Enrollment
963
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fruitland, MD
Bennett Middle
Federal NCES profile for Bennett Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240069001299
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bennett Middle earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Maryland schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Fruitland · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.2:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 47.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Bennett Middle has class sizes smaller than 80% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bennett Middle ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Fruitland, MD.
School address
District: Wicomico County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240069001299 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
79.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.4%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bennett Middle compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bennett Middle
Bennett Middle is a large combined-grade school in Fruitland, Maryland, enrolling 963 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 47.4% lands close to the Maryland typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 963 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 206 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #115.
Its student body is led by African American (36%) and White (33%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 321 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 194 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 963 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Fruitland's public schools, it stands alongside Fruitland Primary (445 students): Bennett Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.2:1 vs 13.1:1).
Wicomico County Public Schools also operates James M. Bennett High (1,474 students) and Wicomico High (1,304 students) alongside Bennett Middle.
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 Bennett Middle compares
Bennett Middle on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.2:1 | ▼ 16% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.4% | ▼ 3% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 963 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
963
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 20% in Maryland - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
42.8%
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
$17,780
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 321 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 191 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.1 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
African American 36.1%
White 32.5%
Hispanic or Latino 18.5%
Two or More 7.9%
Asian 3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 36.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.2, Bennett Middle is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wicomico County Public Schools, which includes Bennett Middle.
$17,780
Per student
-13%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.7%
State 66.2%
Federal 14.1%
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 Bennett Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James M. Bennett High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wicomico High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parkside High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Prince Street School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Delmar Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bennett Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,474
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,304
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 976
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 914
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Fruitland
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Maryland, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~963 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bennett Middle's federal record.
- Compare Bennett Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Wicomico County Public 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 Bennett Middle
How many students attend Bennett Middle?
Bennett Middle has 963 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fruitland, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bennett Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Bennett Middle is 12.2:1, which is 16% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 22% 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 Bennett Middle?
47.4% of students at Bennett Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bennett Middle?
The largest demographic group at Bennett Middle is African American at 36.1% of enrollment, in Fruitland, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bennett Middle?
Bennett Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Bennett Middle rank among public schools in Fruitland?
By Resource Investment Index, Bennett Middle ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Fruitland, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Fruitland on the city page.
Is Bennett Middle a good school?
Bennett Middle earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Maryland 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 Wicomico County Public Schools?
Besides Bennett Middle, Wicomico County Public Schools also operates James M. Bennett High (1,474 students), Wicomico High (1,304 students), and Parkside High (1,272 students). See the Wicomico County Public 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.