- Enrollment
- 421
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Benton, TN
Chilhowee Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Chilhowee Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 470345001444
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chilhowee Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Tennessee median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Tennessee schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Benton · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 293
- students enrolled
Chilhowee Middle School has class sizes near the Tennessee median. Computed live against every Tennessee school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chilhowee Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Benton, TN.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-30 students YoY
Chilhowee Middle School shrank from 322 students in 2022-23 to 292 in 2023-24 (-9.3%).
Teacher FTE held 21.0 → 21.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-30 students YoY 470345001444 · Benton, TN Middle · SMALL · TRAD
293 enr · 14:1 · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: Benton Elementary (421 students)
Chilhowee Middle School shrank from 322 students in 2022-23 to 292 in 2023-24 (-9.3%). Teacher FTE held 21.0 → 21.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Tennessee schools → · Find another →
Chilhowee Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Benton Element
Benton Elementary
421 students
- Polk County Hi
Polk County High School
400 students
- South Polk Ele
South Polk Elementary
347 students
- Copper Basin E
Copper Basin Elementary School
321 students
- This school
Chilhowee Middle School
293 students
- Copper Basin H
Copper Basin High School
231 students
What this shows Chilhowee Middle School reports 293 students on the CCD universe file.
How Chilhowee Middle School compares
Chilhowee Middle School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Tennessee and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Tennessee | Tennessee avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 293 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
293
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 38% in Tennessee - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.2%
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
$12,066
per pupil, district-wide
- above Tennessee avg of $11,532
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 293 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
59
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 95.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.3%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: White at 95.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 9.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 9.3, Chilhowee Middle School is less mixed than the Tennessee school average of 38.3.
Programs
District finance for Polk County reports $12,066 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Chilhowee Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Polk County High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Polk Elementary | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Copper Basin Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Copper Basin High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chilhowee Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 231
- Students per teacher
- 8.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~293 students)
Frequently asked questions about Chilhowee Middle School
How many students attend Chilhowee Middle School?
Chilhowee Middle School has 293 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Benton, TN. CCD year-over-year: 322 (2022-23) → 292 (2023-24), down 30.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chilhowee Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Chilhowee Middle School is 14:1, which is 8% lower than the Tennessee average of 15.3:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chilhowee Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Chilhowee Middle School is White at 95.2% of enrollment, in Benton, TN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chilhowee Middle School?
Chilhowee Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Chilhowee Middle School rank among public schools in Benton?
By Resource Investment Index, Chilhowee Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Benton, TN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Polk County?
Besides Chilhowee Middle School, Polk County also operates Benton Elementary (421 students), Polk County High School (400 students), and South Polk Elementary (347 students). See the Polk County district page for the complete list.