RI's Best Middle Schools Ranked In New Analysis

North Cumberland Middle is the best public middle school in Rhode Island, according to a new ranking from U.S. News & World Report.

U.S. News researchers based the 2027 ranking of the nation’s best public middle schools on the latest publicly available data from state education agencies by RTI International, alongside data from the U.S. Department of Education. In the past, the state reports weren’t part of the methodology.

State agency data offers a more thorough evaluation of student achievement in math and reading across every proficiency level, all while taking student background and overall performance on state assessments into consideration.

This year’s ranking includes 24,000 public middle schools.

The top 25 public middle schools in Rhode Island are:

1. North Cumberland Middle
2. Barrington Middle School
3. North Smithfield Middle School
4. Archie R. Cole Middle School
5. Jamestown School-Lawn
6. Wickford Middle School
7. Wilbur and McMahon Schools
8. Blackstone Valley Prep Junior High
9. Davisville Middle School
10. Broad Rock Middle School
11. Portsmouth Middle School
12. Block Island School
13. Kickemuit Middle School
14. Vincent J. Gallagher Middle
15. The Compass School
16. Narragansett Pier School
17. Gaudet Middle School
18. Rise Prep Mayoral Academy
19. Chariho Regional Middle School
20. Birchwood Middle School
21. Lincoln Middle School
22. Tiverton Middle School
23. Exeter-West Greenwich Reg. Jr.
24. Providence Preparatory Charter
25. Nuestro Mundo Public Charter School

The rankings are intended as an evaluation tool to give parents a snapshot of how well schools provide a high-quality education and prepare students for a successful future.

Related: New RI School Rankings Released: See Which Elementary Schools Top U.S. News List