RI Schools: 100 Best According To Niche.Com

BARRINGTON, RI — The Niche.com annual list of 100 top schools always fuels a little controversy, but this 2018 compilation is somewhat different than the list a year ago. Although the top three schools were unchanged and many familiar names again made the list of A+ schools, this year more private schools were at the top, and not so many public and parochial schools. The website also has created lists for the best private, public and parochial schools.

Niche.com graded tougher in 2018. Rhode Island had 11 schools rated A+ in 2017 but only 10 in 2018. The straight A schools also lost ground. In 2017, 35 schools rated an A. But in 2018, only 17 schools made the grade. Similarly, the number of A- schools declined from 27 in 2017 to 20 in 2018.

Here are the 2018 rankings.

From 1 to 10, the schools were graded A+. Then from 11 to 28, the grade was a straight A; the A- schools are ranked from 29 to 49: the 50th best school earned a B+, which was the lowest grade any of the 2017 top 100 schools earned. But some in the 2018 top 100 scored lower. This year's lowest grade was a B for the top 100.

The rankings were compiled by niche.com, and the site claims to combine data analysis with people's reviews. What do you think about their rankings?

A+ Schools

12. Blackstone Valley Prep, Public, K-4, Cumberland, A (Dropped from 10th)

13.Kingstown Hill Academy, Public, K-5, Saunderstown, A (Move up from 21st)

