Enrollment
343
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · New London, CT
Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 090282000596
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 83
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in New London · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.4:1
- students per teacher
- 86.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School has class sizes near the Connecticut median. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in New London, CT.
School address
District: New London School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090282000596 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.4:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.5%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+138% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School
Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in New London, Connecticut, enrolling 343 students.
At 11.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Connecticut median, within a few percentage points of the 12.1:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 86.5% of students qualify for free meals, 138% above the Connecticut average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 343 students, its enrollment sits close to the Connecticut median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Against 63 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #8.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (65%) and African American (18%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 86 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 135 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 343 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among New London's middle schools, it stands alongside Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication (328 students): Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.4:1 vs 12.6:1).
New London School District also operates New London High School (605 students) and Winthrop Stem Elementary Magnet School (449 students) alongside Bennie Dover Jackson 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 Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School compares
Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Connecticut and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Connecticut | Connecticut avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.4:1 | ▼ 6% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.5% | ▲ 138% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 343 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
343
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 138% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 46% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
48.4%
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
$24,532
per pupil, district-wide
- above Connecticut avg of $23,870
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 86 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 90 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 39.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 65.0%
African American 18.1%
Two or More 8.2%
White 6.4%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 65.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.4, Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New London School District, which includes Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School.
$24,532
Per student
+3%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+48%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 70.2%
Federal 7.7%
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 Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| New London High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winthrop Stem Elementary Magnet School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| C.B. Jennings International Elementary Magnet | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New London Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 605
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 445
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 406
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 268
- Students per teacher
- 8.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle schools in New London
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 Connecticut, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~343 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- New London School District'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 Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School
How many students attend Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School?
Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School has 343 students enrolled. It is a middle school in New London, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School is 11.4:1, which is 6% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 27% 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 Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School?
86.5% of students at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 65.0% of enrollment, in New London, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School?
Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School rank among middle schools in New London?
By Resource Investment Index, Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in New London, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in New London on the city page.
Is Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School a good school?
Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut 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 New London School District?
Besides Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School, New London School District also operates New London High School (605 students), Winthrop Stem Elementary Magnet School (449 students), and Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School (445 students). See the New London School District 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.