Enrollment
523
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Neosho, MO
Benton Elem.
Federal NCES profile for Benton Elem., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 292181001203
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benton Elem. earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #5 of 5
- elementary schools in Neosho · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 56.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Benton Elem. has class sizes larger than 75% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benton Elem. ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Neosho, MO.
School address
District: Neosho School District · Missouri
NCES ID 292181001203 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.0%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benton Elem. compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benton Elem.
Benton Elem. is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Neosho, Missouri, enrolling 523 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 56.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 523 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 254 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #105.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 349 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Neosho School District spends $9,875 per pupil, 24% below the Missouri average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Neosho School District also operates Neosho High (1,530 students) and Neosho Jr. High (753 students) alongside Benton Elem..
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 Benton Elem. compares
Benton Elem. on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.5:1 | ▲ 13% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.0% | ▲ 21% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 523 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
523
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the Missouri average of 46.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 75% in Missouri - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.2%
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
$9,875
per pupil, district-wide
- below Missouri avg of $12,931
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 349 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 50.9%
Hispanic or Latino 28.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 10.7%
Two or More 7.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Asian 0.8%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: White at 50.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.0, Benton Elem. is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Neosho School District, which includes Benton Elem..
$9,875
Per student
-24%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.5%
State 41.1%
Federal 16.4%
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 Benton Elem. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neosho High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Neosho Jr. High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Middle Sch. | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| George Washington Carver Elem. | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Elem. | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benton Elem.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,530
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 753
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 702
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 285
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Missouri, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~523 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benton Elem.'s federal record.
- Compare Benton Elem. against another school. Compare schools
- Neosho 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 Benton Elem.
How many students attend Benton Elem.?
Benton Elem. has 523 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Neosho, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benton Elem.?
The student-teacher ratio at Benton Elem. is 14.5:1, which is 13% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Benton Elem.?
56.0% of students at Benton Elem. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benton Elem.?
The largest demographic group at Benton Elem. is White at 50.9% of enrollment, in Neosho, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benton Elem.?
Benton Elem. 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 Benton Elem. rank among elementary schools in Neosho?
By Resource Investment Index, Benton Elem. ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Neosho, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Neosho on the city page.
Is Benton Elem. a good school?
Benton Elem. earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri 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 Neosho School District?
Besides Benton Elem., Neosho School District also operates Neosho High (1,530 students), Neosho Jr. High (753 students), and Middle Sch. (702 students). See the Neosho 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.