Enrollment
232
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, MO
Thomas Benton Elem.
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Benton Elem., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 290100000313
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Benton Elem. earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Missouri median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #9 of 19
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.6:1
- students per teacher
- 98.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Benton Elem. has class sizes near the Missouri median. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Benton Elem. ranks #9 of 19 schools in Columbia, MO.
School address
District: Columbia 93 · Missouri
NCES ID 290100000313 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.6:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.6%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+114% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Benton Elem. compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Benton Elem.
Thomas Benton Elem. is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbia, Missouri, enrolling 232 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 98.6% of students qualify for free meals, 114% above the Missouri average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 232 students, its enrollment sits close to the Missouri median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 162 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #33.
Its student body is led by African American (41%) and White (38%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 232 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 48 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 232 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Center for Early Lrning-North (458 students): Thomas Benton Elem. is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (11.6:1 vs 8.2:1).
Columbia 93 also operates David H. Hickman High (2,007 students) and Rock Bridge Sr. High (1,997 students) alongside Thomas Benton Elem..
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 Thomas Benton Elem. compares
Thomas Benton Elem. on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.6:1 | ▼ 9% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.6% | ▲ 114% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 232 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.6:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
232
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 114% above the Missouri average of 46.1%
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
11.6:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 36% in Missouri - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
28.9%
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
$13,719
per pupil, district-wide
- above Missouri avg of $12,931
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 232 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
20
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.7 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
African American 41.4%
White 37.9%
Two or More 14.7%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%
Largest group: African American at 41.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.0, Thomas Benton Elem. is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbia 93, which includes Thomas Benton Elem..
$13,719
Per student
+6%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.5%
State 25.3%
Federal 10.2%
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 Thomas Benton Elem. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| David H. Hickman High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rock Bridge Sr. High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Muriel W. Battle High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ann Hawkins Gentry Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beulah Ralph Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Benton Elem.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,007
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,997
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,492
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 736
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 656
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar other schools in Columbia
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 Missouri, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~232 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Benton Elem.'s federal record.
- Compare Thomas Benton Elem. against another school. Compare schools
- Columbia 93'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 Thomas Benton Elem.
How many students attend Thomas Benton Elem.?
Thomas Benton Elem. has 232 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Benton Elem.?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Benton Elem. is 11.6:1, which is 9% lower than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 26% 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 Thomas Benton Elem.?
98.6% of students at Thomas Benton Elem. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Benton Elem.?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Benton Elem. is African American at 41.4% of enrollment, in Columbia, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Benton Elem.?
Thomas Benton Elem. has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Thomas Benton Elem. rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Benton Elem. ranks #9 of 19 schools in Columbia, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbia on the city page.
Is Thomas Benton Elem. a good school?
Thomas Benton Elem. earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Missouri median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri 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 Columbia 93?
Besides Thomas Benton Elem., Columbia 93 also operates David H. Hickman High (2,007 students), Rock Bridge Sr. High (1,997 students), and Muriel W. Battle High School (1,492 students). See the Columbia 93 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.