Leadership
District profile / Rhode Island
Providence
20,250
Students
2024-25 school year
37
Schools
2024-25 school year
$20,086
Spending per student
FY2020-21 · 12% above the Rhode Island median
14.9
Students per teacher
2024-25 · Rhode Island median 12.6
Providence is a public school district based in Providence, Rhode Island, serving 20,250 students in 37 schools. By enrollment it ranks #1 of the 30 Rhode Island districts with 1,000 or more students, making it the largest in the state. Its schools average 547 students each, more than the Rhode Island median of 449. It spends about $20,086 per student on day-to-day operations, 12% more than the Rhode Island median. It has roughly 14.9 students per teacher. We've matched 2 news stories to the district.
How Providence compares
ProvidenceRhode Island median, districts with 1,000+ students
Spending and staffing
Where the money comes from$555.9 million in revenue · FY2020-21
Federal 16%State 58%Local 26%
| Measure | Providence | Rhode Island median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $20,086 | $17,860 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $10,321 | $10,926 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $530.5 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $555.9 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 1,359 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 2,904 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 14.9 | 12.6 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 316 | 379 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The Rhode Island median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
In the news
2 stories matchedPolicy & legislation
What the Data Says About Rhode Island’s 7-year Takeover of Providence Schools
Peer districts in Rhode Island
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProvidenceProvidence · this district | 20,250 | 37 | $20,086 | 14.9 | #1 |
| CranstonCranston | 10,037 | 23 | $16,217 | 12.6 | #2 |
| WarwickWarwick | 7,853 | 19 | $21,570 | 11.6 | #3 |
| PawtucketPawtucket | 7,816 | 16 | $15,090 | 13.5 | #4 |
| WoonsocketWoonsocket | 5,541 | 10 | $15,418 | 13.4 | #5 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield-Suisun UnifiedFairfield, CA | 20,359 | $11,661 | 24.1 |
| Bellevue School DistrictBellevue, WA | 20,339 | $16,590 | 17.8 |
| Cache DistrictLogan, UT | 20,286 | $8,710 | 23.1 |
| Laredo ISDLaredo, TX | 20,271 | $11,360 | 14.2 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-ri-providence