Enrollment
402
Vermont · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bennington, VT
Molly Stark School
Federal NCES profile for Molly Stark School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 500043400031
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Molly Stark School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Vermont schools.
- #4 of 4
- schools in Bennington · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.1:1
- large classes for Vermont
- 54.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Molly Stark School has class sizes larger than 98% of Vermont schools. Computed live against every Vermont school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Molly Stark School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Bennington, VT.
School address
NCES ID 500043400031 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 11.9:1 Vermont avg
+61% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.9%
vs 27.6% Vermont avg
+99% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Molly Stark School compares with Vermont and U.S. medians
What stands out at Molly Stark School
Molly Stark School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bennington, Vermont, enrolling 402 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.1:1 is larger than about 98% of Vermont schools and 61% above the 11.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 54.9% of students qualify for free meals, 99% above the Vermont average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 402 puts it in the larger third of Vermont schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 288 Vermont schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 22 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Vermont schools statewide, it ranks #20, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 201 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 spends $10,568 per pupil, 45% below the Vermont average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 17 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Bennington's public schools, it stands alongside Bennington Elementary School (278 students): Molly Stark School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.1:1 vs 18.5:1).
Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 also operates Bennington Elementary School (278 students) and Pownal Elementary School (249 students) alongside Molly Stark 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 Molly Stark School compares
Molly Stark School on the metrics families compare, against Vermont and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Vermont | Vermont avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.1:1 | ▲ 61% | 11.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.9% | ▲ 99% | 27.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 402 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
402
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 99% above the Vermont average of 27.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 61% above state mean
Top 98% in Vermont - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
52.7%
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
$10,568
per pupil, district-wide
- below Vermont avg of $19,105
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 201 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
18
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 17 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 86.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Two or More 5.0%
African American 2.0%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 86.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.0, Molly Stark School is more mixed than the Vermont school average of 19.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87, which includes Molly Stark School.
$10,568
Per student
-45%
vs Vermont
Avg $19,105
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 1.5%
State 97.9%
Federal 0.6%
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 Molly Stark School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bennington Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pownal Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shaftsbury Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Monument Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodford Hollow School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Molly Stark School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 278
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 249
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 245
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 147
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 30
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Bennington
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Vermont, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~402 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Molly Stark School's federal record.
- Compare Molly Stark School against another school. Compare schools
- Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87'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 Molly Stark School
How many students attend Molly Stark School?
Molly Stark School has 402 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bennington, VT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Molly Stark School?
The student-teacher ratio at Molly Stark School is 19.1:1, which is 61% higher than the Vermont average of 11.9:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Molly Stark School?
54.9% of students at Molly Stark School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Vermont average of 27.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Molly Stark School?
The largest demographic group at Molly Stark School is White at 86.8% of enrollment, in Bennington, VT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Molly Stark School?
Molly Stark School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Molly Stark School rank among schools in Bennington?
By Resource Investment Index, Molly Stark School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Bennington, VT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bennington on the city page.
Is Molly Stark School a good school?
Molly Stark School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Vermont 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 Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87?
Besides Molly Stark School, Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 also operates Bennington Elementary School (278 students), Pownal Elementary School (249 students), and Shaftsbury Elementary School (245 students). See the Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 district page for the complete list.
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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.