Enrollment
401
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Independence, MO
Thomas Hart Benton Elem.
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Hart Benton Elem., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 291548000707
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Hart Benton Elem. earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #15 of 22
- schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 69.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Hart Benton Elem. has class sizes larger than 83% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Hart Benton Elem. ranks #15 of 22 schools in Independence, MO.
School address
District: Independence 30 · Missouri
NCES ID 291548000707 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.0%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Hart Benton Elem. compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Hart Benton Elem.
Thomas Hart Benton Elem. is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Independence, Missouri, enrolling 401 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 401 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Among 108 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Missouri schools statewide, it ranks #94, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 401 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Independence 30 also operates Truman High (1,720 students) and William Chrisman High (1,417 students) alongside Thomas Hart 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 Hart Benton Elem. compares
Thomas Hart 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 | 15.4:1 | ▲ 20% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.0% | ▲ 50% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 401 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
401
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above the Missouri average of 46.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 83% in Missouri - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.9%
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
$11,956
per pupil, district-wide
- below Missouri avg of $12,931
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 401 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.2 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 44.4%
Hispanic or Latino 26.7%
African American 18.0%
Two or More 10.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: White at 44.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.9, Thomas Hart 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 Independence 30, which includes Thomas Hart Benton Elem..
$11,956
Per student
-8%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.9%
State 35.3%
Federal 21.8%
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 Hart Benton Elem. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truman High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William Chrisman High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Van Horn High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clifford H. Nowlin Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bridger Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Hart Benton Elem.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,720
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,417
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 902
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 744
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
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 (~401 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Hart Benton Elem.'s federal record.
- Compare Thomas Hart Benton Elem. against another school. Compare schools
- Independence 30'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 Hart Benton Elem.
How many students attend Thomas Hart Benton Elem.?
Thomas Hart Benton Elem. has 401 students enrolled. It is a public school in Independence, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Hart Benton Elem.?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Hart Benton Elem. is 15.4:1, which is 20% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Hart Benton Elem.?
69.0% of students at Thomas Hart Benton Elem. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Hart Benton Elem.?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Hart Benton Elem. is White at 44.4% of enrollment, in Independence, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Hart Benton Elem.?
Thomas Hart Benton Elem. has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Thomas Hart Benton Elem. rank among schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Hart Benton Elem. ranks #15 of 22 schools in Independence, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Independence on the city page.
Is Thomas Hart Benton Elem. a good school?
Thomas Hart Benton Elem. earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Missouri schools. 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 Independence 30?
Besides Thomas Hart Benton Elem., Independence 30 also operates Truman High (1,720 students), William Chrisman High (1,417 students), and Van Horn High (1,067 students). See the Independence 30 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.