Enrollment
627
California · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benjamin Franklin Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benjamin Franklin Elementary
Benjamin Franklin Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in La Quinta, California, enrolling 627 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 627 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 2,017 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #1,089.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among La Quinta's elementary schools, it stands alongside Harry S. Truman Elementary (635 students): Benjamin Franklin Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.1:1 vs 23.5:1).
Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students) and Palm Desert High (2,079 students) alongside Benjamin Franklin 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 Benjamin Franklin Elementary compares
Benjamin Franklin Elementary on the metrics families compare, against 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 (what these measure)
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
$15,695
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
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.
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
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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desert Sands Unified, which includes Benjamin Franklin Elementary.
$15,695
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.4%
State 50.5%
Federal 11.0%
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 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
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- 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.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~627 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benjamin Franklin Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Benjamin Franklin Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Desert Sands Unified'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 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.
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, attendance rates. 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.
Is Benjamin Franklin Elementary a good school?
Benjamin Franklin Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of California 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 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.
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.