On the eve of school openings across Rhode Island, U.S. News and World Report has released its annual rankings of high schools, with Portsmouth rated fourth best in Rhode Island, Tiverton 20th, and Middletown and Rogers in Newport, ranked 31st and 32nd of the 58 high schools in the rankings.
Portsmouth only trailed Classical High School in Providence, East Greenwich, and Barrington High Schools.
Schools were compared in several areas, from graduation rates to test scores.
The magazine ranks schools across the country, nearly 18,000. Portsmouth was nationally ranked 5,140, Tiverton was ranked 11,648, Middletown was ranked 13,234, and Rogers was ranked 13, 261.
These are challenging times for schools. Curriculum is being questioned and there are teacher shortages nationwide.
In Rhode Island, and likely elsewhere, school districts, including Newport, are struggling to cope with rising construction costs. In Newport, officials have been forced to modify plans for building a new Rogers High School. The same concerns have been raised in cities like Warwick and Pawtucket.
Meanwhile, voters in Middletown will vote in November on a nearly $200 million bond issue to build a combined high and middle school.
Here’s what U.S. News and World Report says about the local schools:
Portsmouth
- Rhode Island ranking – 4
- U.S. ranking –5,140
- Graduation rate – 95 percent.
- Student-teacher ratio – 12:1.
- Total minority enrollment – 12 percent.
- Economically disadvantaged students – 7 percent.
- Mathematic proficiency – 59 percent.
- Reading proficiency – 74 percent.
- Science proficiency – 74 percent.
Tiverton
- Rhode Island ranking – 20
- U.S. ranking – 11,648
- Graduation rate – 91 percent.
- Student-teacher ratio – 11:1.
- Total minority enrollment – 9 percent.
- Economically disadvantaged students – 15 percent.
- Mathematic proficiency – 35 percent.
- Reading proficiency – 55 percent.
- Science proficiency – 38 percent.
Middletown
- Rhode Island ranking – 31
- U.S. ranking –13,234
- Graduation rate – 83 percent.
- Student-teacher ratio – 12:1.
- Total minority enrollment – 32 percent.
- Economically disadvantaged students –29 percent.
- Mathematic proficiency – 35 percent.
- Reading proficiency – 57 percent.
- Science proficiency – 41 percent.
Rogers (Newport) High School
- Rhode Island ranking – 32
- U.S. ranking – 13,261
- Graduation rate – 83 percent.
- Student-teacher ratio – 11:1.
- Total minority enrollment – 63 percent.
- Economically disadvantaged students –60 percent.
- Mathematic proficiency – 16 percent.
- Reading proficiency – 34 percent.
- Science proficiency – 24 percent.
