Portsmouth School District

29 Middle Road
Portsmouth, RI 02871
(District boundaries shown in map)
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

Portsmouth School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Rhode Island for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 3 public elementary schools serving 1,329 students in Portsmouth School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public elementary schools in Rhode Island.
Public Elementary Schools in Portsmouth School District have an average math proficiency score of 52% (versus the Rhode Island public elementary school average of 30%), and reading proficiency score of 49% (versus the 32% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 20% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Rhode Island public elementary school average of 50% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (RI)
# Schools
4 Schools
231 Schools
# Students
2,114 Students
89,332 Students
# Teachers
176 Teachers
6,795 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Portsmouth School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 62 school districts in Rhode Island (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 96% has increased from 95% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (RI)
#10 out of 62 school districts
(Top 20%)
51%
29%
53%
33%
56%
31%
96%
83%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.34
0.65
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
2%
3%
% Hispanic
9%
31%
% Black
2%
9%
% White
81%
50%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $21,351 in this school district is less than the state median of $22,389. The school district revenue/student has grown by 16% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $21,598 is less than the state median of $21,601. The school district spending/student has grown by 17% over four school years.
This School District
This State (RI)
Total Revenue
$45 MM
$2,998 MM
Spending
$46 MM
$2,892 MM
Revenue / Student
$21,351
$22,389
Spending / Student
$21,598
$21,601

Best Portsmouth School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #1 - 21. - 2.
Howard Hathaway School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
53 Tallman Avenue
Portsmouth, RI 02871
(401) 683-0500
Gr: K-4 | 409 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Rank: #1 - 21. - 2.
Melville School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
1351 West Main Road
Portsmouth, RI 02871
(401) 683-1650
Gr: PK-4 | 316 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #33.
Portsmouth Middle School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
125 Jepson Lane
Portsmouth, RI 02871
(401) 849-3700
Gr: 5-8 | 604 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 18%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 4 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 2,114 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 19%
  • : 96% (Top 5% in RI)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 51% (Top 20%)
  • : 53% (Top 20%)
  • : 56% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), RI Dept. of Education

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