Pawtucket

Pawtucket, Rhode Island — 16 schools

8,056
Total Enrollment
16
Schools
$21,161
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Other
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Pawtucket operates 16 public schools serving 8,056 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Rhode Island. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 elementary, 4 other, 3 high, 3 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 7,708 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 $21,161 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 20.0% local, 63.7% state, and 16.2% 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 $98,614 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 63/100, ranked #14 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 16 schools offering Advanced Placement (14 AP courses district-wide), a 287.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 46.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 39.1% Hispanic or Latino, 28.2% African American, 24.3% White across the district's schools.

Pawtucket school enrollment varies 5.8× across entities

Pawtucket school enrollment ranges from 173 students (lowest) to 995 students (highest), a spread of 822 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Pawtucket has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 51.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Pawtucket student-counselor ratio is 287:1 — 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 Pawtucket is typically wider than the Pawtucket-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Pawtucket chronic absenteeism rate is 46.1% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Where does the funding come from?

16.2%
Federal
63.7%
State
20.0%
Local

Funding Equity

63
Equity Score
14 / 53
State Rank
51
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

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

$98,614
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 16 schools in Pawtucket.

White 24.3%
Hispanic or Latino 39.1%
African American 28.2%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 6.4%
Other 1.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

3 / 16
Schools with AP
14 AP courses total
287.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
46.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Pawtucket

School Enrollment
William E. Tolman High
995
Charles E. Shea High School
770
Joseph Jenks Middle School
697
Lyman B. Goff Middle School
637
Samuel Slater Middle School
590
Henry J. Winters School
550
Fallon Memorial School
520
Potter-Burns School
430
Nathanael Greene School
397
Cunningham School
355
Curvin-Mccabe School
353
Flora S. Curtis School
331
Agnes E. Little School
320
Elizabeth Baldwin School
320
Francis J. Varieur School
270
Jacqueline M. Walsh School
173

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
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Cranston
10,225 students · 24 schools · $19,886/pupil
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Warwick
8,005 students · 19 schools · $24,900/pupil
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Woonsocket
5,690 students · 10 schools · $21,838/pupil
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East Providence
5,272 students · 13 schools · $22,229/pupil
Compare vs Pawtucket →

Compare Pawtucket

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 Pawtucket?

Pawtucket has 16 schools, including 3 high, 3 middle, 4 other, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 8,056 students.

How much does Pawtucket spend per student?

Pawtucket spends $21,161 per student. The district has an equity score of 63/100, ranking #14 in Rhode Island.

What is the average teacher salary in Pawtucket?

The average teacher salary in Pawtucket is $98,614 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Pawtucket?

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 Pawtucket?

Pawtucket students are 39.1% Hispanic or Latino, 28.2% African American, 24.3% White, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 16 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Pawtucket?

Pawtucket has an equity score of 63/100, ranking #14 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

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