Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Paul Cuffee Upper School

Public, Charter Grades 9-12

44^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 58 Rhode Island High Schools

Better than 24% of Rhode Island high schools

Summary

Paul Cuffee Upper School is a Providence high school serving 243 students in grades 9–12; the nearby schools span a wide range of SchoolDigger standings, from the 2nd to the 95th percentile. The clearest strength is graduation: in 2024–2025, 94% of students graduated, about 8 percentage points above Rhode Island and 3 points above the school’s district.

Math is the school’s strongest subject compared with nearby schools, though its results remain below state levels: 11th-grade SAT math proficiency was 10%, compared with 24% statewide and 10% in the district, ranking third among nearby schools; 10th-grade PSAT math was 13% versus 29% statewide, also ranking third. English language arts is the largest shortfall against the state: 11th-grade results were 24% versus 48% statewide, while 10th-grade results were 34% versus 56%. The school ranked sixth and fifth, respectively, among nearby schools. Science was 14%, compared with 31% statewide and 16% in the district, placing fourth among nearby schools.

Trends are mixed: math proficiency rose by 3 points on the 11th-grade SAT and 7 points on the 10th-grade PSAT from 2022–2023 to 2025–2026, while ELA fell by 2 and 3 points. The 11th-grade ELA score dropped 16 points from its 40% peak in 2024–2025. SchoolDigger ranks the school 44th of 58 statewide, in the 24th percentile with one star; its overall percentile fell from 37 two years earlier. The school has the lowest nearby student-teacher ratio, 9.3 compared with a nearby average of 14.5, and the highest free/reduced-lunch rate, 91% versus a nearby average of 77%; these are contextual measures, not explanations for results. One subgroup result stands out: SchoolDigger’s statewide effectiveness measure places African American students at the 53rd percentile, compared with the school’s overall 24th percentile, indicating a stronger relative result for this group.

243

Students ?

9.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

90.5%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

544 Elmwood Avenue
Providence, RI 02907

(401) 781-2727

District: Paul Cuffee Charter School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

72.8%

African American:

21.8%

White:

2.5%

See top rated Rhode Island high schools

Compare Paul Cuffee Upper School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 37th percentile in 2019 → 24th in 2026

Strengths

✓94% graduate in 4 years — above the Rhode Island average (86%)

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Rhode Island average (19% vs 36% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (24th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 13 percentile points since 2019

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school19%

District avg18%

Rhode Island avg36%

44^th of 58

Rhode Island public high schools ?

Bottom 24%▼ down 13 pts since 2019

From bottom 37% (2019) to bottom 24% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Rhode Island High 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	17.0	44 of 58	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	23.2	38 of 60	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	19.6	43 of 61	29.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	14.3	46 of 60	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.3	45 of 59	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	12.7	47 of 59	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.2	37 of 59	37.3%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	40.0	16 of 34	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	49.7	12 of 29	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.0	13 of 28	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	41.3	14 of 26	46.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	32.1	16 of 28	42.9%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	34.4	10 of 16	37.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	19.9	11 of 11	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	84.9	2 of 10	80.0%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	14.0	46 of 56	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.2	39 of 58	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	16.7	44 of 56	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.2	46 of 59	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.3	43 of 58	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	24.3	38 of 54	29.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.6	30 of 52	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	28.6	35 of 54	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.4	29 of 53	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	23.6	38 of 49	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	22.6	42 of 58	27.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.7	34 of 57	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	27.9	39 of 58	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	27.6	38 of 58	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	21.5	41 of 54	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2026	22.8	39 of 59	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	27.7	35 of 57	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	25.2	37 of 57	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	18.6	42 of 56	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.3	42 of 54	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Rhode Island percentile	Rating
2025	45.2	14 of 32	56.3%	★★★☆☆

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)

Special Education (2025)56th percentile+20 vs school

African American (2026)53rd percentile+29 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)38th percentile+13 vs school

Male (2026)34th percentile+10 vs school

Hispanic (2026)30th percentile+5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)28th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)18th percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Rhode Island (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts24%-24 vs state

Science14%-17 vs state

Mathematics10%-13 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Paul Cuffee Upper School and help other families decide.

