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Benson Middle School

Summary:

Benson Middle School is a public middle school in Benson, Arizona, serving 295 students in grades 5-8. The school is part of the Benson Unified School District, which is ranked 144 out of 288 school districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Benson Middle School performs on par with or slightly above the district and state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics, with proficiency rates ranging from 44% to 50% in ELA and 34% to 40% in Math. The school's 8th grade science proficiency rate of 33% is also higher than the district and state averages. However, the school has seen a gradual increase in its dropout rate, rising from 0.4% in 2016-2017 to 2.0% in 2021-2022.

Interestingly, Benson Middle School has a significant population of low-income students, with 52.54% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. Despite this, the school's low-income students are performing well, ranking 71st out of 314 Arizona middle schools for this subgroup in 2023-2024. The school has also seen varying performance among its racial subgroups, with Hispanic students performing relatively well but Asian and African American students struggling.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 360 S Patagonia St
       Benson, AZ  85602-6533

(520) 720-6801

District: Benson Unified School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
217th of 533 Arizona Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,068 Help


Students who attend Benson Middle School usually attend:

High:    Benson High School

Feeder schools for Benson Middle School:

Elementary:    Benson Primary School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.9 Help
Number of students:  295

Racial breakdown:

White:
61.7%
Hispanic:
29.8%
Two or more races:
4.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  52.5% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Benson Middle School ranks better than 59.3% of middle schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 51.08. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (61.7%), Hispanic (29.8%), two or more races (4.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 52.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Benson Middle School is 15.9. (See more...)
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Compare Benson Middle School employs 18.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Benson Middle School is $11,068.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Benson Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Benson Middle School 217th of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Benson Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Benson Unified School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Benson Unified School District 144th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Benson Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 66.02 209th 663 68.5%
2010 58.58 260th 692 62.4%
2011 66.24 214th 685 68.8%
2012 62.60 267th 772 65.4%
2013 68.60 214th 787 72.8%
2014 65.92 220th 690 68.1%
2015 62.11 161st 521 69.1%
2016 75.56 141st 677 79.2%
2017 62.11 213th 695 69.4%
2018 70.03 182nd 711 74.4%
2019 53.75 250th 605 58.7%
2021 57.34 281st 832 66.2%
2022 63.66 196th 605 67.6%
2023 67.57 213th 854 75.1%
2024 51.08 217th 533 59.3%
See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 50.80 277th 650 57.4%
2022 35.48 169th 211 19.9%
2023 65.11 88th 384 77.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.84 272nd 606 55.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 48.49 283rd 789 64.1%
2023 28.06 260th 363 28.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.27 85th 503 83.1%
2022 65.58 97th 369 73.7%
2023 71.12 131st 717 81.7%
2024 66.64 71st 314 77.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 78.96 9th 257 96.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.19 165th 624 73.6%
2019 57.45 185th 466 60.3%
2021 53.11 308th 820 62.4%
2022 49.57 228th 494 53.8%
2023 66.24 214th 806 73.4%
2024 46.48 182nd 379 52.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.50 155th 166 6.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 76.04 14th 143 90.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.02 194th 617 68.6%
2019 48.32 202nd 435 53.6%
2021 62.11 237th 818 71.0%
2022 52.67 209th 476 56.1%
2023 64.10 231st 810 71.5%
2024 35.52 214th 356 39.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 35.98 287th 404 29.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 23.34 496th 573 13.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.64 110th 543 79.7%
2019 67.26 96th 387 75.2%
2021 52.92 268th 802 66.6%
2022 77.35 61st 392 84.4%
2023 73.86 132nd 760 82.6%
2024 49.99 122nd 322 62.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 89.69 5th 159 96.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Benson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.24 217th 436 50.2%
2019 36.57 220th 337 34.7%
2021 50.95 346th 780 55.6%
2022 31.36 339th 446 24.0%
2023 48.10 324th 675 52.0%
2024 33.14 191st 273 30.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Benson Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Benson Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2001 243 7 2 85 3 n/a n/a 0 340
2002 222 8 4 88 7 n/a n/a 0 329
2003 222 8 4 88 7 n/a n/a 0 329
2004 208 2 4 73 11 n/a n/a 0 298
2005 205 2 3 63 7 n/a n/a 0 280
2006 232 2 5 55 8 n/a n/a 0 302
2007 205 3 4 49 11 n/a n/a 0 272
2008 211 2 3 56 6 n/a n/a 0 278
2009 227 3 7 69 4 n/a n/a 0 310
2010 239 8 7 73 4 n/a n/a 0 331
2011 239 6 4 79 7 3 3 0 341
2012 243 5 7 92 7 2 2 0 358
2013 238 7 6 90 7 2 2 0 352
2014 227 9 5 81 7 1 3 0 333
2015 235 10 4 104 3 4 6 0 366
2016 237 12 3 102 4 3 8 0 369
2017 234 11 2 112 3 2 4 0 368
2018 183 6 1 85 1 0 4 0 280
2019 189 9 0 100 4 1 4 0 307
2020 222 6 3 89 1 1 6 0 328
2021 182 1 4 79 1 1 8 0 276
2022 196 0 3 68 0 3 15 0 285
2023 182 2 2 88 3 5 13 0 295

