Enrollment
480
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Benicia, CA
Robert Semple Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Robert Semple Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060462000427
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Robert Semple Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Benicia · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.9:1
- students per teacher
- 36.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Robert Semple Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Robert Semple Elementary ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Benicia, CA.
School address
District: Benicia Unified · California
NCES ID 060462000427 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Robert Semple Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Robert Semple Elementary
Robert Semple Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Benicia, California, enrolling 480 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 22.9:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 480 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,311 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,202, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1920 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Benicia Unified spends $13,115 per pupil, 21% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Benicia's elementary schools, it stands alongside Joe Henderson Elementary (530 students): Robert Semple Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.9:1 vs 25.2:1).
Benicia Unified also operates Benicia High (1,335 students) and Benicia Middle (947 students) alongside Robert Semple 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 Robert Semple Elementary compares
Robert Semple Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.0% | ▼ 35% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 480 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.9:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
480
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 61% in California - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
31.9%
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
$13,115
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.2 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 36.9%
Hispanic or Latino 33.8%
Two or More 15.8%
Asian 8.8%
African American 4.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 36.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.5, Robert Semple Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Benicia Unified, which includes Robert Semple Elementary.
$13,115
Per student
-21%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.2%
State 54.6%
Federal 6.2%
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 Semple Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benicia High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Benicia Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joe Henderson Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Matthew Turner Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mary Farmar Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Robert Semple Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,335
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 947
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 530
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 529
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 477
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar elementary schools in Benicia
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~480 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Robert Semple Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Robert Semple Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Benicia Unified'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 Semple Elementary
How many students attend Robert Semple Elementary?
Robert Semple Elementary has 480 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Benicia, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Robert Semple Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Robert Semple Elementary is 22.9:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 46% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Robert Semple Elementary?
36.0% of students at Robert Semple Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Robert Semple Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Robert Semple Elementary is White at 36.9% of enrollment, in Benicia, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Robert Semple Elementary?
Robert Semple Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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 Robert Semple Elementary rank among elementary schools in Benicia?
By Resource Investment Index, Robert Semple Elementary ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Benicia, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Benicia on the city page.
Is Robert Semple Elementary a good school?
Robert Semple Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California 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 Benicia Unified?
Besides Robert Semple Elementary, Benicia Unified also operates Benicia High (1,335 students), Benicia Middle (947 students), and Joe Henderson Elementary (530 students). See the Benicia Unified 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.