These Are The Best Elementary, Middle Schools In RI, New Ranking Says

RHODE ISLAND — New education rankings from U.S. News & World Report aim to give Rhode Island parents a snapshot of how their child's school compares to others, compiling a list of the best K-8 schools in the state.

The news outlet based its 2024 Best Elementary and Middle School rankings on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education, focusing on student proficiency in core subject areas.

In Rhode Island, the top 10 elementary schools are:

1. Community School, Cumberland
2. Nayatt School, Barrington
3. Fort Barton School, Tiverton
4. Sowams Elementary School, Barrington
5. Forest Park Elementary School, North Kingstown
6. Jamestown School-Melrose, Jamestown
7. Hamilton Elementary School, North Kingstown
8. Kingston Hill Academy, Saunderstown
9. James H. Eldredge School, East Greenwich
10. Raymond C. LaPerche Elementary School, Smithfield

The top 10 middle schools in Rhode Island are:

1. Barrington Middle School
2. Wickford Middle School, North Kingstown
3. Jamestown School-Lawn, Jamestown
4. North Cumberland Middle School, Cumberland
5. Lincoln Middle School
6. North Smithfield Middle School
7. Davisville Middle School, North Kingstown
8. Archie R. Cole Middle School, East Greenwich
9. Portsmouth Middle School
10. Blackstone Valley Prep Junior High School, Central Falls.

The U.S. News list includes data on more than 79,000 public elementary and middle schools nationwide.

In the analysis, U.S. News looked closely at state assessments of students who were proficient or above-proficient in mathematics and reading/language arts, while also accounting for student backgrounds, achievement in core subjects, and how well schools are educating their students. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in the overall score.

LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News, said the state and district-level rankings are intended to give parents a snapshot of their child’s school and how well it’s doing within its community.

“Easily accessible data on student-teacher ratio, district spending, and the number of school counselors available at the school can keep parents informed and involved,” Jones said.

To be included in district-level rankings, at least two of the top performing schools must rank in the top 75 percent of the overall elementary or middle school rankings to qualify for district-level recognition.

Related article:

• These Are The Top 25 Public High Schools In RI, New Ranking Says.

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