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Paul Cuffee Lower School

Public, Charter Grades K-5

131^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 163 Rhode Island Elementary Schools

Better than 20% of Rhode Island elementary schools

Summary

Paul Cuffee Lower School is a K–5 school with 358 students in Providence, where the nearby comparison group includes public and charter elementary schools. In 2025–26, students were proficient at rates of 19% in English language arts (ELA), 20% in math, and 13% in science; all three results were below state levels. Math was slightly above the Providence district result, while ELA and science were below it. The clearest concern is science: only one of eight nearby schools with results scored lower, and the nearby average was 6 points higher.

Math is the school’s strongest subject in comparison with its district and peers, though it still trails the state: it was 1 point above the district and 12 points below the state, and 3 points below the nearby-school average. ELA was 1 point below the district, 14 below the state, and 3 below nearby schools on average. Results also show a sharp ELA drop after third grade: proficiency went from 30% in grade 3 to 15% in grade 4 and 13% in grade 5. The grade 5 result was the second-lowest among nine nearby schools with data. Math was steadier across grades, at about 20%, but remained below state results in each grade.

Math has improved each year, rising 8 percentage points from 12% in 2022–23 to 20% in 2025–26; ELA and science each rose less than 1 point overall and fluctuated. SchoolDigger’s statewide ranking also improved, from the 8th percentile in 2023–24 to the 20th in 2025–26, but the school remains 131st of 163 schools, with 1 star. Its student-teacher ratio of 12.7 was the second-lowest among nearby schools with reported figures. Its free/reduced-lunch rate was 86%, compared with an 83% nearby-school average; these figures describe context, not a cause of results. SchoolDigger’s subgroup standing for African American students was notably higher: the 2025–26 percentile was 70, compared with 20 overall, a 50-point difference. For special education students, its latest available subgroup percentile was 1 in 2024–25, compared with 16 overall that year, a 15-point difference in the other direction.

358

Students ?

12.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

86.3%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

≥ 95%

Kindergartners with all required vaccines (2025-26)

459 Promenade Street
Providence, RI 02908

(401) 453-2626

District: Paul Cuffee Charter School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

69.8%

African American:

18.2%

Two or more races:

4.2%

See top rated Rhode Island elementary schools

Compare Paul Cuffee Lower School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 21st percentile in 2019 → 20th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Rhode Island average (19% vs 32% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (20th percentile)

!Science scores 18 pts below the Rhode Island average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school19%

District avg19%

Rhode Island avg32%

131^st of 163

Rhode Island public elementary schools ?

Bottom 20%▼ down 2 pts since 2019

See the entire ranking list of Rhode Island Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

49^th of 61Paul Cuffee Charter School among Rhode Island districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	18.9	131 of 163	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	17.8	140 of 166	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.8	153 of 166	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.8	150 of 167	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.4	122 of 166	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.8	128 of 166	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.6	133 of 169	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	58.1	13 of 43	69.8%	★★★★☆
2025	52.9	19 of 46	58.7%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	31.3	35 of 51	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.2	36 of 58	37.9%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	20.5	131 of 162	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.4	134 of 164	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	31.1	82 of 112	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	31.5	81 of 111	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	23.5	126 of 154	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.8	122 of 158	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	18.4	140 of 162	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.1	149 of 166	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2025	16.8	96 of 97	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2026)70th percentile+50 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)31st percentile+12 vs school

Hispanic (2026)27th percentile+7 vs school

Female (2026)19th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)18th percentile~ school

Male (2026)14th percentile-6 vs school

Special Education (2025)1st percentile-15 vs school

By subject vs Rhode Island (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics20%-12 vs state

