The Best Private Schools in East Providence, Rhode Island
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in East Providence. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
Moses Brown School
Independent
Moses Brown School is a prestigious Quaker-founded independent school offering exceptional education from preschool through 12th grade. Located just minutes from East Providence in Providence, the school features a 33-acre campus with state-of-the-art facilities including science labs, arts studios, and athletic complexes. The school emphasizes academic excellence with a challenging curriculum that includes Advanced Placement courses, innovative STEM programs, and comprehensive arts education. With small class sizes and dedicated faculty, Moses Brown maintains a strong community atmosphere while preparing students for top colleges and universities.
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The Wheeler School
Independent
The Wheeler School is a highly-regarded independent school serving students from nursery through 12th grade. Located in Providence's historic East Side, just across the river from East Providence, Wheeler offers a dynamic educational experience combining academic rigor with creative expression. The school features the Hamilton Innovation Lab, dedicated arts facilities, and competitive athletic programs. Wheeler's curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world problem solving, with graduates consistently gaining admission to selective colleges. The school maintains a diverse community and strong parent satisfaction ratings.
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St. Luke's School
Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island
St. Luke's School is an Episcopal independent school serving students from preschool through 8th grade, conveniently located in nearby Barrington and serving families throughout the East Providence area. The school offers a balanced educational approach that combines academic excellence with character development and spiritual growth. Features include small class sizes, specialized subject teachers, modern technology integration, and extensive extracurricular opportunities. The campus includes science labs, art studios, music rooms, and athletic facilities. St. Luke's prepares students for success in secondary education while fostering a supportive, inclusive community environment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in East Providence, Rhode Island
What are the primary private school options available for families residing in East Providence, Rhode Island?
While East Providence itself is home to several parochial and independent options like St. Luke's School, many families in the city also consider prestigious nearby schools in Providence due to close proximity. Top-tier institutions accessible from East Providence include Moses Brown School (Friends/Quaker) and The Wheeler School in Providence, both offering Pre-K through 12th grade. East Providence provides convenient access to a dense concentration of Rhode Island's leading private schools, allowing for a broad choice of educational philosophies, from religious to secular college-preparatory, all within a short commute.
How does tuition for private schools in the East Providence, RI, area compare, and what financial aid options are available?
Tuition for day schools in the East Providence/Providence area for the 2024-2025 academic year typically ranges from approximately $15,000 for some parochial schools to over $50,000 for the most prestigious independent high schools like Moses Brown and Wheeler. Rhode Island offers the Rhode Island School Choice Tax Credit, which allows corporations to receive tax credits for donations to scholarship organizations, thereby funding need-based scholarships for private school students. Additionally, all major independent schools have substantial financial aid endowments and use tools like the Clarity Application to determine need-based grants, making them more accessible than the sticker price may suggest.
What unique academic or extracurricular programs are offered by private schools accessible from East Providence?
Schools in this region offer distinctive programs leveraging Rhode Island's coastal and cultural resources. For example, Moses Brown emphasizes Quaker values and has a renowned engineering and design lab. The Wheeler School features the innovative "Aerie" flexible learning program and a strong focus on arts integration. St. Luke's School in East Providence offers a STEM-focused curriculum with project-based learning. Many schools also have partnerships with local institutions like Brown University, RISD, and the Narragansett Bay for marine science, providing unique experiential learning opportunities not always available in standard public school curricula.
What is the typical enrollment timeline and process for competitive private schools in the East Providence area?
The admission process for sought-after schools like Moses Brown and Wheeler begins over a year in advance. Prospective families should initiate inquiries in the spring or summer before the desired enrollment year (e.g., Spring 2024 for Fall 2025). Key steps include attending open houses (often in the fall), submitting applications by January deadlines, completing student visits and assessments, and receiving decisions in March. For East Providence residents, it's crucial to plan for potential transportation, as many schools do not provide bus service from the city, though carpool networks are common. We recommend contacting schools directly, as some, like St. Luke's, may have rolling admission depending on grade-level availability.
How do the class sizes and student-teacher ratios in East Providence's private school options compare to the local public schools?
Private schools in the East Providence area generally offer significantly smaller class sizes and lower student-teacher ratios than East Providence Public Schools. While East Providence public high school classes can average 20-25 students, private schools like Wheeler and Moses Brown maintain average class sizes of 12-16 students with ratios often around 7:1 or 8:1. This allows for highly personalized attention. St. Luke's School also prides itself on small, supportive classroom environments. This difference is a primary consideration for parents seeking more individualized instruction and closer student-faculty mentorship for their children.
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