Cranston

Cranston, Rhode Island — 23 schools

10,225
Total Enrollment
23
Schools
$19,886
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Other
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Cranston operates 23 public schools serving 10,225 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Rhode Island. The school portfolio breaks down into 11 elementary, 5 other, 4 middle, 3 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 10,078 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Providence County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,886 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 48.9% local, 40.3% state, and 10.8% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $106,505 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 39/100, ranked #36 of 53 in Rhode Island against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 23 schools offering Advanced Placement (21 AP courses district-wide), a 294.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 41.4% White, 38.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian across the district's schools.

Cranston High School West accounts for 16.4% of all Cranston student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Cranston-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Cranston school enrollment varies 34× across entities

Cranston school enrollment ranges from 49 students (lowest) to 1,653 students (highest), a spread of 1,604 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Cranston student-counselor ratio is 294:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Cranston is typically wider than the Cranston-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Cranston chronic absenteeism rate is 22.9% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Cranston is typically wider than the Cranston-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

10.8%
Federal
40.3%
State
48.9%
Local

Funding Equity

39
Equity Score
36 / 53
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Providence County county, where this district is located.

$1,318
Studio/mo
$1,402
1 BR/mo
$1,729
2 BR/mo
$2,087
3 BR/mo
$2,480
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$106,505
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 23 schools in Cranston.

White 41.4%
Hispanic or Latino 38.5%
African American 4.9%
Asian 7.7%
Multiracial 6.6%
Other 0.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

3 / 23
Schools with AP
21 AP courses total
294.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.9%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Cranston

School Enrollment
Cranston High School West
1,653
Cranston High School East
1,525
Western Hills Middle School
727
Park View Middle School
711
Garden City School
530
Hugh B. Bain Middle School
527
Orchard Farms El. School
444
Gladstone Street School
402
Hope Highlands Middle School
366
Edward S. Rhodes School
287
Edgewood Highland
276
Glen Hills School
270
Woodridge School
260
W. R. Dutemple School
254
Oak Lawn School
247
George J. Peters School
244
Eden Park School
243
Stone Hill School
234
Stadium School
227
Daniel D. Waterman School
217
Arlington School
209
Nel/Cps Construction Career
Charter
176
Cranston Early Learning Center
49

Nearby Districts in Rhode Island

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Providence
20,725 students · 39 schools · $25,933/pupil
Compare vs Cranston →
Pawtucket
8,056 students · 16 schools · $21,161/pupil
Compare vs Cranston →
Warwick
8,005 students · 19 schools · $24,900/pupil
Compare vs Cranston →
Woonsocket
5,690 students · 10 schools · $21,838/pupil
Compare vs Cranston →
East Providence
5,272 students · 13 schools · $22,229/pupil
Compare vs Cranston →

Compare Cranston

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Providence →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Cranston?

Cranston has 23 schools, including 3 high, 4 middle, 11 elementary, 5 other. Total enrollment is 10,225 students.

How much does Cranston spend per student?

Cranston spends $19,886 per student. The district has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #36 in Rhode Island.

What is the average teacher salary in Cranston?

The average teacher salary in Cranston is $106,505 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Cranston?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Providence County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Cranston?

Cranston students are 41.4% White, 38.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 4.9% African American, averaged across 23 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Cranston?

Cranston has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #36 out of 53 districts in Rhode Island. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.