Benton Middle School

Summary:

Benton Middle School is a public middle school serving 1,367 students in grades 5-7 in the Benton School District in Benton, Arkansas. The school has consistently ranked among the top middle schools in the state, maintaining a 4 or 5-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past 10 years.

Benton Middle School stands out for its exceptional academic performance, consistently outperforming the state and district averages in proficiency rates across all subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's overall proficiency rate in Mathematics was 46.5%, compared to the state average of 36.4%. Additionally, the school's students perform significantly better on the ACT Aspire assessments, with 80.2% proficiency in English, 65.8% in Math, and 47.1% in Science for 7th graders in 2022-2023, all well above the state averages. This consistent high performance has earned Benton Middle School a statewide ranking in the top 15% of Arkansas middle schools since 2013-2014.

Interestingly, Benton Middle School outperforms nearby schools, such as Ark Virtual Academy Middle School and the middle schools in the Little Rock School District, in academic proficiency across all subject areas. This exceptional performance is achieved despite Benton Middle School having a lower percentage of free and reduced lunch recipients (36.32% to 43.96%) compared to the nearby schools, and a lower spending per student ($6,432 in 2018-2019) than the Little Rock School District middle schools. These findings suggest that Benton Middle School is able to deliver exceptional educational outcomes with relatively lower funding and a more diverse student population.


Detail:

Public 5-7

 204 N Cox St
       Benton, AR  72015


(501) 776-5740

District: Benton School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
104th of 335 Arkansas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,432 Help


Students who attend Benton Middle School usually attend:

High:    Benton High School

Feeder schools for Benton Middle School:

Elementary:    Angie Grant Elementary School
    Caldwell Elementary School
    Perrin Elementary School
    Ringgold Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  18.0 Help
Number of students:  1,367

Racial breakdown:

White:
76.0%
African American:
9.9%
Hispanic:
8.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Benton Middle School ranks better than 69% of middle schools in Arkansas. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.54. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (76%), African American (9.9%), Hispanic (8.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 44% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Benton Middle School is 18. (See more...)
Help
Compare Benton Middle School employs 75.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Benton Middle School is $6,432.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Benton Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Benton Middle School 104th of 335 Arkansas public middle schools. (See Benton Middle School in the ranking list.)

Benton School District:

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


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Your rating for Benton Middle School?

Rank History for Benton Middle School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 69.15 57th 208 72.6%
2006 78.78 22nd 206 89.3%
2007 74.06 42nd 225 81.3%
2008 74.84 44th 223 80.3%
2009 80.98 23rd 240 90.4%
2010 83.47 15th 254 94.1%
2011 81.86 21st 264 92.0%
2012 85.26 8th 265 97.0%
2013 86.08 10th 278 96.4%
2014 81.08 25th 280 91.1%
2015 91.47 9th 275 96.7%
2016 76.86 41st 312 86.9%
2017 76.07 45th 315 85.7%
2018 79.54 45th 318 85.8%
2019 80.34 44th 319 86.2%
2021 78.12 49th 330 85.2%
2022 75.80 56th 318 82.4%
2023 70.65 84th 330 74.5%
2024 60.54 104th 335 69.0%
See the entire list of Arkansas Middle School Rankings!

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

Benton Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    






Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Thursday, January 23, 2020

Open Quote former student. got bullied super hard here and the teachers didn’t seem to know what to do nor care. vice principal tried to force me out of the closet to my parents. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Benton Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 582 30 3 1 0 n/a n/a 0 616
1989 550 31 2 n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 583
1990 562 28 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 594
1991 616 36 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 656
1992 635 43 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 685
1993 682 39 2 4 7 n/a n/a 0 734
1994 688 48 2 4 5 n/a n/a 0 747
1995 680 36 2 7 0 n/a n/a 0 725
1996 680 36 2 7 0 n/a n/a 0 725
1997 670 42 5 5 0 n/a n/a 0 722
1998 656 37 5 6 1 n/a n/a 0 705
1999 637 33 7 10 2 n/a n/a 0 689
2000 589 35 6 12 0 n/a n/a 0 642
2001 600 42 5 9 1 n/a n/a 0 657
2002 668 25 3 18 4 n/a n/a 0 718
2003 668 25 3 18 4 n/a n/a 0 718
2004 682 40 3 23 4 n/a n/a 0 752
2005 636 49 3 19 2 n/a n/a 0 709
2006 612 35 6 20 4 n/a n/a 0 677
2007 639 45 3 26 3 n/a n/a 0 716
2008 625 49 1 28 3 n/a n/a 0 706
2009 626 54 3 35 3 n/a n/a 0 721
2010 642 66 4 40 3 0 1 0 756
2011 640 52 3 51 1 1 9 0 757
2012 620 53 5 45 0 2 18 0 743
2013 645 62 7 42 1 1 18 0 776
2014 652 56 4 45 1 0 20 0 778
2015 626 55 5 49 3 0 19 0 757
2016 625 65 7 60 3 0 29 0 789
2017 638 76 8 71 1 1 22 0 817
2018 1018 115 15 107 7 1 33 0 1296
2019 1001 120 17 119 6 1 41 0 1305
2020 1048 127 20 119 2 1 55 0 1372
2021 995 121 18 109 1 1 60 0 1305
2022 1031 138 15 109 2 1 63 0 1359
2023 1039 135 10 121 2 0 60 0 1367

