	2.1%
All Grades Mathematics (Martin Luther King Elementary School)	9.6	31.6	22%
All Grades Mathematics (Providence)	11.9	13	1.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	501	407	18.8%
African American	173	96	44.5%
American Indian	9	1	88.9%
Asian	14	26	85.7%
Hispanic	207	192	7.2%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	55	55
Two or More Races	42	33	21.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	80.8%	71.3%	9.6%

Schools Near Martin Luther King Elementary 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
Martin Luther King Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	35 Camp Street	Providence	02906	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9398	399	28	14.2	69.2%	43 (10.8%)	88 (22.1%)	175 (43.9%)	14 (3.5%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	24 (6.0%)	44.2	86^th of 166 public elementary schools	48.2%		37.1	97^th of 167 public elementary schools	41.9%	11	28.6	40.5	24.3	32.3	31.1	35.6	31.5	34.8	33.7	$19,152	$3,228	$15,924
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
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
Vartan Gregorian Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	455 Wickenden Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9377	311	20	15.5	44.4%	133 (42.8%)	32 (10.3%)	68 (21.9%)	16 (5.1%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	37 (11.9%)	81.9	33^rd of 166 public elementary schools	80.1%		73.4	47^th of 167 public elementary schools	71.9%	14	51.0	57.9	45.5	47.9	50.0	57.9	50.0	51.0	52.7	$24,092	$4,051	$20,042
Paul Cuffee Lower School	Public, Charter	K-5	459 Promenade Street	Providence	02908	Providence County	Paul Cuffee Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 453-2626	357	30	11.9	77.6%	14 (3.9%)	62 (17.4%)	246 (68.9%)	9 (2.5%)	5 (1.4%)	3 (0.8%)	18 (5.0%)	13.8	153^rd of 166 public elementary schools	7.8%		13.8	150^th of 167 public elementary schools	10.2%	3	15.0	21.7	6.9	15.0	14.6	15.0	19.0	11.7	15.2	$15,952	$1,766	$14,186
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
SouthSide Elementary Charter	Public, Charter	K-5	135 Prairie Ave	Providence	02905	Providence County	SouthSide Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 270-9007	140	9	15.5	79.3%	5 (3.6%)	38 (27.1%)	93 (66.4%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.1%)	23.3	128^th of 166 public elementary schools	22.9%		30	114^th of 167 public elementary schools	31.7%	14	19.0	18.2	17.4	9.5	15.2	18.2	43.5		21.2	$13,961	$1,706	$12,256
Agnes B. Hennessey School	Public	K-5	75 Fort Street	East Providence	02914	Providence County	East Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 435-7831	255	23	11.0	60.0%	134 (52.5%)	32 (12.5%)	55 (21.6%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (11.8%)	48	79^th of 166 public elementary schools	52.4%		37.4	96^th of 167 public elementary schools	42.5%	17	28.6	37.8	25.0	42.9	35.3	31.1	44.4	31.4	35.3	$16,851	$2,059	$14,793
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Martin Luther King Elementary School

What district is Martin Luther King Elementary School in?

Providence

What schools do graduates of Martin Luther King Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Martin Luther King Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Esek Hopkins Middle
Middle : Gilbert Stuart Middle School
Middle : Governor Christopher DelSesto
Middle : Nathan Bishop Middle
Middle : Nathanael Greene Middle
Middle : Roger Williams Middle
High : Central High School
High : Classical High School
High : Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School
High : Hope High School
High : Mount Pleasant High
High : W B Cooley & Academy Internationa

How many students attend Martin Luther King Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 399 students attended Martin Luther King Elementary School.

Is Martin Luther King Elementary School a good school?

Martin Luther King Elementary School ranks 86^th of 166 Rhode Island elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Martin Luther King Elementary School?

Students at Martin Luther King Elementary School are 44% Hispanic, 22% African American, 13% Not Specified, 11% White, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

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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.