- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-2 students YoY
Joseph a. Whelan School held near 245 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 20.1 → 20.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-2 students YoY 440078000182 · North Providence, RI Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
252 enr · 12.6:1 · 39.7% lunch · RII 28
Nearest enrollment peer: North Providence High (1,085 students)
Joseph a. Whelan School held near 245 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount). Teacher FTE held 20.1 → 20.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Rhode Island schools → · Find another →
Joseph a. Whelan School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- North Providen
North Providence High
1,085 students
- Birchwood Midd 390
Birchwood Middle School
390 students
- Stephen Olney 388
Stephen Olney School
388 students
- James L. Mcgui 384
James L. Mcguire School
384 students
- Dr. Edward Ric 378
Dr. Edward Ricci School
378 students
- This school 252
Joseph a. Whelan School
252 students
What this shows Joseph a. Whelan School reports 252 students on the CCD universe file.
How Joseph a. Whelan School compares
Joseph a. Whelan School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology
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
$18,638
per pupil, district-wide
- below Rhode Island avg of $21,508
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.
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
District finance for North Providence reports $18,638 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 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.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~252 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 247 (2022-23) → 245 (2023-24), nearly flat (-2).
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, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.