Enrollment
1,363
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Benton, AR
Benton Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Benton Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 050296000068
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benton Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Arkansas schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arkansas.
- #6 of 7
- elementary schools in Benton · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.2:1
- large classes for Arkansas
- 30.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Benton Middle School has class sizes larger than 87% of Arkansas schools. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benton Middle School ranks #6 of 7 elementary schools in Benton, AR.
School address
District: Benton School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 050296000068 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
75.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.8%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benton Middle School compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benton Middle School
Benton Middle School is a large elementary school in Benton, Arkansas, enrolling 1,363 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.2:1 is larger than about 87% of Arkansas schools and 34% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arkansas, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,363 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,066 scored Arkansas schools.
Among 40 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arkansas schools statewide, it ranks #30, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and African American (12%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 454 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Benton School District spends $8,851 per pupil, 28% below the Arkansas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Benton School District also operates Benton High School (1,298 students) and Benton Junior High School (971 students) alongside Benton 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 Benton Middle School compares
Benton Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Arkansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arkansas | Arkansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.2:1 | ▲ 34% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.8% | ▼ 48% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,363 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,363
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% below the Arkansas average of 59.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 34% above state mean
Top 87% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$8,851
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arkansas avg of $12,251
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 454 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
141
in-school suspensions + 111 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
White 71.7%
African American 12.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.2%
Two or More 5.1%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 71.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.8, Benton Middle School is more mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Benton School District, which includes Benton Middle School.
$8,851
Per student
-28%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.2%
State 53.6%
Federal 12.2%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Benton Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ringgold Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Perrin Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Caldwell Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benton Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,298
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 971
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 511
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 427
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arkansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,363 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benton Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Benton Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Benton 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 Middle School
How many students attend Benton Middle School?
Benton Middle School has 1,363 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Benton, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benton Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Benton Middle School is 18.2:1, which is 34% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Benton Middle School?
30.8% of students at Benton Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benton Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Benton Middle School is White at 71.7% of enrollment, in Benton, AR.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benton Middle School?
Benton Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Middle School rank among elementary schools in Benton?
By Resource Investment Index, Benton Middle School ranks #6 of 7 elementary schools in Benton, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Benton on the city page.
Is Benton Middle School a good school?
Benton Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Arkansas schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arkansas. 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 Benton School District?
Besides Benton Middle School, Benton School District also operates Benton High School (1,298 students), Benton Junior High School (971 students), and Ringgold Elementary School (511 students). See the Benton 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.