- Enrollment
- 1,308
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Springfield, IL
Benjamin Franklin Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Benjamin Franklin Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 173708003814
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 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 Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #1 of 5
- middle schools in Springfield · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 709
- students enrolled
Benjamin Franklin Middle School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benjamin Franklin Middle School ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Springfield, IL.
School address
District: Springfield Sd 186 · Illinois
NCES ID 173708003814 Verify on NCES CCD record →
NCES CCD universe card
School universe 173708003814 · Springfield, IL Middle · MID · TRAD
709 enr · 13.6:1 · RII 39
Nearest enrollment peer: Springfield High School (1,308 students)
Resource Investment Index #1 of 5 middle schools in Springfield. NCES Common Core of Data stamps for this campus. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Benjamin Franklin Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Springfield Hi
Springfield High School
1,308 students
- Springfield So
Springfield Southeast High Sch
1,229 students
- Lanphier High
Lanphier High School
1,117 students
- This school
Benjamin Franklin Middle School
709 students
- Early Learning
Early Learning Center
549 students
- Jefferson Midd 517
Jefferson Middle School
517 students
What this shows Benjamin Franklin Middle School reports 709 students on the CCD universe file.
How Benjamin Franklin Middle School compares
Benjamin Franklin Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.6:1 | ▼ 3% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 709 | top 14% | - | - |
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.
709
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 51% in Illinois - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
55.1%
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
$21,554
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $18,196
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 164 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 40.7%
White 33.5%
Two or More 12.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%
Asian 6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 40.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, Benjamin Franklin Middle School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Springfield Sd 186, which includes Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
$21,554
Per student
+18%
vs Illinois
Avg $18,196
+22%
vs U.S.
Avg $17,658
Revenue mix
Local 46.0%
State 35.9%
Federal 18.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2022-23 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Benjamin Franklin Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Springfield Southeast High Sch | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lanphier High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Early Learning Center | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Middle School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benjamin Franklin Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,229
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,117
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 549
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 517
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar middle schools in Springfield
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Jefferson Middle School
Standard public school
517 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Washington Middle School
Standard public school
516 students 9.9:1 students per teacher
U S Grant Middle School
Standard public school
498 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Magnet School
Standard public school
300 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Nationwide middle 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 (~709 students)
Frequently asked questions about Benjamin Franklin Middle School
How many students attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School?
Benjamin Franklin Middle School has 709 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Springfield, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Franklin Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Franklin Middle School is 13.6:1, which is 3% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benjamin Franklin Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Benjamin Franklin Middle School is African American at 40.7% of enrollment, in Springfield, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benjamin Franklin Middle School?
Benjamin Franklin Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical 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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Springfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Benjamin Franklin Middle School ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Springfield, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Springfield on the city page.
What other schools are in Springfield Sd 186?
Besides Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Springfield Sd 186 also operates Springfield High School (1,308 students), Springfield Southeast High Sch (1,229 students), and Lanphier High School (1,117 students). See the Springfield Sd 186 district page for the complete list.
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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.