Summary:
The 02911 zip code area of North Providence, Rhode Island is home to two middle schools: Dr. Edward Ricci School, a public middle school, and Excel Academy Rhode Island, a public charter middle school. These schools serve students in grades 6-8 and offer distinct educational experiences within the North Providence and Excel Academy Rhode Island districts.
As a public charter school, Excel Academy Rhode Island stands out from the traditional public school option in the area. The school has higher spending per student ($22,665 vs. $16,004 at Dr. Edward Ricci School) and a slightly higher student-teacher ratio (14.2 vs. 13.0). Excel Academy's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics are generally higher than the state and district averages, particularly in the 7th grade. In contrast, Dr. Edward Ricci School, while a traditional public school, has shown improvement in its statewide ranking over the past few years, moving from 32nd out of 64 Rhode Island middle schools in 2022-2023 to 35th out of 64 in 2023-2024. The school's 8th grade proficiency rates in both English Language Arts and Mathematics are higher than the state and district averages.
Interestingly, Excel Academy Rhode Island has a much higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (66.83%) compared to Dr. Edward Ricci School (40.05%), suggesting a more economically disadvantaged student population. Despite this, Excel Academy Rhode Island is still able to outperform the traditional public school in several academic areas, indicating the potential for public charter schools to effectively serve students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
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