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%.
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.
Best school counties
Best Counties for Public School Research in Rhode Island
For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in Rhode Island, start with county-level evidence, then open individual school and district records. SchoolsByCounty ranks counties by public education signals, not by private opinions or paid school ratings.
Short answer for Rhode Island
Bristol County is the strongest county-level starting point in Rhode Island by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 85/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.
Ranking methodology
5 of 5 counties have enough federal education data for a county school score. The ranking favors counties with stronger available graduation-rate and school-finance signals, then asks parents to verify individual school fit locally. The table below should help parents choose what to compare next; it should not replace attendance-boundary checks, program eligibility, commute, services, or direct district confirmation.
State average per-pupil spending in this dataset: $11,264.
Top measured county school signals
Ranked by the county school score where enough federal data is available.
Bristol County
93.5%
Bristol County has the strongest reported county graduation-rate signal in Rhode Island. Use this as a broad county context, then review individual high-school records.
Kent County
$12,039
Kent County reports the highest per-pupil spending among counties with available data. Higher spending is context, not a guarantee of student fit.
Providence County
49/100
Providence County has one of the lowest measured county school signals in Rhode Island. Review missing data, district context, and individual school records before drawing conclusions.
District research
Compare Rhode Island public school districts before narrowing by address
Rhode Island has 64 public school district records and 316 school records in the NCES file. Use the district hub to sort large district systems by enrollment, school count, county context, and generated district-guide coverage.
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?
What are the best school counties 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.