English Language Arts19%-14 vs state

Science13%-18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Paul Cuffee Lower School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NGSA Science (2026)		RICAS English Language Arts (2026)					RICAS Mathematics (2026)					Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSA Science 5th Grade	NGSA Science All Grades	RICAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	RICAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts All Grades	RICAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	RICAS Mathematics 4th Grade	RICAS Mathematics 5th Grade	RICAS Mathematics 6th Grade	RICAS Mathematics All Grades	Vaccination: Kindergartners with all required vaccines	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Paul Cuffee Lower School	Public, Charter	K-5	459 Promenade Street	Providence	02908	Providence County	Paul Cuffee Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 453-2626	358	28	12.7	86.3%	14 (3.9%)	65 (18.2%)	250 (69.8%)	6 (1.7%)	6 (1.7%)	2 (0.6%)	15 (4.2%)	18.9	131^st of 163 public elementary schools	19.6%		17.8	140^th of 166 public elementary schools	15.7%	9	12.7	12.7	30.2	14.8	12.9		19.4	20.6	19.7	19.4		19.9	≥ 95%
Harry Kizirian Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	110 Paul Street	Providence	02904	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9369	434	26	16.6	89.4%	38 (8.8%)	87 (20.0%)	248 (57.1%)	21 (4.8%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (7.8%)	14.4	147^th of 163 public elementary schools	9.8%		10.2	159^th of 166 public elementary schools	4.2%	12	14.7	14.7	21.2	12.2	16.2	10.7	14.7	19.7	16.7	10.3	11.9	14.5	95%		$17,153	$1,284	$15,868
Times2 Elementary School	Public, Charter	K-5	50 Fillmore Street	Providence	02908	Providence County	Providence	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 272-5094	322	29	11.1	85.4%	27 (8.4%)	78 (24.2%)	196 (60.9%)	9 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.4%)	21.7	125^th of 163 public elementary schools	23.3%		32.4	107^th of 166 public elementary schools	35.5%	18	16.1	16.1	29.3	21.4	477.0		18.3	22.8	23.2	10.5		18.8
Asa Messer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	99 Kenyon Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9401	557	31	17.9	84.0%	38 (6.8%)	76 (13.6%)	391 (70.2%)	27 (4.8%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.4%)	25.2	119^th of 163 public elementary schools	27.0%		26.8	123^rd of 166 public elementary schools	25.9%	4			28.9	22.7			25.8	19.8	23.3			21.6			$18,312	$1,203	$17,109
William D'Abate Elementary School	Public	K-5	60 Kossuth Street	Providence	02909	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9416	398	23	17.3	88.7%	21 (5.3%)	38 (9.5%)	313 (78.6%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (1.0%)	15 (3.8%)	16.9	139^th of 163 public elementary schools	14.7%		18.1	138^th of 166 public elementary schools	16.9%	1	9.6	9.6	24.7	10.0	13.9		16.3	24.0	20.0	17.8		20.6	≥ 95%		$17,466	$1,907	$15,559
George J. West Elementary School	Public	K-5	145 Beaufort Street	Providence	02908	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9337	502	39	12.8	93.4%	35 (7.0%)	79 (15.7%)	345 (68.7%)	4 (0.8%)	5 (1.0%)	2 (0.4%)	32 (6.4%)	25.3	118^th of 163 public elementary schools	27.6%		22.6	131^st of 166 public elementary schools	21.1%	13	18.3	18.3	28.2	20.0	22.0		23.0	27.8	21.9	22.6		23.8	90.8%		$20,315	$1,395	$18,920
Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School	Public	K-5	480 Charles Street	Providence	02904	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9403	451	23	19.6	69.4%	68 (15.1%)	77 (17.1%)	259 (57.4%)	11 (2.4%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (6.7%)	46.2	81^st of 163 public elementary schools	50.3%		44.6	87^th of 166 public elementary schools	47.6%	6	23.8	23.8	37.5	33.8	28.6		33.5	32.4	49.2	25.4		35.6	84.2%		$15,885	$2,096	$13,790
Martin Luther King Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	35 Camp Street	Providence	02906	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9398	430	25	17.2	76.5%	74 (17.2%)	81 (18.8%)	214 (49.8%)	24 (5.6%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (5.8%)	46.2	80^th of 163 public elementary schools	50.9%		33.5	104^th of 166 public elementary schools	37.3%	24	31.9	31.9	49.0	12.5	31.9		31.3	42.9	16.7	40.4		33.3	≥ 95%		$21,702	$2,199	$19,503
SouthSide Elementary Charter	Public, Charter	K-5	135 Prairie Ave	Providence	02905	Providence County	SouthSide Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 270-9007	135	10	13.5	80.7%	4 (3.0%)	43 (31.9%)	82 (60.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.4%)	19.6	127^th of 163 public elementary schools	22.1%		29.6	116^th of 166 public elementary schools	30.1%	11	16.7	16.7	12.0	24.0	22.2		19.1	12.0	29.2	6.3		16.9	87%		$14,487	$1,375	$13,113
Veazie Street School	Public	PK, KG-5	211 Veazie Street	Providence	02904	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 453-8601	440	29	15.1	84.8%	39 (8.9%)	100 (22.7%)	267 (60.7%)	3 (0.7%)	4 (0.9%)	2 (0.5%)	24 (5.5%)	24.7	121^st of 163 public elementary schools	25.8%		27.5	121^st of 166 public elementary schools	27.1%		21.8	21.8	17.0	23.2	18.9		20.1	22.4	21.7	27.8		23.8	87%		$19,442	$523	$18,919

Frequently Asked Questions about Paul Cuffee Lower School

Is Paul Cuffee Lower School a good school?

Paul Cuffee Lower School ranks in the bottom 19.6% of Rhode Island elementary schools.

What district is Paul Cuffee Lower School in?

Paul Cuffee Charter School

What is the racial makeup of Paul Cuffee Lower School?

Students at Paul Cuffee Lower School are 70% Hispanic, 18% African American, 4% Two or more races, 4% White, 2% Asian, 2% American Indian.

How many students attend Paul Cuffee Lower School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 358 students attended Paul Cuffee Lower School.

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Latest Rhode Island data All new data »

2025–26 immunization ratesNewOct 20, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataOct 9, 2026

2016–17 through 2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 9, 2026

2025–26 NGSA, PSAT10, RICAS & SAT test scoresOct 9, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Rhode Island Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.