Rhode Island Schools & Education
Public school metrics and education data for all 5 counties.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataAvg Graduation Rate
87.0%
Avg Per-Pupil Spending
$11,264
Avg School Score
65/100
Total Schools
316
64 districts
State Overview
About Schools in Rhode Island
This summary is generated from the NCES metrics shown on this page and reviewed against the source data by the Data Editor. It is not school advice.
Rhode Island Matches National Graduation Benchmarks
Rhode Island maintains an 87% graduation rate, perfectly aligning with the national average despite spending significantly less per student. The state invests $11,264 per pupil, which sits roughly $1,700 below the national benchmark of $13,000.
Significant Achievement Gaps Across Five Counties
Educational outcomes vary widely across the state's five counties, with school scores ranging from a low of 54.8 in Providence to a high of 64.2 in Washington. While Bristol County leads the state with a 93.5% graduation rate, Providence County trails at 80.6%.
Efficient Spending Yields Above-Average School Scores
Rhode Island achieves a statewide school score of 61.1, surpassing the national median of 50.0 while maintaining lean budgets. The state demonstrates high efficiency, outperforming national quality benchmarks even with a per-pupil spend that is 13% lower than the U.S. average.
Washington, Kent, and Bristol Lead the State
Washington County claims the top spot with a 64.2 school score and a nearly 90% graduation rate. Kent County follows closely with the state's highest per-pupil investment of $12,039, while Bristol County delivers the highest graduation rate at 93.5%.
State Score Context
How Rhode Island Counties Are Distributed
5 of 5 counties have enough NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data to receive a county school score. Use this distribution to understand whether the state has a concentrated cluster of high, midrange, or lower measured signals.
Scored county coverage
Counties with complete enough data for the composite score
100%
Higher measured signal
Score range 70-100
2
Midrange measured signal
Score range 40-69
3
Lower measured signal
Score range 0-39
0
Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.
Highest Measured School Signals
All Rhode Island Counties
| County | School Score |
|---|---|
Bristol County
| 85/100 |
Washington County
| 71/100 |
Kent County
| 67/100 |
Newport County
| 55/100 |
Providence County
| 49/100 |
— = data not available for this county.
Compare county school profiles in Rhode Island
Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rhode Island Schools
Which Rhode Island counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Rhode Island?
Which Rhode Island county has the strongest measured school score?
What is the average graduation rate in Rhode Island?
Which county in Rhode Island has the lowest school score?
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.