Providence operates 39 public schools serving 20,725 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Rhode Island. The school portfolio breaks down into 17 elementary, 9 high, 7 other, 6 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 21,242 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 $25,933 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 25.2% local, 57.9% state, and 16.8% 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 $107,483 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 69/100, ranked #10 of 53 in Rhode Island against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 9 of 39 schools offering Advanced Placement (58 AP courses district-wide), a 398.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 61.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 68.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% African American, 8.7% White across the district's schools.
Providence school enrollment varies 4.0× across entities
Providence school enrollment ranges from 277 students (lowest) to 1,116 students (highest), a spread of 839 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.
Providence has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 75.8% 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 — including this one — 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.
Providence student-counselor ratio is 399:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Providence chronic absenteeism rate is 61.1% — 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.
Providence has 39 schools, including 9 high, 6 middle, 17 elementary, 7 other. Total enrollment is 20,725 students.
How much does Providence spend per student?
Providence spends $25,933 per student. The district has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #10 in Rhode Island.
What is the average teacher salary in Providence?
The average teacher salary in Providence is $107,483 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Providence?
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 Providence?
Providence students are 68.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% African American, 8.7% White, 3.3% Asian, averaged across 39 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Providence?
Providence has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #10 out of 53 districts in Rhode Island. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.