Enrollment
1,116
Rhode Island · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Providence, RI
Classical High School
Federal NCES profile for Classical High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 440090000218
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Classical High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Rhode Island schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Rhode Island.
- #14 of 16
- high schools in Providence · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.4:1
- large classes for Rhode Island
- 47.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Classical High School has class sizes larger than 91% of Rhode Island schools. Computed live against every Rhode Island school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Classical High School ranks #14 of 16 high schools in Providence, RI.
School address
District: Providence · Rhode Island
NCES ID 440090000218 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 13.8:1 Rhode Island avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.4%
vs 39.6% Rhode Island avg
+20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Classical High School compares with Rhode Island and U.S. medians
What stands out at Classical High School
Classical High School is a large high school in Providence, Rhode Island, enrolling 1,116 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.4:1 is larger than about 91% of Rhode Island schools and 26% above the 13.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 47.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Rhode Island, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,116 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 308 scored Rhode Island schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (51%) and White (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 20 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 372 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Providence's high schools, it stands alongside Central High School (1,050 students): Classical High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.4:1 vs 13.3:1).
Providence also operates Central High School (1,050 students) and Mount Pleasant High (997 students) alongside Classical High 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 Classical High School compares
Classical High 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 | 17.4:1 | ▲ 26% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.4% | ▲ 20% | 39.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,116 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,116
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% above the Rhode Island average of 39.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 91% in Rhode Island - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.4%
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
$22,536
per pupil, district-wide
- above Rhode Island avg of $20,315
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 372 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 50.5%
White 20.1%
African American 15.9%
Asian 8.5%
Two or More 4.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 50.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.0, Classical High School is more mixed than the Rhode Island school average of 47.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 20
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Providence, which includes Classical High School.
$22,536
Per student
+11%
vs Rhode Island
Avg $20,315
+36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.2%
State 57.9%
Federal 16.8%
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 Classical High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mount Pleasant High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Governor Christopher Delsesto | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nathanael Greene Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roger Williams Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Classical High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,050
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 997
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 815
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 786
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar high schools in Providence
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Central High School
Standard public school
1,050 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Mount Pleasant High
Standard public school
997 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Metropolitan Career Tech Ctr
Vocational / career-technical school
817 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Hope High School
Standard public school
775 students 10.5:1 students per teacher
Providence Career Technical
Vocational / career-technical school
759 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
W B Cooley & Acad Internationa
Standard public school
685 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,116 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Classical High School's federal record.
- Compare Classical High School against another school. Compare schools
- 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 Classical High School
How many students attend Classical High School?
Classical High School has 1,116 students enrolled. It is a high school in Providence, RI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Classical High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Classical High School is 17.4:1, which is 26% higher than the Rhode Island average of 13.8:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Classical High School?
47.4% of students at Classical High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Rhode Island average of 39.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Classical High School?
The largest demographic group at Classical High School is Hispanic or Latino at 50.5% of enrollment, in Providence, RI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Classical High School?
Classical High School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Classical High School rank among high schools in Providence?
By Resource Investment Index, Classical High School ranks #14 of 16 high schools in Providence, RI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Providence on the city page.
Is Classical High School a good school?
Classical High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Rhode Island schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Rhode Island. 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 Providence?
Besides Classical High School, Providence also operates Central High School (1,050 students), Mount Pleasant High (997 students), and Governor Christopher Delsesto (818 students). See the 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.