Benton Junior High School

Summary:

Benton Junior High School is a public secondary school in Benton, Arkansas, serving grades 8-9 with a total enrollment of 943 students. The school is part of the Benton School District, which is ranked 73 out of 252 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Benton Junior High School consistently outperforms the state average in proficiency rates across various subjects and grade levels, including English Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, Algebra, Geometry, Science, and Biology. The school's proficiency rates are also higher than the Benton School District's average, particularly in Algebra (88.6% for 8th grade) and Geometry (86.1% for all grades), which are significantly higher than the state averages. Additionally, the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.1 to 16.1 over the past three school years, suggesting a more personalized learning environment compared to the nearby Bryant Junior High School, which has a higher student-teacher ratio of 17.1.

While Benton Junior High School outperforms the state and district averages, the nearby Bryant Junior High School also demonstrates strong academic performance, particularly in English Language Arts and Reading. This suggests a healthy level of competition and academic rigor in the region. However, Benton Junior High School's free and reduced-price lunch rates have increased from 34.05% in 2020-2021 to 39.24% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of students from lower-income households, which is an important factor to consider when analyzing the school's academic performance and potential challenges.

Detail:

Public, Alternative 8-9

411 Border St
Benton, AR 72015

(501) 778-7698

District: Benton School District

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,178

Student/teacher ratio: 16.2

Number of students: 991

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.7%

African American:

10.2%

Hispanic:

9.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Benton Junior High School ranks better than 80.9% of middle schools in Arkansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.42. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (71.7%), African American (10.2%), Hispanic (9.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 40.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Benton Junior High School is 16.2. (See more...)

Compare Benton Junior High School employs 61 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Benton Junior High School is $7,178.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Benton Junior High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Benton Junior High School 64^th of 335 Arkansas public middle schools. (See Benton Junior High School in the ranking list.)

Benton School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Benton School District 73^rd of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Benton Junior High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AR State Percentile
2016	75.76	44^th	312	85.9%
2017	73.14	57^th	315	81.9%
2018	75.11	58^th	318	81.8%
2019	82.32	38^th	319	88.1%
2021	83.02	37^th	330	88.8%
2022	74.91	58^th	318	81.8%
2023	86.96	23^rd	330	93.0%
2024	73.42	64^th	335	80.9%

See the entire list of Arkansas Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Thursday, January 23, 2020

came out of the closet as trans in 8th grade here. ended up having to switch schools because not only were the students mean, but so was the staff. never felt so out of place in my life save for a few good souls. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Benton Junior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	598	25	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	625
1989	617	28	3	2	3	n/a	n/a	653
1990	578	25	3	4	5	n/a	n/a	615
1991	550	32	1	2	2	n/a	n/a	587
1992	581	28	2	3	4	n/a	n/a	618
1993	641	36	0	6	3	n/a	n/a	686
1994	667	33	2	5	2	n/a	n/a	709
1995	673	44	2	6	4	n/a	n/a	729
1996	673	44	2	6	4	n/a	n/a	729
1997	666	38	3	6	5	n/a	n/a	718
1998	684	34	5	7	1	n/a	n/a	731
1999	681	32	3	7	1	n/a	n/a	724
2000	650	31	3	7	4	n/a	n/a	695
2001	624	28	7	19	1	n/a	n/a	679
2002	588	45	5	17	4	n/a	n/a	659
2003	588	45	5	17	4	n/a	n/a	659
2004	637	29	6	17	8	n/a	n/a	697
2005	663	29	8	20	10	n/a	n/a	730
2006	702	45	4	17	4	n/a	n/a	772
2007	640	54	3	21	7	n/a	n/a	725
2008	603	47	4	20	5	n/a	n/a	679
2009	640	49	3	32	6	n/a	n/a	730
2010	616	44	0	47	8	2	12	729
2011	629	58	3	41	3	0	8	742
2012	628	67	4	47	2	0	4	752
2013	639	57	7	55	1	1	11	771
2014	636	62	6	52	1	2	17	776
2015	676	63	8	50	2	3	15	817
2016	650	57	6	47	0	1	20	781
2017	631	63	5	52	1	0	21	773
2018	631	89	8	69	5	0	25	827
2019	705	93	7	74	3	1	33	916
2020	640	54	11	80	4	1	29	819
2021	670	63	12	101	4	1	36	887
2022	707	84	10	101	2	1	33	938
2023	686	93	17	93	1	1	52	943
2024	711	101	19	94	0	0	66	991

