Enrollment
451
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Monroe, NC
Benton Heights Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Benton Heights Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370462001299
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benton Heights Elementary earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 14
- schools in Monroe · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.5:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 83.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Benton Heights Elementary has class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benton Heights Elementary ranks #1 of 14 schools in Monroe, NC.
School address
District: Union County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370462001299 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benton Heights Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benton Heights Elementary
Benton Heights Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Monroe, North Carolina, enrolling 451 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.5:1, Benton Heights Elementary is leaner than roughly 93% of North Carolina schools and 34% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 83.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 451 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 179 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #7, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (69%) and African American (20%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 226 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Monroe's public schools, it stands alongside Union Academy (2,186 students): Benton Heights Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.5:1 vs 17.6:1).
Union County Public Schools also operates Marvin Ridge High (1,961 students) and Weddington High (1,899 students) alongside Benton Heights Elementary.
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 Heights Elementary compares
Benton Heights Elementary on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.5:1 | ▼ 34% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.0% | ▲ 26% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 451 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.5:1
Leaner classes than 86% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
451
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.5:1
students per teacher
- 34% below state mean
Top 7% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
30.2%
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
$11,010
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 226 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 27 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 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
Hispanic or Latino 68.7%
African American 20.2%
White 7.5%
Two or More 2.9%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 68.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.1, Benton Heights Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Union County Public Schools, which includes Benton Heights Elementary.
$11,010
Per student
-8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 55.8%
Federal 15.3%
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 Heights Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marvin Ridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Weddington High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cuthbertson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Porter Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Porter Ridge Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benton Heights Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,961
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,857
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,809
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,447
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar other schools in Monroe
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Union Academy
Standard public school
2,186 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Wesley Chapel Elementary
Standard public school
729 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Unionville Elementary
Standard public school
679 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Shiloh Valley Primary School
Standard public school
563 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Rocky River Elementary
Standard public school
536 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Sardis Elementary
Standard public school
529 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~451 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benton Heights Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Benton Heights Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Union 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 Benton Heights Elementary
How many students attend Benton Heights Elementary?
Benton Heights Elementary has 451 students enrolled. It is a public school in Monroe, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benton Heights Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Benton Heights Elementary is 10.5:1, which is 34% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 33% 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 Benton Heights Elementary?
83.0% of students at Benton Heights Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benton Heights Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Benton Heights Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 68.7% of enrollment, in Monroe, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benton Heights Elementary?
Benton Heights Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 Heights Elementary rank among schools in Monroe?
By Resource Investment Index, Benton Heights Elementary ranks #1 of 14 schools in Monroe, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Monroe on the city page.
Is Benton Heights Elementary a good school?
Benton Heights Elementary earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina 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 Union County Public Schools?
Besides Benton Heights Elementary, Union County Public Schools also operates Marvin Ridge High (1,961 students), Weddington High (1,899 students), and Cuthbertson High (1,857 students). See the Union 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.