Founded in 1973 as an independent, alternative high school, School One is accredited by the New England Association of School and Colleges. The original mission of School One was to serve students whose needs and interests were not being met in traditional educational settings. To this day, School One remains focused upon this mission. An innovative curriculum and a one-on-one counseling system make School One stand out as an educational choice.

Within its first few years, School One developed a well-earned reputation as a school for visual and performing arts. By the mid-1980s, School One had incorporated a mainstream special education program in order to diversify the student body, and in 1987 the school joined the Coalition of Essential Schools and adopted its Ten Common Principles. By the end of this decade, School One had begun to strengthen its academic standards and solidify a strongly committed core staff of exceptional educators.

Soon thereafter, School One purchased its own building at 220 University Avenue on Providence’s East Side. School One continues it’s commitment to nurturing a diverse student body with high expectations for academics, personal development and engagement within the school community.