Enrollment
873
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fargo, ND
Ben Franklin Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Ben Franklin Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 380678000193
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ben Franklin Middle School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of North Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Fargo · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 23.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ben Franklin Middle School has class sizes larger than 71% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ben Franklin Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Fargo, ND.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.8%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ben Franklin Middle School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ben Franklin Middle School
Ben Franklin Middle School is a large middle school in Fargo, North Dakota, enrolling 873 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.6:1 puts it in the larger third of North Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 23.8% lands close to the North Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 95% of state schools at 873 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 39 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #19.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and African American (8%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 291 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Fargo's middle schools, it stands alongside Discovery Middle School (992 students): Ben Franklin Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.6:1 vs 12.2:1).
Fargo 1 also operates Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students) and North High School (1,110 students) alongside Ben Franklin Middle School.
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 Middle School compares
Ben Franklin Middle School on the metrics families compare, against North Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Dakota | North Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.6:1 | ▲ 15% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.8% | ▼ 16% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 873 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
873
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the North Dakota average of 28.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 71% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
36.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$16,941
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $18,450
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 291 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 71.5%
African American 8.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
Two or More 6.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.8%
Asian 2.6%
Largest group: White at 71.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.0, Ben Franklin Middle School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fargo 1, which includes Ben Franklin Middle School.
$16,941
Per student
-8%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
+2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.1%
State 48.6%
Federal 15.3%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo Davies High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Carl Ben Eielson Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ben Franklin Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,277
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,110
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 992
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 898
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 677
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar middle schools in Fargo
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~873 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ben Franklin Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Ben Franklin Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Fargo 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 Middle School
How many students attend Ben Franklin Middle School?
Ben Franklin Middle School has 873 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fargo, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ben Franklin Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ben Franklin Middle School is 13.6:1, which is 15% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ben Franklin Middle School?
23.8% of students at Ben Franklin Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ben Franklin Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Ben Franklin Middle School is White at 71.5% of enrollment, in Fargo, ND.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ben Franklin Middle School?
Ben Franklin Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ben Franklin Middle School rank among middle schools in Fargo?
By Resource Investment Index, Ben Franklin Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Fargo, ND. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Fargo on the city page.
Is Ben Franklin Middle School a good school?
Ben Franklin Middle School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of North Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota. 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 Fargo 1?
Besides Ben Franklin Middle School, Fargo 1 also operates Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students), North High School (1,110 students), and Discovery Middle School (992 students). See the Fargo 1 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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.