Claiborne Pell Elementary

(401)842-1900

657 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 4th

School Overview

Claiborne Pell Elementary School, located on Dexter Street in Newport, Rhode Island, serves as the primary public elementary institution for the city’s youngest learners. As the only elementary school in the Newport Public Schools district, it hosts a diverse student body, typically encompassing grades PK through 4. The school is named in honor of the late U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell, a renowned advocate for education who is best known for creating the Pell Grant program, which has helped millions of students access higher education.

The school is designed to foster a supportive learning environment that emphasizes foundational academic skills, social-emotional growth, and community engagement. By centralizing elementary education for the city, Claiborne Pell plays a vital role in the Newport community, offering resources and programs tailored to a broad range of student needs. The faculty and staff focus on preparing students for their transition to middle school through a structured curriculum and a commitment to inclusive education, reflecting the spirit of its namesake’s dedication to equal opportunity in learning.

657

Total Students

60.0

Full-Time Teachers

10.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

74.3%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Claiborne Pell Elementary
Demographic	Student Count
White	214
Hispanic	281
Black	62
Asian	4
Two or More	76
American Indian	19
Pacific Islander	1

Hispanic
281 (42.8%)
White
214 (32.6%)
Two or More
76 (11.6%)
Black
62 (9.4%)
American Indian
19 (2.9%)
Asian
4 (0.6%)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Newport
Phone:	(401)842-1900
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 4th
Total Students:	657
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	60.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	10.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	425
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	63

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 32

Kindergarten 110

Grade 1 137

Grade 2 137

Grade 3 115

Grade 4 126