Woonsocket

Woonsocket is a suburban Rhode Island school district in Providence County serving 5,690 students across 10 schools: six elementary, two middle, and two high schools. The district experienced modest growth of 0.5% enrollment in the prior year, indicating relative stability. With 422 teachers, the district maintains a student-teacher ratio of 13.5:1, which aligns with typical suburban configurations.

Academic performance metrics show significant gaps relative to state averages. Math proficiency stands at 9.9% compared to the state average of 33.2%, while reading proficiency reaches 12.3% against a state average of 39.4%. Chronic absenteeism is reported at 45.5%, substantially above typical district benchmarks.

The district operates with a total budget of $106.8 million and per-pupil spending of $18,770, which trails the state average of $22,238. This funding gap reflects a heavily state-dependent revenue structure: 68.8% of funding comes from state sources, 16.8% from local contributions, and 14.4% from federal sources. This funding composition suggests limited local revenue capacity relative to state support reliance.

The combination of below-state-average academic outcomes, elevated chronic absenteeism, and per-pupil spending below state average indicates Woonsocket faces resource and achievement challenges within the Rhode Island education landscape.