14. Barrington Middle School, Public, 4-6, Barrington, A (Dropped from 7th)

15. Nayatt School, PK, Public, K-3, Barrington, A (Dropped from 8th)

16. Primrose Hill School, Public, PK, K-3, Barrington, A (Dropped from 9th)

17. West Kingston School, Public, K-4, South Kingstown, A (Dropped from 15th)

18. Hampden Meadows School, Public, 4-5, Barrington, A (Dropped from 12th)

19. Meadowbrook Farms School, Public, PK, K-2, Barrington, A (Dropped from 16th)

20. LaSalle Academy, Public, 7-12, Providence, A (Moved up from 97th)

21. Wakefield School, Public, K-4, South Kingstown, A (Dropped from 19th)

22. Archie R. Cole Middle School, Public, 6-8, East Greenwich, A (Dropped from 13th)

23. Bishop Hendricken, Private, 8-12, Warwick, A (Not listed in 2017)

24. Peace Dale School, Public, K-4, South Kingstown, A (Dropped from 20th)

25. The Compass School, Public, K-8, Kingston, A (Moved up from 34th)

25. Matunuck Elementary School, Public, K-4, South Kingstown, A (Dropped from 23rd)

26. Frenchtown School, Public, K-2, East Greenwich, A (Dropped from 17th)

27. Portsmouth High School, Public, 9-12, Portsmouth, A (Moved up from 31st)

28. Sowams Elementary, Public, K-3, Barrington, A (Dropped from 11th)

A-Minus Schools

29. Melville School, Public, PK, K-3, Portsmouth, A- (Moved up from 30th)

30. Mount St, Charles Academy, Private, 7-12, Woonsocket, A- (Not listed in 2017)

31. Wilbur & McMahon Schools, Public, K-8, Little Compton, A- (Moved up from 36th)

32. Jamestown Lawn School, Public, 5-8, Jamestown, A- (Dropped from 25th)

33. James H. Eldredge Elementary, Public, 3-5, East Greenwich, A- (Dropped from 28th)

34. Lincoln Central Elementary School, Public, K-5, Lincoln, A- (Moved up from 44th)

35. Narragansett Elementary School, Public, PK, K-4, Narragansett, A- (Moved up from 50th)

36. Fishing Cove Elementary School, Public, PK, K-5, North Kingstown, A- (Moved up from 38th)

37. South Kingstown High, Public, 9-12, South Kingstown, A- (Moved up from 65th)

38. Fogarty Memorial, Public, K-5, Glocester, A- (Dropped from 27th)

39. Narragansett High, Public, 9-12, Narragansett, A- (Moved up from 75th)

40. Hamilton School, Public, K-5, North Kingstown, A- (Moved up from 45th)

41. Community School, Public, K-5, Cumberland, A- (Moved up from 72nd)

42. Exeter-West Greenwich Regional, Public, 9-12, A- (Moved up from 43rd)

43. Jamestown Melrose School, Public, PK, K-4, Jamestown, A- (Dropped from 37th)

44. Hathaway Elementary School, Public, K-3, Portsmouth, A- (Dropped from 41st)

45. Wickford Middle School, Public, 6-8, North Kingstown, A- (Moved up from 47th)

46. The Prout School, Private, 9-12, South Kingstown, A- (Not listed)

47. Rockwell School, Public, K-5, Bristol-Warren, A- (Moved up from 79th)

48. North Kingstown High, Public, 9-12, A- (Moved up from 61st)

49. Narragansett Pier School, Public, 5-8, A- (Moved up from 57th)

B-Plus Schools

50. Northern Lincoln Elementary School, Public, PK, K-5

51. Brown Avenue School, Public, 1-5, Johnston

52. St. Mary Bay View, Private, PK, K-12, East Providence

53. Broad Rock Middle School, Public, 5-6, South Kingstown

54. Clayville School, Public, PK, K-5, Scituate

55. Savlesville Elementary School, Public, K-5, Lincoln

56. Blackstone Academy Charter School, Public, 9-12, Pawtucket

57. Exeter-West Greenwich Regional, Public, 7-8

58. George Hanaford School, Public, 3-5, East Greenwich

59. Curtis Corner Middle School, Public, 7-8, South Kingstown

60. Davisville Middle School, Public, 7-8, North Kingstown

61. Block Island School, Public, K-12, New Shoreham

62. St. Raphael Academy, Private, 9-12, Pawtucket

63. Portsmouth Middle School, Public, 4-8

64. Stony Lane Elementary, Public, 4-8, North Kingstown

65. Charlestown Elementary, Public, K-4, Chariho

66. Lincoln Senior High, Public, 9-12, Lincoln

67. Raymond C. LaPerche, Public, K-5, Smithfield

68. Ashton School, Public, K-5, Cumberland

69. Aquidneck School, Public, PK, K-3, Middletown

70. Richmond Elementary, Public, PK, K-4, Chariho

71. John J. McLaughlin Cumberland Hill School, Public, K-5

72. Blackstone Valley Prep, Public, 5-8, Lincoln

73. Lonsdale Elementary, Public, K-5, Lincoln

74. Woodridge School, Public, K-5, Cranston

75. Ashaway Elementary School, Public, K-4, Chariho (Dropped from 86th)
76. Forest Park Elementary School, Public, K-5, North Kingstown (Dropped from 58th)
77. Beacon Charter School, Public, 9-12, Woonsocket (Not listed)
78. Hope School, Public, K-5, Scituate, (Moved up from 88th)
79. Anna McCabe Elementary, PK, K-5, Smithfield (Moved up from 92nd)
80. North Providence High, Public, 9-12 (Not listed)
81. Orchard Farms Elementary, Public, PK, K-6, Cranston (Not listed)

B Schools
82. School One, Private, 9-12, Providence (Not listed)
83. Edward S. Rhodes School, K-6, Cranston (Not listed)
84. Cranston High East, Public, 9-12 (Not listed)
85. Stone Hill School, Public, K-6, Cranston (Not listed)
86. Fort Barton School, Public, PK, K-4, Tiverton (Not listed)
87. Hope Valley Elementary, Public, PK, K-4, Chariho (Not listed)
88. Ranger School, Public, K-4, Tiverton (Not listed)
89. Jacqueline M. Walsh School For Performing and Visual Arts, Public, 9-12, Pawtucket
90. William Winsor School, Public, K-5, Smithfield (Moved up from 93rd)
91. North Smithfield High, Public, 9-12 (Dropped from 90th)
92. Guiteras Elementary, Public, K-5, Bristol-Warren (Not listed)
93. Lincoln Middle School, Public, 6-8, Lincoln (Dropped from 66th)
94. Chariho Regional Middle School, Public, 5-8, Charlestown, Richmond, & Hopkinton (Dropped from 81st)
95. Suzanne M. Henseler Quidnesset, Public, K-5, North Kingstown (Dropped from 60th)
96. Forest Avenue School, Public, K-3, Middletown (Dropped from 83rd)
97. Westerly High, Public, 9-12, Westerly (Moved up from 98th)
98. State Street School, Public, K-4, Westerly (Dropped from 87th)
99. Middletown High, Public, 9-12 (Not listed)
100. Dr. Halliwell School, Public, 3-5, North Smithfield (Dropped from 91st)

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