Although there are no apple-to-apple comparisons, there are three school choices for our youth attending pre-kindergarten to grade 12: public schools, charter schools and private schools.
The Providence Public School District (PPSD) serves approximately 19,403 Providence students who attend 37 public schools. The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) administer 14 charter public schools located in Providence plus 11 others outside the city that enroll students from Providence. And independent entities oversee 45 private schools that serve 7,560 Providence and statewide students from PK-12.
This PVD Eye Counts focuses on our private schools which serve students living in Providence but also from throughout the state; they charge tuition, although a large percentage offer substantial scholarships; they usually have a dedicated school bus; some require wearing uniforms; and they generally include after-class activities such as arts, athletics and community service.
Here are some other facts about private schools in Providence:
21% – of all K-12 students in Providence are educated in private schools (RI average is 14%)
32% – of private schools in Providence are religiously affiliated
#1 – ranking awarded by NICHE to The Wheeler School on Hope St. in the ‘2025 Best Private K-12 Schools in the Providence Area’ listing based on academics/test scores. The school educates 813 students from 79 cities and towns.
1,288 – high school students plus 172 middle school students are enrolled at La Salle Academy on Academy Ave. which has a 12:1 student/teacher ratio. Founded in 1871, it is the oldest Catholic school in RI.
88% – of the 140 students in grades 4-8 at Community Preparatory School on Somerset St. receive substantial financial aid
16 – students are in each grade at the San Miguel School on Branch Ave. which serves boys in grades 5-8
1 – Lincoln School on Butler Ave. is the only girls’ school based on Quaker values of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship (SPICES) in the United States.
65 – unique courses are offered to students in grades 9-12 at St. Patrick Academy on Smith St.
50% – of the graduates of the Jewish Community Day School on Taft Ave., which serves students PK-5, enroll in private middle schools and 50% attend public middle schools
1,000 – hours of community service are contributed by students in grades 9-12 of School One on University Ave. each year
33 – acres comprise the Moses Brown School campus on Lloyd Ave. It was formerly the farm of 18th-century Quaker abolitionist leader Moses Brown. In one of the buildings is a 5,000-square-foot Y-Lab makerspace, a place to test students’ ideas and bring abstract concepts to life.
Sources:
https://www.privateschoolreview.com/rhode-island/providence
https://www.providenceschools.org/Page/1
https://ride.ri.gov/students-families/ri-public-schools/charter-schools
websites of each private school
Nini Stoddard is a proud Providence resident. After living abroad as the child of a US diplomat, she returned to the United States to attend college. She lived in Connecticut and enjoyed working as a librarian, as a director of a regional non-profit, and as a prospect researcher. Nini moved to Providence in 2006 to work at Brown University as a senior prospect researcher. Now retired, she loves local history and volunteering.
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