Enrollment
552
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Bensalem, PA
Robert K Shafer Ms
Federal NCES profile for Robert K Shafer Ms, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 420333007030
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Robert K Shafer Ms earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #2 of 10
- public schools in Bensalem · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 58.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Robert K Shafer Ms has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Robert K Shafer Ms ranks #2 of 10 public schools in Bensalem, PA.
School address
District: Bensalem Township Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420333007030 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.7%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Robert K Shafer Ms compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Robert K Shafer Ms
Robert K Shafer Ms is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, enrolling 552 students.
At 12.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Pennsylvania median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.7% lands close to the Pennsylvania typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 552 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 304 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #186.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 276 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Bensalem's middle schools, it stands alongside Cecelia Snyder Ms (453 students): Robert K Shafer Ms is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 14.6:1).
Bensalem Township Sd also operates Bensalem Twp Hs (2,151 students) and Valley El Sch (588 students) alongside Robert K Shafer Ms.
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 Robert K Shafer Ms compares
Robert K Shafer Ms on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.8:1 | ▼ 6% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.7% | ▲ 1% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 552 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
552
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% above the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 41% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
37.1%
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
$18,357
per pupil, district-wide
- above Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 276 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
62
in-school suspensions + 46 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.6 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 47.1%
Hispanic or Latino 21.6%
African American 15.0%
Asian 12.9%
Two or More 3.4%
Largest group: White at 47.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.1, Robert K Shafer Ms is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bensalem Township Sd, which includes Robert K Shafer Ms.
$18,357
Per student
+2%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
+11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.9%
State 23.1%
Federal 8.0%
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 Robert K Shafer Ms Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bensalem Twp Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Belmont Hills El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cornwells El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Samuel K Faust El Sch | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Robert K Shafer Ms's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,151
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 580
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 556
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 546
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle schools in Bensalem
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Pennsylvania, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~552 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Robert K Shafer Ms's federal record.
- Compare Robert K Shafer Ms against another school. Compare schools
- Bensalem Township Sd'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 Robert K Shafer Ms
How many students attend Robert K Shafer Ms?
Robert K Shafer Ms has 552 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Bensalem, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Robert K Shafer Ms?
The student-teacher ratio at Robert K Shafer Ms is 12.8:1, which is 6% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 18% lower 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 Robert K Shafer Ms?
58.7% of students at Robert K Shafer Ms are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Robert K Shafer Ms?
The largest demographic group at Robert K Shafer Ms is White at 47.1% of enrollment, in Bensalem, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Robert K Shafer Ms?
Robert K Shafer Ms has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Robert K Shafer Ms rank among public schools in Bensalem?
By Resource Investment Index, Robert K Shafer Ms ranks #2 of 10 public schools in Bensalem, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Bensalem on the city page.
Is Robert K Shafer Ms a good school?
Robert K Shafer Ms earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania 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 Bensalem Township Sd?
Besides Robert K Shafer Ms, Bensalem Township Sd also operates Bensalem Twp Hs (2,151 students), Valley El Sch (588 students), and Belmont Hills El Sch (580 students). See the Bensalem Township Sd 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.