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Benton Junior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	625	33.5	18.6	n/a
1989	653	35.0	18.6	n/a
1990	615	36.0	17.0	11.5
1991	587	31.7	18.5	10.4
1992	618	31.8	19.4	12.6
1993	686	34.0	20.2	11.8
1994	709	35.6	19.9	12.7
1995	729	38.9	18.7	9.2
1996	729	38.9	18.7	9.2
1997	718	38.3	18.7	11.7
1998	731	38.3	19.1	11.8
1999	724	22.1	32.8	13.7
2000	695	44.0	15.8	14.5
2001	679	48.0	14.1	16.5
2002	659	41.0	16.1	20.6
2003	659	41.0	16.1	20.6
2004	697	44.0	15.8	21.7
2005	730	48.0	15.2	24.9
2006	772	50.0	15.4	29.1
2007	725	55.0	13.2	32.7
2008	679	56.0	12.1	28.4
2009	730	56.0	13.0	33
2010	729	53.4	13.0	38
2011	742	47.9	15.4	36.7
2012	752	49.5	15.1	34.7
2013	771	49.3	15.6	39.6
2014	776	50.9	15.2	39.6
2015	817	49.0	16.6	37.8
2016	781	53.0	14.7	35.1
2017	773	54.0	14.2	17.7
2018	827	51.5	16.0	22.6
2019	916	55.7	16.4	39.6
2020	819	54.1	15.1	36.3
2021	887	54.7	16.1	34
2022	938	61.1	15.3	37.4
2023	943	62.1	15.1	39.2
2024	991	61.0	16.2	40.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Benton Junior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	625	33.5	18.6	n/a
1989	653	35.0	18.6	n/a
1990	615	36.0	17.0	11.5
1991	587	31.7	18.5	10.4
1992	618	31.8	19.4	12.6
1993	686	34.0	20.2	11.8
1994	709	35.6	19.9	12.7
1995	729	38.9	18.7	9.2
1996	729	38.9	18.7	9.2
1997	718	38.3	18.7	11.7
1998	731	38.3	19.1	11.8
1999	724	22.1	32.8	13.7
2000	695	44.0	15.8	14.5
2001	679	48.0	14.1	16.5
2002	659	41.0	16.1	20.6
2003	659	41.0	16.1	20.6
2004	697	44.0	15.8	21.7
2005	730	48.0	15.2	24.9
2006	772	50.0	15.4	29.1
2007	725	55.0	13.2	32.7
2008	679	56.0	12.1	28.4
2009	730	56.0	13.0	33
2010	729	53.4	13.0	38
2011	742	47.9	15.4	36.7
2012	752	49.5	15.1	34.7
2013	771	49.3	15.6	39.6
2014	776	50.9	15.2	39.6
2015	817	49.0	16.6	37.8
2016	781	53.0	14.7	35.1
2017	773	54.0	14.2	17.7
2018	827	51.5	16.0	22.6
2019	916	55.7	16.4	39.6
2020	819	54.1	15.1	36.3
2021	887	54.7	16.1	34
2022	938	61.1	15.3	37.4
2023	943	62.1	15.1	39.2
2024	991	61.0	16.2	40.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Benton Junior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$686 (9.6%)	$6,492 (90.4%)	$7,178

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Benton Junior High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 38^th of 319 Middle schools	Ranks 23^rd of 330 Middle schools	4.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
8th Grade English (Benton Junior High School)	81.2	80.3	0.9%
8th Grade English (Benton School District)	81.2	80.3	0.9%
8th Grade English (Arkansas)	74.1	69.2	4.9%
8th Grade Math (Benton Junior High School)	67.9	55.2	12.7%
8th Grade Math (Benton School District)	67.9	55.2	12.7%
8th Grade Math (Arkansas)	47.7	37.9	9.8%
8th Grade Science (Benton Junior High School)	54.3	52.5	1.8%
8th Grade Science (Benton School District)	54.3	52.5	1.8%
8th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.5	36.1	6.4%
8th Grade Reading (Benton Junior High School)	63.8	65.7	1.9%
8th Grade Reading (Benton School District)	63.8	65.7	1.9%
8th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	53.1	50.8	2.3%
9th Grade English (Benton Junior High School)	66	58.7	7.3%
9th Grade English (Benton School District)	66	58.7	7.3%
9th Grade English (Arkansas)	58.6	53.4	5.2%
9th Grade Math (Benton Junior High School)	48.6	37.5	11.1%
9th Grade Math (Benton School District)	48.6	37.5	11.1%
9th Grade Math (Arkansas)	35.8	26.6	9.2%
9th Grade Science (Benton Junior High School)	46.5	38.1	8.4%
9th Grade Science (Benton School District)	46.5	38.1	8.4%
9th Grade Science (Arkansas)	35	31.9	3.1%
9th Grade Reading (Benton Junior High School)	50.6	40.7	9.9%
9th Grade Reading (Benton School District)	50.6	40.7	9.9%
9th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	37.4	40.6	3.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	916	943	2.9%
African American	93	93
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	7	17	142.9%
Hispanic	74	93	25.7%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	705	686	2.7%
Two or More Races	33	52	57.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	39.6%	39.2%	0.4%

