Enrollment
1,065
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sanford, NC
Benhaven Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Benhaven Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370201000876
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benhaven Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Sanford · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- students per teacher
- 38.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Benhaven Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benhaven Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in Sanford, NC.
School address
District: Harnett County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370201000876 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
71.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benhaven Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benhaven Elementary
Benhaven Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Sanford, North Carolina, enrolling 1,065 students.
At 15:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 91% of state schools at 1,065 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 292 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #97.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and African American (21%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 355 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Sanford's public schools, it stands alongside Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County (628 students): Benhaven Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15:1 vs 16.1:1).
Harnett County Schools also operates Overhills High (1,981 students) and Harnett Central High (1,522 students) alongside Benhaven Elementary.
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 Benhaven Elementary compares
Benhaven Elementary on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15:1 | ▼ 5% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.1% | ▼ 42% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,065 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,065
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 49% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.7%
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
$11,026
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 355 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 46.4%
African American 20.8%
Hispanic or Latino 19.8%
Two or More 10.2%
Asian 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 46.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.1, Benhaven Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Harnett County Schools, which includes Benhaven Elementary.
$11,026
Per student
-8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.4%
State 62.0%
Federal 24.6%
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 Benhaven Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harnett Central High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Harnett High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Triton High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harnett Central Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benhaven Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,981
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,522
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,324
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,274
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,059
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Sanford
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County
Standard public school
628 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Central Carolina Academy
Standard public school
536 students 31.5:1 students per teacher
Floyd L Knight Children Center
Special-education school
95 students 7.3:1 students per teacher
Bragg Street Academy
Alternative education program
40 students 4:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,065 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benhaven Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Benhaven Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Harnett County Schools'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 Benhaven Elementary
How many students attend Benhaven Elementary?
Benhaven Elementary has 1,065 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sanford, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benhaven Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Benhaven Elementary is 15:1, which is 5% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 4% 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 Benhaven Elementary?
38.1% of students at Benhaven Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benhaven Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Benhaven Elementary is White at 46.4% of enrollment, in Sanford, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benhaven Elementary?
Benhaven Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Benhaven Elementary rank among schools in Sanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Benhaven Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in Sanford, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sanford on the city page.
Is Benhaven Elementary a good school?
Benhaven Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Harnett County Schools?
Besides Benhaven Elementary, Harnett County Schools also operates Overhills High (1,981 students), Harnett Central High (1,522 students), and Western Harnett High (1,324 students). See the Harnett County Schools 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.