Rhode Island · NCES F-33 finance data

School Funding Equity in Rhode Island

53 districts ranked by how equitably school funding is distributed, scored from NCES F-33 school finance data covering districts in all 50 states.

51
State avg score
49
National avg score
53
Districts ranked

The equity picture in one line

Newport ranks first in Rhode Island for funding equity at 86/100, in a state whose districts average 51 against a national average of 49.

86/100
top score (Newport)
$24,290
per-pupil spending in the top district
8
districts scoring 70 or higher
5
districts below 30
# District Score
1 Newport 86
2 Paul Cuffee Charter Sch 84
3 Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts 83
4 Highlander 77
5 Davies Career and Tech 73
6 Little Compton 72
7 Westerly 71
8 Village Green Virtual 70
9 Providence 68
10 Narragansett 68
11 Learning Community 68
12 Central Falls 67
13 Met Career and Tech 64
14 Jamestown 63
15 Woonsocket 62
16 Warwick 61
17 Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College 61
18 Blackstone Academy 59
19 Foster 58
20 West Warwick 56
21 Middletown 56
22 Glocester 54
23 Segue Institute for Learning 54
24 Pawtucket 53
25 Johnston 53
26 Scituate 53
27 Coventry 52
28 Blackstone Valley Prep a Ri Mayoral Academy 52
29 Foster-Glocester 52
30 East Providence 51
31 Bristol Warren 50
32 Tiverton 48
33 South Kingstown 47
34 North Providence 45
35 Chariho 45
36 International Charter 44
37 Burrillville 43
38 Exeter-West Greenwich 41
39 The Hope Academy 40
40 North Kingstown 37
41 Cranston 36
42 Achievement First Rhode Island 36
43 Portsmouth 36
44 North Smithfield 33
45 Beacon Charter School 33
46 Smithfield 32
47 The Compass School 32
48 Lincoln 30
49 East Greenwich 23
50 Rise Prep Mayoral Academy 23
51 Cumberland 18
52 Kingston Hill Academy 17
53 Barrington 15

How the Equity Score Works

The equity score (0-100) evaluates four dimensions of school funding fairness. According to the National Center for Education Statistics F-33 Finance Survey (FY 2021-22, released in 2024), which covers more than 17,000 districts nationwide, local property wealth drives most of the spending differences the score captures; our methodology documents each weight:

Per-Pupil Spending (0-25)
Higher spending relative to peers
Need-Adjusted Spending (0-25)
Spending weighted by poverty level, rewards districts that spend more where need is greatest
Funding Diversity (0-25)
Less reliance on local property taxes, more state/federal support
Resource Access (0-25)
Lower student-teacher ratios = more individualized attention