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 Benson Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 340 19.3 17.6 n/a
2002 329 19.5 16.9 98.8
2003 329 19.5 16.9 98.8
2004 298 20.5 14.5 46
2005 280 20.0 14.0 54.3
2006 302 20.0 15.1 57.3
2007 272 20.4 13.3 n/a
2008 278 19.8 14.0 41
2009 310 20.9 14.8 42.6
2010 331 20.5 16.1 51.1
2011 341 20.6 16.5 53.4
2012 358 20.3 17.6 58.1
2013 352 20.0 17.6 53.1
2014 333 18.0 18.5 55.9
2015 366 19.0 19.2 52.7
2016 369 18.0 20.5 39.8
2017 368 20.0 18.4 49.7
2018 280 15.0 18.6 46.8
2019 307 15.0 20.4 50.8
2020 328 15.0 21.8 48.5
2021 276 15.0 18.4 n/a
2022 285 19.0 15.0 24.9
2023 295 18.5 15.9 52.5

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 Benson Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 340 19.3 17.6 n/a
2002 329 19.5 16.9 98.8
2003 329 19.5 16.9 98.8
2004 298 20.5 14.5 46
2005 280 20.0 14.0 54.3
2006 302 20.0 15.1 57.3
2007 272 20.4 13.3 n/a
2008 278 19.8 14.0 41
2009 310 20.9 14.8 42.6
2010 331 20.5 16.1 51.1
2011 341 20.6 16.5 53.4
2012 358 20.3 17.6 58.1
2013 352 20.0 17.6 53.1
2014 333 18.0 18.5 55.9
2015 366 19.0 19.2 52.7
2016 369 18.0 20.5 39.8
2017 368 20.0 18.4 49.7
2018 280 15.0 18.6 46.8
2019 307 15.0 20.4 50.8
2020 328 15.0 21.8 48.5
2021 276 15.0 18.4 n/a
2022 285 19.0 15.0 24.9
2023 295 18.5 15.9 52.5

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 Benson Middle School

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $369 (4.4%) $417 (5.0%) $1,155 (13.8%) $6,243 (74.8%) $1,316 (15.8%) $7,559 (90.6%) $8,345
2020 $559 (7.0%) $391 (4.9%) $1,510 (18.8%) $6,094 (76.0%) $969 (12.1%) $7,063 (88.1%) $8,014
2021 $1,600 (16.6%) $504 (5.2%) $3,704 (38.5%) $5,992 (62.2%) $1,536 (15.9%) $7,528 (78.2%) $9,632
2022 $1,324 (12.0%) $492 (4.4%) $3,141 (28.4%) $8,002 (72.3%) $1,249 (11.3%) $9,252 (83.6%) $11,068

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Benson 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 250th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 213th of 854 Middle schools
 16.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students307295
 3.9%
African American92
 77.8%
American Indian43
 25%
Asian02
Hispanic10088
 12%
Pacific Islander15
 400%
White189182
 3.7%
Two or More Races413
 225%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.8%52.5%
 1.7%

Schools Near Benson Middle School








Frequently Asked Questions about Benson Middle School

Students at Benson Middle School are 62% White, 30% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% Pacific Islander, 1% American Indian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 295 students attended Benson Middle School.

Benson Middle School ranks 217th of 533 Arizona middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of 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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