The Rice School - Student Body

Student Body

Around 2009, the school typically has about 680 elementary school students and 470 middle school students. The students live throughout the school district, 90% of students go to and from school on school district-provided transportation. As of 2007, 90% of the students at Rice are racial and ethnic minorities (racial groups other than non-Hispanic white), and 60% are classified as low income students.

In 2002 Jocelyn Mouton, the Rice School principal, said that the K-8 setup allows eight grades to learn responsibility by tending to younger children, while younger children admire older children. She added that the format allows children to learn from both elementary and middle school teachers at the same time, starting with the first year. For most of the school day, middle school students are separated from elementary school students. When middle schoolers interact with elementary schoolers, middle schoolers are placed in mentorship positions over elementary school students.

When the school first opened in 1994, 50% of the students were White, 25% were Hispanic, and 25% were Black. At the time 72 children of Rice University employees attended the school. In 1996 the students were about 37% White, 33% Black, 27% Hispanic, and 3% Asian.