The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Math. The lowest is 31% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Excel Academy Rhode Island
Excel Academy Rhode Island is a tuition-free charter public school located on Woonasquatucket Avenue in North Providence, serving fifth and sixth graders. It opened in the 2022-2023 school year starting with fifth grade and has been growing since, drawing students from Providence, North Providence, and Central Falls. The school sits within an independent charter district of the same name, giving families in these communities a public school option outside their traditional district assignment.
The enrollment is small, consistent with a two-grade charter still building toward its full span. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, multiracial, white, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. A substantial majority qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economically working communities the school serves. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so families whose children receive those services may want to ask the school directly about what supports are in place.
On Rhode Island's state assessments, Excel Academy's results show roughly a third of tested students reaching proficiency in both math and English language arts. Science proficiency, measured only at fifth grade, falls in a similar range. These are modest outcomes, and because the school is new with only one year of reported data, there is no trend yet to indicate whether scores are moving. Participation was near-universal across all tested subjects, which speaks to the school's testing engagement. A parent considering Excel Academy may want to look into how the school plans to build on these baseline results in coming years.
No graduation rate or advanced coursework data applies here, and the reason is straightforward: the school does not yet serve high school grades. The same is true for college-readiness or career-pathway measures. As the school expands upward through the grade span, those metrics will become relevant.
North Providence is the smallest town in Rhode Island by land area, a compact, primarily residential community threaded with commercial corridors along its major roads. It has no single traditional downtown but rather a patchwork of village centers including Centredale, Geneva, Fruit Hill, and Allendale, each with its own character. The town's history runs from farming roots to textile mills, and a portion of its industrial east was lost to Pawtucket long ago, pushing North Providence toward its current residential identity. Fatima Hospital and part of Rhode Island College's campus are among the larger institutional presences. The Woonasquatucket River winds through town, and parks like Governor John Notte Memorial Park and Captain Stephen Olney Park provide green space and recreation, including a freshwater beach and campground.
The local housing market sits below the Rhode Island state benchmark for typical home values, with rents also running below the state level. For charter school families coming from Providence or Central Falls, North Providence's housing costs are more moderate than much of the state, though current mortgage rates remain a factor in affordability. The town has an active comprehensive plan update underway, and redevelopment in the Centredale area has been complicated by a long-standing EPA Superfund designation tied to past industrial contamination.
Excel Academy's location on Woonasquatucket Avenue places it within this network of villages and neighborhoods. The school is still young, and its academic results are early. What it offers families is a small, community-oriented charter option for the upper elementary and early middle transition years, with a student population that largely mirrors the working-class communities it was created to serve.
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