Enrollment
956
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Highlands Ranch, CO
Ben Franklin Academy
Federal NCES profile for Ben Franklin Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080345006492Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ben Franklin Academy earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Colorado schools.
- #18 of 18
- schools in Highlands Ranch · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.2:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 2.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Ben Franklin Academy has class sizes larger than 90% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ben Franklin Academy ranks #18 of 18 schools in Highlands Ranch, CO.
School address
District: Douglas County School District No. Re 1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080345006492 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.2:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
2.4%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-94% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ben Franklin Academy compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ben Franklin Academy
Ben Franklin Academy is a lower-poverty, large charter combined-grade school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, enrolling 956 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.2:1 is larger than about 90% of Colorado schools and 28% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 2.4% free-meal eligibility runs 94% below the Colorado average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 92% of state schools at 956 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 113 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #107, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1542 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The surrounding Douglas County School District No. Re 1 spends $11,848 per pupil, 27% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Douglas County School District No. Re 1 also operates American Academy (2,803 students) and Rock Canyon High School (2,325 students) alongside Ben Franklin Academy.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Ben Franklin Academy compares
Ben Franklin Academy on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.2:1 | ▲ 28% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 2.4% | ▼ 94% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 956 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.2:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
956
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
2.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 94% below the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.2:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 90% in Colorado - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$11,848
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.6 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 76.4%
Hispanic or Latino 11.8%
Two or More 7.1%
Asian 3.7%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 76.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.6, Ben Franklin Academy is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Douglas County School District No. Re 1, which includes Ben Franklin Academy.
$11,848
Per student
-27%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.8%
State 40.8%
Federal 6.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Ben Franklin Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rock Canyon High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Legend High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain Vista High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chaparral High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ben Franklin Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,803
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,325
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,206
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,169
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,007
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Colorado, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~956 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ben Franklin Academy's federal record.
- Compare Ben Franklin Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Douglas County School District No. Re 1's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Ben Franklin Academy
How many students attend Ben Franklin Academy?
Ben Franklin Academy has 956 students enrolled. It is a public school in Highlands Ranch, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ben Franklin Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Ben Franklin Academy is 21.2:1, which is 28% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 35% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ben Franklin Academy?
2.4% of students at Ben Franklin Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ben Franklin Academy?
The largest demographic group at Ben Franklin Academy is White at 76.4% of enrollment, in Highlands Ranch, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ben Franklin Academy?
Ben Franklin Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ben Franklin Academy rank among schools in Highlands Ranch?
By Resource Investment Index, Ben Franklin Academy ranks #18 of 18 schools in Highlands Ranch, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Highlands Ranch on the city page.
Is Ben Franklin Academy a good school?
Ben Franklin Academy earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Colorado schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Douglas County School District No. Re 1?
Besides Ben Franklin Academy, Douglas County School District No. Re 1 also operates American Academy (2,803 students), Rock Canyon High School (2,325 students), and Legend High School (2,206 students). See the Douglas County School District No. Re 1 district page for the complete list.
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Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.