Enrollment
252
Rhode Island · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · North Providence, RI
Joseph a. Whelan School
Federal NCES profile for Joseph a. Whelan School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 440078000182
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joseph a. Whelan School earns 28/100 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.
- #2 of 4
- elementary schools in North Providence · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.6:1
- students per teacher
- 39.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Joseph a. Whelan School has class sizes near the Rhode Island median. Computed live against every Rhode Island school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph a. Whelan School ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in North Providence, RI.
School address
District: North Providence · Rhode Island
NCES ID 440078000182 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 13.8:1 Rhode Island avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.7%
vs 39.6% Rhode Island avg
+0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joseph a. Whelan School compares with Rhode Island and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joseph a. Whelan School
Joseph a. Whelan School is a mid-sized elementary school in North Providence, Rhode Island, enrolling 252 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 39.7% lands close to the Rhode Island typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 252 puts it in the smaller third of Rhode Island schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 308 scored Rhode Island schools.
Against 52 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #34.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among North Providence's elementary schools, it stands alongside Stephen Olney School (388 students): Joseph a. Whelan School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.6:1 vs 13.4:1).
North Providence also operates North Providence High (1,085 students) and Birchwood Middle School (390 students) alongside Joseph a. Whelan 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 Joseph a. Whelan School compares
Joseph a. Whelan 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 | 39.7% | ▲ 0% | 39.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 252 | top 76% | - | - |
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.
252
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% above 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
38.1%
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 44.4%
Hispanic or Latino 26.2%
African American 15.5%
Two or More 9.1%
Asian 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 44.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.1, Joseph a. Whelan 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 Joseph a. Whelan 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 Joseph a. Whelan School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Providence High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Birchwood Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stephen Olney School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James L. Mcguire School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr. Edward Ricci School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joseph a. Whelan 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
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- 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
Similar elementary schools in North Providence
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~252 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joseph a. Whelan School's federal record.
- Compare Joseph a. Whelan 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 Joseph a. Whelan School
How many students attend Joseph a. Whelan School?
Joseph a. Whelan School has 252 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in North Providence, RI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joseph a. Whelan School?
The student-teacher ratio at Joseph a. Whelan 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 Joseph a. Whelan School?
39.7% of students at Joseph a. Whelan School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Rhode Island average of 39.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joseph a. Whelan School?
The largest demographic group at Joseph a. Whelan School is White at 44.4% of enrollment, in North Providence, RI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joseph a. Whelan School?
Joseph a. Whelan School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Joseph a. Whelan School rank among elementary schools in North Providence?
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph a. Whelan School ranks #2 of 4 elementary 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 elementary schools in North Providence on the city page.
Is Joseph a. Whelan School a good school?
Joseph a. Whelan School earns 28/100 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 Joseph a. Whelan School, North Providence also operates North Providence High (1,085 students), Birchwood Middle School (390 students), and Stephen Olney School (388 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.