Rate Paul Cuffee Upper School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Paul Cuffee Upper School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				PSAT10 English Language Arts (2026)	PSAT10 Mathematics (2026)	SAT English Language Arts (2026)	SAT Mathematics (2026)	NGSA Science (2026)		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	PSAT10 English Language Arts 10th Grade	PSAT10 Mathematics 10th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	NGSA Science 11th Grade	NGSA Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Paul Cuffee Upper School	Public, Charter	9-12	544 Elmwood Avenue	Providence	02907	Providence County	Paul Cuffee Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 781-2727	243	26	9.3	90.5%	6 (2.5%)	53 (21.8%)	177 (72.8%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.6%)	17	44^th of 58 public high schools	24.1%		23.2	38^th of 60 public high schools	36.7%	6	34.0	13.2	23.7	10.2	13.8	13.8
Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School	Public	9-12	375 Adelaide Avenue	Providence	02907	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-0676	447	31	14.4	79.6%	16 (3.6%)	60 (13.4%)	329 (73.6%)	16 (3.6%)	6 (1.3%)	2 (0.4%)	18 (4.0%)	10.7	50^th of 58 public high schools	13.8%		7.7	56^th of 60 public high schools	6.7%	6	29.0	353.0	9.8	338.0	40.0	40.0	$17,205	$1,108	$16,097
Achievement First Providence H	Public, Charter	9-12	206 Elmwood Ave	Providence	02907	Providence County	Achievement First Rhode Island	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 347-1126	458	36	12.7	82.3%	7 (1.5%)	85 (18.6%)	350 (76.4%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.4%)	31	34^th of 58 public high schools	41.4%					(n/a)	40.8	6.8	47.4	7.4	32.4	32.4	$17,314	$1,519	$15,795
Metropolitan Career Technical Center	Public	9-12	325 Public Street	Providence	02905	Providence County	MET Career and Technical	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 752-2600	817	70	11.6	71.8%	194 (23.7%)	142 (17.4%)	450 (55.1%)	14 (1.7%)	6 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	7 (0.9%)	21.4	41^st of 58 public high schools	29.3%		22.3	40^th of 60 public high schools	33.3%	1	38.2	380.0	33.7	7.0	12.9	12.9	$22,456	$1,466	$20,990
W B Cooley & Academy Internationa	Public	9-12	182 Thurbers Avenue	Providence	02905	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-1781	685	51	13.4	82.9%	36 (5.3%)	86 (12.6%)	526 (76.8%)	9 (1.3%)	7 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	19 (2.8%)	7.9	55^th of 58 public high schools	5.2%		8	55^th of 60 public high schools	8.3%		15.3	335.0	15.9	364.0	6.7	6.7	$20,702	$1,100	$19,602
Bridge Academy	Public	9-12	91 Fricker Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(401) 455-3406	117	7	16.7	65.0%	1 (0.9%)	6 (5.1%)	107 (91.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.7%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	271.0	296.0	297.0	299.0	6.7	6.7	$20,837	$1,143	$19,694
Providence Career Technical	Public	9-12	41 Fricker street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9136	759	62	12.2	86.8%	43 (5.7%)	83 (10.9%)	582 (76.7%)	23 (3.0%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (2.8%)	14.5	47^th of 58 public high schools	19.0%		17.2	46^th of 60 public high schools	23.3%	1	29.9	9.3	26.4	8.8	10.1	10.1	$21,586	$1,323	$20,263
Central High School	Public	9-12	70 Fricker Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9111	1,050	63	16.6	82.7%	35 (3.3%)	127 (12.1%)	802 (76.4%)	42 (4.0%)	9 (0.9%)	7 (0.7%)	26 (2.5%)	6	57^th of 58 public high schools	1.7%		7.2	57^th of 60 public high schools	5.0%		18.4	335.0	8.5	339.0	40.0	40.0	$16,475	$668	$15,807
Cranston High School East	Public	9-12	899 Park Avenue	Cranston	02910	Providence County	Cranston	No	(n/a)	No	No	(401) 270-8126	1,525	116	13.1	73.9%	317 (20.8%)	111 (7.3%)	798 (52.3%)	176 (11.5%)	21 (1.4%)	5 (0.3%)	94 (6.2%)	24.2	39^th of 58 public high schools	32.8%		24.5	37^th of 60 public high schools	38.3%	2	47.1	15.0	30.1	11.4	17.1	17.1	$17,627	$216	$17,411
Classical High School	Public	9-12	770 Westminster Street	Providence	02903	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9145	1,116	65	17.1	60.9%	222 (19.9%)	176 (15.8%)	559 (50.1%)	94 (8.4%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	50 (4.5%)	96.6	3^rd of 58 public high schools	94.8%		96.8	2^nd of 60 public high schools	96.7%	1	93.0	71.2	86.9	58.1	61.4	61.4	$13,940	$361	$13,578

Frequently Asked Questions about Paul Cuffee Upper School

What district is Paul Cuffee Upper School in?

Paul Cuffee Charter School

How many students attend Paul Cuffee Upper School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 243 students attended Paul Cuffee Upper School.

What is the racial makeup of Paul Cuffee Upper School?

Students at Paul Cuffee Upper School are 73% Hispanic, 22% African American, 2% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Paul Cuffee Upper School a good school?

Paul Cuffee Upper School ranks in the bottom 24.1% of Rhode Island high schools.

Rate Paul Cuffee Upper School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

RIRhode Island High School Rankings

RIRhode Island District Rankings

Schools in Providence, RI

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Paul Cuffee Upper School!

Latest Rhode Island data All new data »

2025–26 immunization ratesOct 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.