- Enrollment
- 2,433
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Harlingen, TX
Ben Milam El
Federal NCES profile for Ben Milam El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 482253002277
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ben Milam El earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #13 of 21
- schools in Harlingen · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 87.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Ben Milam El has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ben Milam El ranks #13 of 21 schools in Harlingen, TX.
School address
District: Harlingen Cisd · Texas
NCES ID 482253002277 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-35 students YoY
Ben Milam El shrank from 405 students in 2022-23 to 370 in 2023-24 (-8.6%).
Teacher FTE added 27.3 → 27.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-35 students YoY 482253002277 · Harlingen, TX Other · SMALL · TRAD
389 enr · 14.4:1 · 87.7% lunch · RII 39
Nearest enrollment peer: Harlingen H S (2,433 students)
Ben Milam El shrank from 405 students in 2022-23 to 370 in 2023-24 (-8.6%). Teacher FTE added 27.3 → 27.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Ben Milam El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Harlingen H S
Harlingen H S
2,433 students
- Harlingen H S
Harlingen H S - South
2,019 students
- Dr Abraham P C
Dr Abraham P Cano Freshman Academy
1,188 students
- Moises Vela Mi 761
Moises Vela Middle
761 students
- Treasure Hills 758
Treasure Hills El
758 students
- This school 389
Ben Milam El
389 students
What this shows Ben Milam El reports 389 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ben Milam El compares
Ben Milam El is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▼ 2% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.7% | ▲ 42% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 389 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
389
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
87.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 52% in Texas - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.9%
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
$13,586
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $14,348
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 389 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 95.6%
White 4.1%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 95.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 8.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 8.4, Ben Milam El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Harlingen Cisd reports $13,586 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ben Milam El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harlingen H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harlingen H S - South | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr Abraham P Cano Freshman Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Moises Vela Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Treasure Hills El | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ben Milam El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,019
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,188
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 761
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 758
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~389 students)
Frequently asked questions about Ben Milam El
How many students attend Ben Milam El?
Ben Milam El has 389 students enrolled. It is a public school in Harlingen, TX. CCD year-over-year: 405 (2022-23) → 370 (2023-24), down 35.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ben Milam El?
The student-teacher ratio at Ben Milam El is 14.4:1, which is 2% lower than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ben Milam El?
87.7% of students at Ben Milam El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ben Milam El?
The largest demographic group at Ben Milam El is Hispanic or Latino at 95.6% of enrollment, in Harlingen, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ben Milam El?
Ben Milam El has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ben Milam El rank among schools in Harlingen?
By Resource Investment Index, Ben Milam El ranks #13 of 21 schools in Harlingen, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Harlingen on the city page.
What other schools are in Harlingen Cisd?
Besides Ben Milam El, Harlingen Cisd also operates Harlingen H S (2,433 students), Harlingen H S - South (2,019 students), and Dr Abraham P Cano Freshman Academy (1,188 students). See the Harlingen Cisd district page for the complete list.