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 Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 616 33.0 18.6 n/a
1989 583 34.0 17.1 n/a
1990 594 34.0 17.4 15.8
1991 656 33.9 19.3 17.8
1992 685 35.6 19.2 21.2
1993 734 37.7 19.5 18
1994 747 37.5 19.9 14.9
1995 725 36.1 20.1 12.8
1996 725 36.1 20.1 12.8
1997 722 37.2 19.4 14.8
1998 705 37.2 19.0 14.6
1999 689 25.6 26.9 20.9
2000 642 51.0 12.6 24.5
2001 657 45.0 14.6 23.7
2002 718 35.0 20.5 27.7
2003 718 35.0 20.5 27.7
2004 752 41.0 18.3 28.5
2005 709 40.0 17.7 32
2006 677 41.0 16.5 34.3
2007 716 48.0 14.9 34.6
2008 706 49.0 14.4 38
2009 721 48.0 15.0 37.7
2010 756 47.7 15.1 36.5
2011 757 44.3 17.0 39.8
2012 743 43.5 17.0 38.5
2013 776 44.5 17.4 37.9
2014 778 43.8 17.7 35.5
2015 757 45.0 16.8 38.4
2016 789 45.0 17.5 44.4
2017 817 45.1 18.1 23.3
2018 1296 70.5 18.3 24.1
2019 1305 72.7 17.9 41.9
2020 1372 75.6 18.1 41.5
2021 1305 75.9 17.1 36.3
2022 1359 73.7 18.4 42.2
2023 1367 75.8 18.0 44

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 Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 616 33.0 18.6 n/a
1989 583 34.0 17.1 n/a
1990 594 34.0 17.4 15.8
1991 656 33.9 19.3 17.8
1992 685 35.6 19.2 21.2
1993 734 37.7 19.5 18
1994 747 37.5 19.9 14.9
1995 725 36.1 20.1 12.8
1996 725 36.1 20.1 12.8
1997 722 37.2 19.4 14.8
1998 705 37.2 19.0 14.6
1999 689 25.6 26.9 20.9
2000 642 51.0 12.6 24.5
2001 657 45.0 14.6 23.7
2002 718 35.0 20.5 27.7
2003 718 35.0 20.5 27.7
2004 752 41.0 18.3 28.5
2005 709 40.0 17.7 32
2006 677 41.0 16.5 34.3
2007 716 48.0 14.9 34.6
2008 706 49.0 14.4 38
2009 721 48.0 15.0 37.7
2010 756 47.7 15.1 36.5
2011 757 44.3 17.0 39.8
2012 743 43.5 17.0 38.5
2013 776 44.5 17.4 37.9
2014 778 43.8 17.7 35.5
2015 757 45.0 16.8 38.4
2016 789 45.0 17.5 44.4
2017 817 45.1 18.1 23.3
2018 1296 70.5 18.3 24.1
2019 1305 72.7 17.9 41.9
2020 1372 75.6 18.1 41.5
2021 1305 75.9 17.1 36.3
2022 1359 73.7 18.4 42.2
2023 1367 75.8 18.0 44

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 Middle School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $720 (11.2%) $5,712 (88.8%) $6,432

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Benton Middle 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 44th of 319 Middle schoolsRanks 84th of 330 Middle schools
 11.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade English (Benton Middle School)7775.9
 1.1%
   5th Grade English (Benton School District)7775.9
 1.1%
   5th Grade English (Arkansas)73.370.2
 3.1%
5th Grade Math (Benton Middle School)58.950.2
 8.7%
   5th Grade Math (Benton School District)58.950.2
 8.7%
   5th Grade Math (Arkansas)49.240.7
 8.5%
5th Grade Science (Benton Middle School)50.638.1
 12.5%
   5th Grade Science (Benton School District)50.638.1
 12.5%
   5th Grade Science (Arkansas)40.734.6
 6.1%
5th Grade Reading (Benton Middle School)49.436.3
 13.1%
   5th Grade Reading (Benton School District)49.436.3
 13.1%
   5th Grade Reading (Arkansas)4136.8
 4.2%
6th Grade English (Benton Middle School)77.372.4
 4.9%
   6th Grade English (Benton School District)77.372.4
 4.9%
   6th Grade English (Arkansas)72.867.6
 5.2%
6th Grade Math (Benton Middle School)69.160.1
 9%
   6th Grade Math (Benton School District)69.160.1
 9%
   6th Grade Math (Arkansas)53.747
 6.7%
6th Grade Science (Benton Middle School)57.643.9
 13.7%
   6th Grade Science (Benton School District)57.643.9
 13.7%
   6th Grade Science (Arkansas)45.840.3
 5.5%
6th Grade Reading (Benton Middle School)4937
 12%
   6th Grade Reading (Benton School District)4937
 12%
   6th Grade Reading (Arkansas)43.139
 4.1%
7th Grade English (Benton Middle School)90.580.2
 10.3%
   7th Grade English (Benton School District)90.580.2
 10.3%
   7th Grade English (Arkansas)78.375.1
 3.2%
7th Grade Math (Benton Middle School)71.465.8
 5.6%
   7th Grade Math (Benton School District)71.465.8
 5.6%
   7th Grade Math (Arkansas)47.739.6
 8.1%
7th Grade Science (Benton Middle School)58.647.1
 11.5%
   7th Grade Science (Benton School District)58.647.1
 11.5%
   7th Grade Science (Arkansas)4338.5
 4.5%
7th Grade Reading (Benton Middle School)50.335
 15.3%
   7th Grade Reading (Benton School District)50.335
 15.3%
   7th Grade Reading (Arkansas)39.234.2
 5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students13051367
 4.8%
African American120135
 12.5%
American Indian62
 66.7%
Asian1710
 41.2%
Hispanic119121
 1.7%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White10011039
 3.8%
Two or More Races4160
 46.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients41.9%44%
 2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Benton Middle School

Benton Middle School ranks 104th of 335 Arkansas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Benton Middle School usually go on to attend Benton High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,367 students attended Benton Middle School.

Students at Benton Middle School are 76% White, 10% African American, 9% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.


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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.





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