Enrollment
529
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sparks, NV
Esther Bennett Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Esther Bennett Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 320048000481
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Esther Bennett Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada median.
- #7 of 16
- schools in Sparks · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- students per teacher
- 95.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Esther Bennett Elementary has class sizes near the Nevada median. Computed live against every Nevada school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Esther Bennett Elementary ranks #7 of 16 schools in Sparks, NV.
School address
District: Washoe County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320048000481 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 20.5:1 Nevada avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.9%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Esther Bennett Elementary compares with Nevada and U.S. medians
What stands out at Esther Bennett Elementary
Esther Bennett Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Sparks, Nevada, enrolling 529 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 16.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Nevada schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 95.9% lands close to the Nevada typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 529 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nevada median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 733 scored Nevada schools.
Among 272 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nevada schools statewide, it ranks #15, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (73%) and White (20%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 529 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Washoe County School District spends $10,957 per pupil, 33% below the Nevada average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Sparks's public schools, it stands alongside Hillside Elementary School (37 students): Esther Bennett Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.5:1 vs 12.3:1).
Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students) and Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students) alongside Esther Bennett 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 Esther Bennett Elementary compares
Esther Bennett Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Nevada and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nevada | Nevada avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▼ 20% | 20.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.9% | ▲ 25% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 529 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
529
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% above the Nevada average of 76.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 35% in Nevada - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.2%
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
$10,957
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nevada avg of $16,454
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 529 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 73.0%
White 20.0%
Two or More 2.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 73.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.6, Esther Bennett Elementary is less mixed than the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washoe County School District, which includes Esther Bennett Elementary.
$10,957
Per student
-33%
vs Nevada
Avg $16,454
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 68.2%
Federal 12.0%
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 Esther Bennett Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valleys High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanish Springs High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward C. Reed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Procter R. Hug High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reno High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Esther Bennett Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,131
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,092
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,008
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Sparks
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nevada, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~529 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Esther Bennett Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Esther Bennett Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Washoe County 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 Esther Bennett Elementary
How many students attend Esther Bennett Elementary?
Esther Bennett Elementary has 529 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sparks, NV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Esther Bennett Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Esther Bennett Elementary is 16.5:1, which is 20% lower than the Nevada average of 20.5:1 and 5% higher 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 Esther Bennett Elementary?
95.9% of students at Esther Bennett Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Esther Bennett Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Esther Bennett Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 73.0% of enrollment, in Sparks, NV.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Esther Bennett Elementary?
Esther Bennett Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Esther Bennett Elementary rank among schools in Sparks?
By Resource Investment Index, Esther Bennett Elementary ranks #7 of 16 schools in Sparks, NV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sparks on the city page.
Is Esther Bennett Elementary a good school?
Esther Bennett Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada 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 Washoe County School District?
Besides Esther Bennett Elementary, Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students), Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students), and Edward C. Reed High School (2,092 students). See the Washoe County 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.