District Spotlight
Pawtucket's High Schools: 1 in 2 Students Chronically Absent
Half of Pawtucket's high schoolers are chronically absent — the rate is still rising while the rest of Rhode Island improves. Tolman High hit 59%.
Rhode Island Education News & Data
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Graduation Rate
Central Falls' Graduation Rate Has Collapsed 22 Points Since 2015
After 33 years of state control, Central Falls' graduation rate peaked at 81.2% in 2015 and has fallen to 58.7% — with a dropout rate of 25.2%.
Absence
One in Four Rhode Island Students Is Chronically Absent — Down from One in Three
Rhode Island's chronic absenteeism fell from 34.1% to 24.8%, but 33,061 students still miss 10%+ of school. Middle schools are recovering slowest.
Equity
Less Than Half of Rhode Island's Foster Youth Graduate High School
Rhode Island's foster youth graduated at just 42.7% in 2024, a new low and an 8.7-point drop from the prior year. A 17-member legislative commission is studying the problem.
District Spotlight
Middletown's 23-Point Drop: The Quiet Turnaround Nobody's Talking About
Middletown cut chronic absenteeism from 42.7% to 19.9% in three years — the largest improvement among mid-size RI districts, without state intervention.
Graduation Rate
Rhode Island's Graduation Rate Has Been Stuck at 84% for Seven Years
After climbing 8 points from 2010 to 2017, Rhode Island's 4-year graduation rate has flatlined between 83.4% and 84.1% — unable to crack 85% while the national average sits at 87%.
Absence
Middle School Is Stuck: 7.3 Points Above Pre-COVID, Slowest Recovery of Any Grade Band
Rhode Island's middle school chronic absenteeism has recovered only 53% from peak — the slowest of any grade level, with 1 in 4 students chronically absent.
Absence
Four Gateway Cities, Four Different Trajectories: Providence Recovers While Pawtucket Stalls
RI's four gateway cities all exceeded 33% chronic absenteeism in 2022. Providence and Central Falls recovered dramatically; Pawtucket and Woonsocket barely moved.
District Spotlight
Barrington's 7.6%: How Rhode Island's Wealthiest Suburb Keeps Chronic Absence in Single Digits
Barrington has maintained the lowest chronic absenteeism rate among large RI districts for 13 years, never exceeding 10% — even during the COVID peak.
Enrollment
None of Rhode Island’s six largest districts has recovered enrollment
Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket, Warwick, Woonsocket, and East Providence all remain below pre-pandemic enrollment, a combined loss of 7,589 students.
Enrollment
Rhode Island has posted six straight years of enrollment decline
RI public schools have lost students every year since 2019-20. The six-year streak erased 9,728 students and shows no sign of ending.
District Spotlight
Portsmouth and South Kingstown each logged 15 straight years of decline
Portsmouth and South Kingstown each posted 15 consecutive years of enrollment decline, losing a combined 2,002 students since 2010-11.
Special Populations
About one in six Rhode Island students is an English learner
English learners now make up 15.2% of Rhode Island enrollment, up from 5.9% in 2011-12, even as growth nearly stopped in 2025-26.
Special Populations
Rhode Island nears one-in-five students in special education
Rhode Island's special-education share hit 19.2% in 2025-26, nearing one in five students, as the state added 3,328 students to the rolls since 2020-21.
Demographics
Hispanic students now account for nearly one-third of Rhode Island enrollment
Hispanic enrollment in Rhode Island climbed to 42,974 students in 2025-26, reaching 32.1% of the student body after 14 years of nearly unbroken growth.
