Portsmouth

Portsmouth High School was recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as among the best high schools in Rhode Island and the best in the Newport area.

U.S. News & World Report recently released its statewide rankings (for 58 schools) and national rankings (for 18,000 schools).

Topping Rhode Island was Classical High School in Providence, followed by Barrington, East Greenwich, Portsmouth, and Blackstone Valley Prep High School.

Among other area schools, Middletown ranked 14th, Tiverton ranked 17th, and Rogers High School in Newport ranked 24th.

Nationally, Classical ranked 166th of 18,000 schools, Barrington ranked 211 nationally, East Greenwich ranked 825th nationally, Portsmouth ranked 848th nationally, and Blackstone Prep ranked 950th nationally.

National rankings for the other Newport area schools: Middletown, 3,273; Tiverton, 3,976; and Rogers, 6,069.

U.S. News & World Report developed its rankings by measuring six different proficiencies: 

  • College Readiness Index, which measures the “proportion of a school’s 12th graders who took and earned a qualifying score on Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.”
  • College Curriculum Breadth Index, “calculated among a school’s 2022-2023 12th graders from the percentage who took, and the percentage who earned qualifying scores on multiple AP or IB exams.”
  • State Assessment Proficiency, which measures student proficiency in standardized tests related to math, reading and science.
  • State Assessment Performance. Also derived by measuring student proficiency in math, reading and science, but compared with “what U.S. News predicted for a school with its demographic characteristics in its state.”
  • Underserved Student Performance a measure that assesses learning outcomes only among Black, Hispanic, and low-income students.
  • Graduation Rates among students who entered the ninth grade in 2019-2020 academic year, and who graduated four years later.

Here is how each of the Newport area schools ranked in each of the six categories:

  • Portsmouth ranked fourth statewide, 848th nationally.
    • College readiness – 63 percent.
    • College Curriculum Breadth – 49 percent.
    • Math Proficiency – 44 percent.
    • Reading Proficiency – 71 percent.
    • Science Proficiency – 70 percent.
    • Graduation Rate – 96 percent. 
  • Middletown ranked 14th statewide, 3,273 nationally.
    • College readiness – 48 percent.
    • College Curriculum Breadth – 30 percent.
    • Math Proficiency – 32 percent.
    • Reading Proficiency – 66 percent.
    • Science Proficiency – 32 percent.
    • Graduation Rate – 91 percent. 
  • Tiverton ranked 17th statewide, 3,976 nationally.
    • College readiness – 44 percent.
    • College Curriculum Breadth – 32 percent.
    • Math Proficiency – 27 percent.
    • Reading Proficiency – 54 percent.
    • Science Proficiency – 47 percent.
    • Graduation Rate – 98 percent. 
  • Rogers ranked 24th statewide, 6,069 nationally.
    • College readiness – 34 percent.
    • College Curriculum Breadth – 15 percent.
    • Math Proficiency – 16 percent.
    • Reading Proficiency – 44 percent.
    • Science Proficiency – 20 percent.
    • Graduation Rate – 85 percent. 

To view the entire Rhode Island lists go to the U.S. News & World Report website: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/rhode-island/rankings

Frank Prosnitz brings to WhatsUpNewp several years in journalism, including 10 as editor of the Providence (RI) Business News and 14 years as a reporter and bureau manager at the Providence (RI) Journal. Prosnitz began his journalism career as a sportswriter at the Asbury Park (NJ) Press, moving to The News Tribune (Woodbridge, NJ), before joining the Providence Journal. Prosnitz hosts the Morning Show on WLBQ radio (Westerly), 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday, and It’s Your Business, also on WBLQ, Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Prosnitz has twice won Best in Business Awards from the national Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW), twice was named Media Advocate of the Year by the Small Business Administration, won an investigative reporter’s award from the New England Press Association, and newswriting award from the Rhode Island Press Association.