Providence County Schools & Education
Providence County, Rhode Island
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
49/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
80.6%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
80.6%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 87.0%
Per-Pupil Spending
$9,895
National avg $13,239
State avg $11,264
School Score
49/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 65/100
State Score Position
#5
of 5 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Providence County
Measured School Summary
Providence County has midrange measured school signals (score: 49/100) with a graduation rate of 80.6%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Providence County spends $9,895 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 25% below the Rhode Island average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 6.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Providence County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
202 public schools and 41 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
49/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #5 of 5 Rhode Island counties with school score data.
Completion
80.6%
6.4 pts below the state average
Funding context
$9,895
$1,369 below the state average
School coverage
202
41 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Providence County has 202 public schools across 41 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Providence County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Large multi-district county
Providence County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.
State position
#5
of 5 Rhode Island counties with school score data. The county score is 16 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 99% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Providence
Elementary to high school visible
20,463 students
39 listed schools in this county slice.
Cranston
Elementary to high school visible
10,029 students
24 listed schools in this county slice.
Pawtucket
Elementary to high school visible
7,899 students
16 listed schools in this county slice.
Woonsocket
Elementary to high school visible
5,525 students
10 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Providence is the largest listed district slice, with 39 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Providence County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Providence County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Which schools are missing enrollment or ratio fields, and does the district publish a newer local profile than the NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data?
Education Overview
About Schools in Providence County, Rhode Island
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Rhode Island’s Largest Educational Hub
Providence County hosts a massive educational network of 202 public schools serving 87,715 students. The landscape is broad and diverse, featuring 111 elementary schools, 40 middle schools, and 43 high schools across 41 districts. This county serves the vast majority of the state's student population with a wide array of specialized facilities.
Providence and Cranston Lead in Choice
The Providence district is the largest in the state, serving 20,463 students across 39 schools, followed by Cranston with 10,029 students. Charter schools play a vital role here, with 37 institutions representing 18.3% of the total schools. This high density of charter and alternative options provides families with significant choice in their children's education.
A Tale of Two Environments: City and Suburb
Providence County schools are split between 128 suburban locations and 61 city locales, with 13 rural schools on the outskirts. Large campuses like Cranston High School West (1,715 students) contrast with an overall county average of 441 students. This mix offers everything from bustling, diverse urban high schools to quiet suburban elementary campuses.
School Overview
Total Schools
202
in Providence County
Reported Enrollment
87,715
199 schools reporting
School Districts
41
districts
Charter Schools
37
18% of total
School Level Breakdown
41 School Districts in Providence County
Providence
GuideCranston
GuidePawtucket
GuideWoonsocket
GuideEast Providence
GuideCumberland
GuideNorth Providence
GuideLincoln
Johnston
Central Falls
202 Public Schools in Providence County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 11 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 202 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranston High School West | Profile | Cranston | Cranston, 02920Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,715 |
| East Providence High | Profile | East Providence | East Providence, 02914Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,659 |
| Woonsocket High School | Profile | Woonsocket | Woonsocket, 02895Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,621 |
| Cranston High School East | Profile | Cranston | Cranston, 02910Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,499 |
| Cumberland High School | Profile | Cumberland | Cumberland, 02864Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,446 |
| Central High School | Profile | Providence | Providence, 02903City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,302 |
| Mount Pleasant High | Profile | Providence | Providence, 02908City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,164 |
| Classical High School | Profile | Providence | Providence, 02903City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,113 |
| North Providence High | Profile | North Providence | North Providence, 02904Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,090 |
| William E. Tolman High | Profile | Pawtucket | Pawtucket, 02860Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,056 |
| Lincoln Senior High School | Profile | Lincoln | Lincoln, 02865Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 976 |
| Ponaganset High School | Record | Foster-Glocester | North Scituate, 02857Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 921 |
| Davies Career-Tech High School | Record | Davies Career and Tech | Lincoln, 02865Suburb: Large | 9–12 | Vocational | 912 |
| Hope High School | Record | Providence | Providence, 02906City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 896 |
| Charles E. Shea High School | Record | Pawtucket | Pawtucket, 02860Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 870 |
| Central Falls Sr High | Record | Central Falls | Central Falls, 02863Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 811 |
| Nathanael Greene Middle | Record | Providence | Providence, 02908City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 808 |
| Johnston Senior High | Record | Johnston | Johnston, 02919Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 804 |
| Pothier-Citizens Elem Campus | Record | Woonsocket | Woonsocket, 02895Suburb: Large | PK–5 | Primary | 800 |
| Lincoln Middle School | Record | Lincoln | Lincoln, 02865Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 778 |
Cranston High School West
Cranston
Cranston, 02920 / Suburb: Large
East Providence High
East Providence
East Providence, 02914 / Suburb: Large
Woonsocket High School
Woonsocket
Woonsocket, 02895 / Suburb: Large
Cranston High School East
Cranston
Cranston, 02910 / Suburb: Large
Cumberland High School
Cumberland
Cumberland, 02864 / Suburb: Large
Central High School
Providence
Providence, 02903 / City: Midsize
Mount Pleasant High
Providence
Providence, 02908 / City: Midsize
Classical High School
Providence
Providence, 02903 / City: Midsize
North Providence High
North Providence
North Providence, 02904 / Suburb: Large
William E. Tolman High
Pawtucket
Pawtucket, 02860 / Suburb: Large
Lincoln Senior High School
Lincoln
Lincoln, 02865 / Suburb: Large
Ponaganset High School
Foster-Glocester
North Scituate, 02857 / Rural: Fringe
Davies Career-Tech High School
Davies Career and Tech
Lincoln, 02865 / Suburb: Large
Pothier-Citizens Elem Campus
Woonsocket
Woonsocket, 02895 / Suburb: Large
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$9,895
State avg $11,264
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Providence County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
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See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Rhode Island counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Rhode Island?
How should I read the school score in Providence County?
What is the graduation rate in Providence County?
How much does Providence County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Providence County, Rhode Island — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Providence County, Rhode Island?
Providence County hosts a massive educational network of 202 public schools serving 87,715 students. The landscape is broad and diverse, featuring 111 elementary schools, 40 middle schools, and 43 high schools across 41 districts. This county serves the vast majority of the state's student population with a wide array of specialized facilities.
What are the major school districts in Providence County, Rhode Island?
The Providence district is the largest in the state, serving 20,463 students across 39 schools, followed by Cranston with 10,029 students. Charter schools play a vital role here, with 37 institutions representing 18.3% of the total schools. This high density of charter and alternative options provides families with significant choice in their children's education.
What is the school experience like in Providence County?
Providence County schools are split between 128 suburban locations and 61 city locales, with 13 rural schools on the outskirts. Large campuses like Cranston High School West (1,715 students) contrast with an overall county average of 441 students. This mix offers everything from bustling, diverse urban high schools to quiet suburban elementary campuses.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.