- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Quinta, CA
Benjamin Franklin Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Benjamin Franklin Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061111011016
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benjamin Franklin Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of California schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in La Quinta · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.1:1
- large classes for California
- 66.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Benjamin Franklin Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benjamin Franklin Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in La Quinta, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111011016 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+3 students YoY
Benjamin Franklin Elementary held near 622 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+3 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 25.5 → 28.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+3 students YoY 061111011016 · La Quinta, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
627 enr · 25.1:1 · 66.9% lunch · RII 23
Nearest enrollment peer: La Quinta High (2,425 students)
Benjamin Franklin Elementary held near 622 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+3 headcount). Teacher FTE added 25.5 → 28.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Benjamin Franklin Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- La Quinta High
La Quinta High
2,425 students
- Palm Desert Hi
Palm Desert High
2,079 students
- Indio High
Indio High
1,962 students
- Shadow Hills H
Shadow Hills High
1,650 students
- Palm Desert Ch
Palm Desert Charter Middle
1,298 students
- This school 627
Benjamin Franklin Elementary
627 students
What this shows Benjamin Franklin Elementary reports 627 students on the CCD universe file.
How Benjamin Franklin Elementary compares
Benjamin Franklin Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.1:1 | ▲ 17% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.9% | ▲ 21% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 627 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.1:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
627
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
66.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.1:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 80% in California - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
46.7%
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
$17,070
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 80.2%
White 13.6%
Two or More 4.0%
African American 1.6%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 80.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.6, Benjamin Franklin Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Desert Sands Unified reports $17,070 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Benjamin Franklin Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benjamin Franklin Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,079
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,962
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,650
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,298
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in La Quinta
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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 (~627 students)
Frequently asked questions about Benjamin Franklin Elementary
How many students attend Benjamin Franklin Elementary?
Benjamin Franklin Elementary has 627 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Quinta, CA. CCD year-over-year: 619 (2022-23) → 622 (2023-24), nearly flat (+3).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Franklin Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Franklin Elementary is 25.1:1, which is 17% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 60% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Benjamin Franklin Elementary?
66.9% of students at Benjamin Franklin Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benjamin Franklin Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Benjamin Franklin Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 80.2% of enrollment, in La Quinta, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benjamin Franklin Elementary?
Benjamin Franklin Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Benjamin Franklin Elementary rank among elementary schools in La Quinta?
By Resource Investment Index, Benjamin Franklin Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in La Quinta, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in La Quinta on the city page.
What other schools are in Desert Sands Unified?
Besides Benjamin Franklin Elementary, Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students), Palm Desert High (2,079 students), and Indio High (1,962 students). See the Desert Sands Unified district page for the complete list.