Enrollment
507
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Benson, AZ
Benson Primary School
Federal NCES profile for Benson Primary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040021200060
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benson Primary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Benson · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.9:1
- students per teacher
- 43.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Benson Primary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benson Primary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Benson, AZ.
School address
District: Benson Unified School District (79226) · Arizona
NCES ID 040021200060 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benson Primary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benson Primary School
Benson Primary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Benson, Arizona, enrolling 507 students.
At 16.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arizona median, within a few percentage points of the 17:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 43.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 507 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 324 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #247, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 53/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Benson Unified School District (79226) spends $10,529 per pupil, 20% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Benson Unified School District (79226) also operates Benson High School (402 students) and Benson Middle School (286 students) alongside Benson Primary 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 Benson Primary School compares
Benson Primary School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.9:1 | ▼ 1% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.9% | ▼ 9% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 507 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
507
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 53% in Arizona - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
47.7%
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
$10,529
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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
White 61.1%
Hispanic or Latino 30.6%
Two or More 4.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.6%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 61.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.1, Benson Primary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Benson Unified School District (79226), which includes Benson Primary School.
$10,529
Per student
-20%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.6%
State 45.7%
Federal 18.7%
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 Benson Primary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benson High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Benson Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Benson Digital Learning Center Online | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
| Benson Digital Learning Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benson Primary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 402
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 286
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 51
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 41
- Students per teacher
- 41:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~507 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benson Primary School's federal record.
- Compare Benson Primary School against another school. Compare schools
- Benson Unified School District (79226)'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 Benson Primary School
How many students attend Benson Primary School?
Benson Primary School has 507 students enrolled. It is a public school in Benson, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benson Primary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Benson Primary School is 16.9:1, which is 1% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 8% higher 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 Benson Primary School?
43.9% of students at Benson Primary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benson Primary School?
The largest demographic group at Benson Primary School is White at 61.1% of enrollment, in Benson, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benson Primary School?
Benson Primary School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Benson Primary School rank among public schools in Benson?
By Resource Investment Index, Benson Primary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Benson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Benson on the city page.
Is Benson Primary School a good school?
Benson Primary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona 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 Benson Unified School District (79226)?
Besides Benson Primary School, Benson Unified School District (79226) also operates Benson High School (402 students), Benson Middle School (286 students), and Benson Digital Learning Center Online (51 students). See the Benson Unified School District (79226) 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.