Enrollment
430
Rhode Island · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Providence, RI
Martin Luther King El. School
Federal NCES profile for Martin Luther King El. School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 440090000230
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Martin Luther King El. School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Rhode Island schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Rhode Island schools.
- #8 of 10
- schools in Providence · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.4:1
- large classes for Rhode Island
- 64.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Martin Luther King El. School has class sizes larger than 77% of Rhode Island schools. Computed live against every Rhode Island school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Martin Luther King El. School ranks #8 of 10 schools in Providence, RI.
School address
District: Providence · Rhode Island
NCES ID 440090000230 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 13.8:1 Rhode Island avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.1%
vs 39.6% Rhode Island avg
+62% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Martin Luther King El. School compares with Rhode Island and U.S. medians
What stands out at Martin Luther King El. School
Martin Luther King El. School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Providence, Rhode Island, enrolling 430 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Rhode Island schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 430 students, its enrollment sits close to the Rhode Island median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 308 Rhode Island schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 58 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Rhode Island schools statewide, it ranks #51, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (50%) and African American (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 717 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.4% 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 public schools, it stands alongside Cornel Young & Charlotte Woods (635 students): Martin Luther King El. School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 16.7:1).
Providence also operates Classical High School (1,116 students) and Central High School (1,050 students) alongside Martin Luther King El. 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 Martin Luther King El. School compares
Martin Luther King El. 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 | 15.4:1 | ▲ 12% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.1% | ▲ 62% | 39.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 430 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
430
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Rhode Island - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
57.4%
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
Counselors0.6 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 50.4%
African American 19.1%
White 17.4%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 50.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.2, Martin Luther King El. School is more mixed than the Rhode Island school average of 47.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Providence, which includes Martin Luther King El. 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 Martin Luther King El. School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mount Pleasant High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Governor Christopher Delsesto | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Nathanael Greene Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Martin Luther King El. School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- 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
Similar other schools in Providence
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cornel Young & Charlotte Woods
Standard public school
635 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Asa Messer El. School
Standard public school
557 students 18:1 students per teacher
Anthony Carnevale Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Harry Kizirian Elementary
Standard public school
434 students 14:1 students per teacher
Pleasant View School
Standard public school
433 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Times2 Middle/High School
Standard public school
383 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~430 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Martin Luther King El. School's federal record.
- Compare Martin Luther King El. 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 Martin Luther King El. School
How many students attend Martin Luther King El. School?
Martin Luther King El. School has 430 students enrolled. It is a public school in Providence, RI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Martin Luther King El. School?
The student-teacher ratio at Martin Luther King El. School is 15.4:1, which is 12% higher than the Rhode Island average of 13.8:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Martin Luther King El. School?
64.1% of students at Martin Luther King El. School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Rhode Island average of 39.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Martin Luther King El. School?
The largest demographic group at Martin Luther King El. School is Hispanic or Latino at 50.4% of enrollment, in Providence, RI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Martin Luther King El. School?
Martin Luther King El. School has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (lower 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 Martin Luther King El. School rank among schools in Providence?
By Resource Investment Index, Martin Luther King El. School ranks #8 of 10 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 schools in Providence on the city page.
Is Martin Luther King El. School a good school?
Martin Luther King El. School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Rhode Island schools. 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 Providence?
Besides Martin Luther King El. School, Providence also operates Classical High School (1,116 students), Central High School (1,050 students), and Mount Pleasant High (997 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.