Enrollment
292
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Benzonia, MI
Benzie Central Sr High School
Federal NCES profile for Benzie Central Sr High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 260495004182
👥 S:T ratio 22
📚 AP courses 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 71
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benzie Central Sr High School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Benzonia · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.5:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 54.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Benzie Central Sr High School has class sizes larger than 76% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benzie Central Sr High School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Benzonia, MI.
School address
District: Benzie County Central Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260495004182 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.0%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benzie Central Sr High School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benzie Central Sr High School
Benzie Central Sr High School is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Benzonia, Michigan, enrolling 292 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 54.0% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 292 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 582 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #166.
Its student body is predominantly White (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 23/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 4 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 146 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 83 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 292 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Benzie County Central Schools also operates Benzie Central Middle School (239 students) and Crystal Lake Elementary School (209 students) alongside Benzie Central Sr High 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 Benzie Central Sr High School compares
Benzie Central Sr High School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.5:1 | ▲ 11% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.0% | ▼ 1% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 292 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.5:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
292
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.5:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 76% in Michigan - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
53.8%
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
$13,049
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
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 146 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
18
in-school suspensions + 65 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.4 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 87.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
African American 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 87.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.6, Benzie Central Sr High School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Benzie County Central Schools, which includes Benzie Central Sr High School.
$13,049
Per student
-3%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 60.6%
State 28.0%
Federal 11.4%
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 Benzie Central Sr High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzie Central Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Crystal Lake Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lake Ann Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Betsie Valley School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Benzie Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benzie Central Sr High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 239
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 209
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 180
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 131
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 85
- Students per teacher
- 85:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~292 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benzie Central Sr High School's federal record.
- Compare Benzie Central Sr High School against another school. Compare schools
- Benzie County Central 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 Benzie Central Sr High School
How many students attend Benzie Central Sr High School?
Benzie Central Sr High School has 292 students enrolled. It is a high school in Benzonia, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benzie Central Sr High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Benzie Central Sr High School is 19.5:1, which is 11% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Benzie Central Sr High School?
54.0% of students at Benzie Central Sr High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benzie Central Sr High School?
The largest demographic group at Benzie Central Sr High School is White at 87.7% of enrollment, in Benzonia, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benzie Central Sr High School?
Benzie Central Sr High School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Benzie Central Sr High School rank among public schools in Benzonia?
By Resource Investment Index, Benzie Central Sr High School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Benzonia, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Benzonia on the city page.
Is Benzie Central Sr High School a good school?
Benzie Central Sr High School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Michigan 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 Benzie County Central Schools?
Besides Benzie Central Sr High School, Benzie County Central Schools also operates Benzie Central Middle School (239 students), Crystal Lake Elementary School (209 students), and Lake Ann Elementary School (180 students). See the Benzie County Central 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.