Enrollment
390
Rhode Island · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · North Providence, RI
Birchwood Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Birchwood Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 440078000173
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Birchwood Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Rhode Island median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Rhode Island schools.
- #3 of 9
- public schools in North Providence · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.6:1
- students per teacher
- 36.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Birchwood Middle School has class sizes near the Rhode Island median. Computed live against every Rhode Island school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Birchwood Middle School ranks #3 of 9 public schools in North Providence, RI.
School address
District: North Providence · Rhode Island
NCES ID 440078000173 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 13.8:1 Rhode Island avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.1%
vs 39.6% Rhode Island avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Birchwood Middle School compares with Rhode Island and U.S. medians
What stands out at Birchwood Middle School
Birchwood Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in North Providence, Rhode Island, enrolling 390 students.
At 12.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Rhode Island median, within a few percentage points of the 13.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 36.1% lands close to the Rhode Island typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 390 students, its enrollment sits close to the Rhode Island median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 308 scored Rhode Island schools.
Against 66 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #28.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 390 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among North Providence's middle schools, it stands alongside Dr. Edward Ricci School (378 students): Birchwood Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.6:1 vs 11.8:1).
North Providence also operates North Providence High (1,085 students) and Stephen Olney School (388 students) alongside Birchwood Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Birchwood Middle School compares
Birchwood Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Rhode Island and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Rhode Island | Rhode Island avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.6:1 | ▼ 9% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.1% | ▼ 9% | 39.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 390 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
390
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% below the Rhode Island average of 39.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 43% in Rhode Island - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
25.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,717
per pupil, district-wide
- below Rhode Island avg of $20,315
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 390 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 47.2%
Hispanic or Latino 27.2%
African American 14.1%
Two or More 7.4%
Asian 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 47.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.7, Birchwood Middle School is more mixed than the Rhode Island school average of 47.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Providence, which includes Birchwood Middle School.
$17,717
Per student
-13%
vs Rhode Island
Avg $20,315
+7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.0%
State 44.5%
Federal 10.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Birchwood Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Providence High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stephen Olney School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James L. Mcguire School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr. Edward Ricci School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Greystone School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Birchwood Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 388
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 378
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 303
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools in North Providence
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Rhode Island, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~390 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Birchwood Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Birchwood Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- North Providence's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Birchwood Middle School
How many students attend Birchwood Middle School?
Birchwood Middle School has 390 students enrolled. It is a middle school in North Providence, RI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Birchwood Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Birchwood Middle School is 12.6:1, which is 9% lower than the Rhode Island average of 13.8:1 and 20% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Birchwood Middle School?
36.1% of students at Birchwood Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Rhode Island average of 39.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Birchwood Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Birchwood Middle School is White at 47.2% of enrollment, in North Providence, RI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Birchwood Middle School?
Birchwood Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Birchwood Middle School rank among public schools in North Providence?
By Resource Investment Index, Birchwood Middle School ranks #3 of 9 public schools in North Providence, RI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in North Providence on the city page.
Is Birchwood Middle School a good school?
Birchwood Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Rhode Island median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Rhode Island schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in North Providence?
Besides Birchwood Middle School, North Providence also operates North Providence High (1,085 students), Stephen Olney School (388 students), and James L. Mcguire School (384 students). See the North Providence district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.