Enrollment
823
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Valparaiso, IN
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 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 181197001881
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benjamin Franklin Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Valparaiso · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- students per teacher
- 20.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Benjamin Franklin Middle School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benjamin Franklin Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Valparaiso, IN.
School address
District: Valparaiso Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 181197001881 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.1%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benjamin Franklin Middle School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benjamin Franklin Middle School
Benjamin Franklin Middle School is a large middle school in Valparaiso, Indiana, enrolling 823 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 20.1% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the Indiana average.
Enrollment of 823 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 221 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #104.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 38/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 412 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Valparaiso's middle schools, it stands alongside Thomas Jefferson Middle School (632 students): Benjamin Franklin Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.5:1 vs 14.4:1).
Valparaiso Community Schools also operates Valparaiso High School (2,089 students) and Thomas Jefferson Middle School (632 students) alongside Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
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 Middle School compares
Benjamin Franklin Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▲ 4% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.1% | ▼ 59% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 823 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
823
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 65% in Indiana - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$10,965
per pupil, district-wide
- below Indiana avg of $12,079
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 412 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
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 77.8%
Hispanic or Latino 13.1%
Two or More 4.5%
Asian 2.3%
African American 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 77.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.5, Benjamin Franklin Middle School is about as mixed as the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Valparaiso Community Schools, which includes Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
$10,965
Per student
-9%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.7%
State 55.6%
Federal 6.7%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valparaiso High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cooks Corners Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heavilin Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Flint Lake Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | 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
- 2,089
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 487
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar middle schools in Valparaiso
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~823 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benjamin Franklin Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Benjamin Franklin Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Valparaiso Community 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 Benjamin Franklin Middle School
How many students attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School?
Benjamin Franklin Middle School has 823 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Valparaiso, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Franklin Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Franklin Middle School is 16.5:1, which is 4% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Benjamin Franklin Middle School?
20.1% of students at Benjamin Franklin Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benjamin Franklin Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Benjamin Franklin Middle School is White at 77.8% of enrollment, in Valparaiso, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benjamin Franklin Middle School?
Benjamin Franklin Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Benjamin Franklin Middle School rank among middle schools in Valparaiso?
By Resource Investment Index, Benjamin Franklin Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Valparaiso, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Valparaiso on the city page.
Is Benjamin Franklin Middle School a good school?
Benjamin Franklin Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana 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 Valparaiso Community Schools?
Besides Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Valparaiso Community Schools also operates Valparaiso High School (2,089 students), Thomas Jefferson Middle School (632 students), and Cooks Corners Elementary School (487 students). See the Valparaiso Community 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.