Enrollment
528
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Benton, KY
Benton Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Benton Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210381000971
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 78
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benton Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Kentucky schools.
- #7 of 7
- schools in Benton · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 50.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Benton Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benton Elementary School ranks #7 of 7 schools in Benton, KY.
School address
District: Marshall County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210381000971 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.3%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benton Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benton Elementary School
Benton Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Benton, Kentucky, enrolling 528 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 50.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 528 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 450 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #185.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 18/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 528 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 16.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Benton's public schools, it stands alongside Central Elementary School (480 students): Benton Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.5:1 vs 15.5:1).
Marshall County also operates Marshall County High School (1,201 students) and North Marshall Middle School (487 students) alongside Benton Elementary 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 Benton Elementary School compares
Benton Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▲ 9% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.3% | ▼ 15% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 528 | top 35% | - | - |
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.
528
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 71% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
8.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,197
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 528 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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 90.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
Two or More 3.6%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 90.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.7, Benton Elementary School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Marshall County, which includes Benton Elementary School.
$12,197
Per student
-8%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.6%
State 49.4%
Federal 16.1%
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 Benton Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Marshall Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Marshall Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Calvert City Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benton Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,201
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 487
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 480
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 432
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 294
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar other schools in Benton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Central Elementary School
Standard public school
480 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Sharpe Elementary School
Standard public school
276 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Jonathan Elementary School
Standard public school
241 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
South Marshall Elementary School
Standard public school
241 students 11:1 students per teacher
Mc Academy
Alternative education program
100 students 33.3:1 students per teacher
Purchase Youth Village
Alternative education program
22 students 11:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~528 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benton Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Benton Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Marshall County'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 Elementary School
How many students attend Benton Elementary School?
Benton Elementary School has 528 students enrolled. It is a public school in Benton, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benton Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Benton Elementary School is 16.5:1, which is 9% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Benton Elementary School?
50.3% of students at Benton Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benton Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Benton Elementary School is White at 90.5% of enrollment, in Benton, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benton Elementary School?
Benton Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Elementary School rank among schools in Benton?
By Resource Investment Index, Benton Elementary School ranks #7 of 7 schools in Benton, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Benton on the city page.
Is Benton Elementary School a good school?
Benton Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Kentucky 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 Marshall County?
Besides Benton Elementary School, Marshall County also operates Marshall County High School (1,201 students), North Marshall Middle School (487 students), and Central Elementary School (480 students). See the Marshall County 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.