Schools Near Benton Junior High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				ATLAS English Language Arts (2024)									ATLAS Reading (2024)									ATLAS Mathematics (2024)							ATLAS Algebra (2024)			ATLAS Geometry (2024)						ATLAS Science (2024)							ATLAS Biology (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	ATLAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 10th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 7th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 8th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 8th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 10th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 11th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 12th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science 7th Grade	ATLAS Science 8th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	ATLAS Biology 9th Grade	ATLAS Biology 10th Grade	ATLAS Biology 11th Grade	ATLAS Biology 12th Grade	ATLAS Biology All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Benton Junior High School	Public, Alternative	8-9	411 Border St	Benton	72015	Saline County	Benton School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 778-7698	991	61	16.2	40.6%	711 (71.7%)	101 (10.2%)	94 (9.5%)	19 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (6.7%)								(n/a)						35.0	44.6		39.6						36.2	46.0		40.9						47.6	47.6	88.6	41.4	48.9	0.0	87.3				86.1						44.0	44.0	95.7				95.7	$7,178	$686	$6,492
Bryant Junior High School	Public, Alternative	8-9	301 Hill Farm Rd	Bryant	72022	Saline County	Bryant School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 590-5139	1,553	98	15.8	46.4%	844 (54.3%)	357 (23.0%)	281 (18.1%)	25 (1.6%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	41 (2.6%)								(n/a)						43.3	46.1		44.7						43.5	44.4		44.0						27.5	27.5	65.5	23.4	37.8		51.7				51.7						44.8	44.8	76.1				76.1
Arkansas Military And First Responders Academy (Amfra)	Public, Charter, Alternative	9-10	10710 Interstate 30	Little Rock	72209	Pulaski County	Arkansas Military And First Responders Academy (Amfra)	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(501) 942-6372	80	12	6.6	72.5%	28 (35.0%)	35 (43.8%)	14 (17.5%)	1 (1.3%)	2 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							23.2	12.6	20.3							23.3	25.0	23.8									5.1	5.1		0.0	14.2			11.8								40.0	26.6			30.0
Lisa Academy Arkansas Hybrid School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	21 Corporate Hill Dr.	Little Rock	72205	Pulaski County	Lisa Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 451-4200	251	13	19.0	47.8%	65 (25.9%)	120 (47.8%)	30 (12.0%)	9 (3.6%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	24 (9.6%)								(n/a)	38.9	30.8	32.0	37.0	50.0	24.0	23.3	21.7	31.7	33.3	23.1	32.0	37.0	45.5	24.0	29.0	21.7	31.0	22.3	23.1	32.0	14.8	13.6	13.6	19.7		4.0	6.7		0.0	4.8			4.2	52.9	15.4	40.0	37.0	50.0	24.0	37.2	0.0	28.5		100.0	28.0
Driven Virtual Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	21001 Cantrell Road	Little Rock	72223	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	Yes	No	No	No	(501) 234-3703	218	21	10.3	39.9%	89 (40.8%)	92 (42.2%)	18 (8.3%)	5 (2.3%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.0%)								(n/a)					7.1	25.0	38.5	11.1	20.2					7.1	25.0	38.5	16.7	21.4					7.1	0.0	6.1		40.0	46.7			50.0	0.0	0.0	5.9					28.6	35.0	34.0	50.0	26.7	0.0		27.8

Frequently Asked Questions about Benton Junior High School

How many students attend Benton Junior High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 991 students attended Benton Junior High School.

What is the racial makeup of Benton Junior High School?

Students at Benton Junior High School are 72% White, 10% African American, 9% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Benton Junior High School in?

Benton School District

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.