Enrollment
480
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Benton, KY
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210381000272
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 4
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median.
- #6 of 7
- schools in Benton · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 46.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #6 of 7 schools in Benton, KY.
School address
District: Marshall County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210381000272 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.8%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Benton, Kentucky, enrolling 480 students.
At 15.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kentucky median, within a few percentage points of the 15.2:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 46.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 480 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 386 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #156.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment) (diversity index 12/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 480 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
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 Benton Elementary School (528 students): Central Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.5:1 vs 16.5:1).
Marshall County also operates Marshall County High School (1,201 students) and Benton Elementary School (528 students) alongside Central 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 Central Elementary School compares
Central 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 | 15.5:1 | ▲ 2% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.8% | ▼ 21% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 480 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
480
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 57% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
11.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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 480 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 93.5%
Two or More 2.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%
African American 1.0%
Largest group: White at 93.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.4, Central 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 Central 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 Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benton Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Marshall Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Marshall Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Calvert City Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central 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
- 528
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 487
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- 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.
Benton Elementary School
Standard public school
528 students 16.5:1 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 (~480 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central 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 Central Elementary School
How many students attend Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has 480 students enrolled. It is a public school in Benton, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 15.5:1, which is 2% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary School?
46.8% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is White at 93.5% of enrollment, in Benton, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Central Elementary School rank among schools in Benton?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #6 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 Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. 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 Central Elementary School, Marshall County also operates Marshall County High School (1,201 students), Benton Elementary School (528 students), and North Marshall Middle School (487 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.