The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Science. The lowest is 20% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Southside Charter School
SouthSide Charter School is a single-school charter district in Rhode Island serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It operates one building, SouthSide Elementary Charter, which is currently open. The enrollment is small and spread fairly evenly across the six grade levels, with each grade holding a comparable share of the total student body.
The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black enrollment as well. A very small number of white students attend, along with a handful of students identified as Asian or two or more races. Information on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility was not available, so the economic profile of the student body cannot be characterized from the data provided. Special population data, including students with individualized education programs and English learners, was also missing. A parent looking into support services for those populations would want to ask the school directly, since the figures are absent here.
On Rhode Island's state assessments for the current school year, SouthSide's results are low. In math, roughly a fifth of tested students in the tested grade range met or exceeded proficiency. In English language arts, the proficient share was slightly higher but still below a quarter of those tested. Science, which is assessed only at fifth grade in this state, showed a somewhat higher proficiency rate, though the number of students tested in that subject was small and the result should be read with that in mind. Full participation was reported across all three subjects, meaning essentially every eligible student sat for the exams. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability over time. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, asking how leadership is responding to current proficiency levels and what academic supports are in place.
Because SouthSide serves only elementary grades, several common metrics do not apply. There is no graduation rate, no high school course access data, and no college or career readiness information, all of which reflect the grade band rather than a gap in reporting. State science testing is limited to fifth grade for this school, which is why science results cover only a single grade level.
The data provided does not include a locale brief, so there is no community or economic context to draw on. Housing values, rental costs, and neighborhood characteristics were not available. No information on programs, extracurriculars, or specialized academic offerings was provided either, which leaves a gap for families comparing school options. The school's governance details, including specific charter status and Title I designation, were listed as null in the data, so they cannot be described here. Discipline, staffing, and attendance data were also absent.
A search for recent parent-relevant changes at the district level turned up no findings beyond baseline descriptive and enrollment information. This means there were no reported shifts in leadership, program structure, facilities, or policy that a family should be aware of from the available sources.
What the data does show is a small elementary charter school with a predominantly Hispanic and Black student body, full assessment participation, and proficiency levels that sit below where most families would want them to be. The missing pieces are substantial: no economic indicator, no special population counts, no program details, no community context, and no trend history. Families considering SouthSide would benefit from visiting the school, asking about academic improvement plans, and requesting information on supports for students who are behind grade level, since the state results suggest that many students are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks.
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