Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Summary:

Benjamin Franklin Middle School is a public middle school in Valparaiso, Indiana, serving 821 students in grades 6-8 and part of the highly-ranked Valparaiso Community Schools district.

Benjamin Franklin Middle School consistently ranks among the top 30 middle schools in Indiana, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in ILEARN English Language Arts and Math assessments are significantly higher than the state and district averages, particularly in 6th and 8th grades. For example, in 2023-2024, 66.67% of 6th graders at Benjamin Franklin were proficient in ELA, compared to 55.46% in the Valparaiso district and 41.1% statewide. In Math, 62.95% of 6th graders at Benjamin Franklin were proficient, compared to 55.24% in the district and 38.1% statewide. However, the school has a relatively homogeneous student population, with 77.95% of students identifying as White, higher than nearby schools like Thomas Jefferson Middle School (70% White) and River Forest Middle School (35.88% White).

Benjamin Franklin Middle School also stands out for its lower chronic absenteeism rate of 9.4% in the 2022-2023 school year, significantly lower than the rates at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (13.9%) and River Forest Middle School (15.2%). Additionally, the school has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (22.17% in 2022-2023) compared to many of the surrounding schools, such as Thomas Jefferson Middle School (40.78%) and River Forest Middle School (87.07%).

Detail:

Public 6-8

605 Campbell
Valparaiso, IN 46385

(219) 531-3020

District: Valparaiso Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
28^th of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,715

Students who attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School usually attend:

High:

Valparaiso High School

Feeder schools for Benjamin Franklin Middle School:

Elementary:	Central Elementary School
	Cooks Corners Elementary School
	Memorial Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.2

Number of students: 821

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.0%

Hispanic:

12.1%

Two or more races:

4.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 22.2%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare Benjamin Franklin Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Benjamin Franklin Middle School ranks better than 94.2% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.91. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (78%), Hispanic (12.1%), two or more races (4.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 22.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Benjamin Franklin Middle School is 16.2. (See more...)

Compare Benjamin Franklin Middle School employs 50.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Benjamin Franklin Middle School is $9,715.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Benjamin Franklin Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Benjamin Franklin Middle School 28^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Benjamin Franklin Middle School in the ranking list.)

Valparaiso Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Valparaiso Community Schools 14^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Benjamin Franklin Middle School.

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Rank History for Benjamin Franklin Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	81.81	25^th	222	88.7%
2005	83.50	28^th	370	92.4%
2006	82.15	35^th	375	90.7%
2007	85.74	21^st	382	94.5%
2008	85.22	24^th	392	93.9%
2009	90.40	15^th	423	96.5%
2010	86.32	20^th	428	95.3%
2011	87.44	19^th	451	95.8%
2012	87.51	18^th	447	96.0%
2013	83.01	35^th	444	92.1%
2014	79.92	55^th	470	88.3%
2015	84.04	47^th	485	90.3%
2016	84.60	33^rd	494	93.3%
2017	87.40	30^th	472	93.6%
2018	87.54	31^st	473	93.4%
2019	92.24	24^th	470	94.9%
2021	93.48	22^nd	483	95.4%
2022	93.69	23^rd	490	95.3%
2023	94.25	17^th	489	96.5%
2024	92.91	28^th	485	94.2%

See the entire list of Indiana Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Thursday, February 3, 2011

Teachers and administrators at Ben Franklin really care about all students. It is a great place to be. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	588	3	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	596
1989	635	3	10	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	656
1990	654	5	6	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	670
1991	671	5	12	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	697
1992	657	5	20	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	701
1993	695	4	27	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	740
1994	638	8	20	15	10	n/a	n/a	0	691
1995	706	12	12	18	4	n/a	n/a	8	760
1996	706	12	12	18	4	n/a	n/a	8	760
1997	707	10	15	8	2	n/a	n/a	12	754
1998	686	7	18	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	716
1999	689	8	12	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	719
2000	706	13	22	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	760
2001	680	16	17	18	2	n/a	n/a	0	733
2002	719	9	8	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	752
2003	719	9	8	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	752
2004	706	12	16	24	1	n/a	n/a	0	759
2005	696	10	17	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	746
2006	684	16	16	26	0	n/a	n/a	0	742
2007	641	16	15	33	1	n/a	n/a	38	744
2008	658	14	13	37	2	n/a	n/a	39	763
2009	703	12	14	39	1	n/a	n/a	35	804
2010	690	17	13	48	2	n/a	n/a	33	803
2011	674	14	15	53	2	0	27	0	785
2012	674	8	13	45	0	1	20	0	761
2013	687	13	13	47	0	1	30	0	791
2014	761	14	14	56	0	0	22	0	867
2015	711	19	12	62	0	0	28	0	832
2016	696	20	14	57	0	0	29	0	816
2017	609	17	17	58	0	1	27	0	729
2018	648	18	15	86	0	1	30	0	798
2019	665	23	13	92	0	1	26	0	820
2020	654	25	19	101	0	1	28	0	828
2021	641	24	20	98	0	1	28	0	812
2022	634	24	21	110	0	1	25	0	815
2023	640	23	22	99	1	0	36	0	821

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 Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	596	32.6	18.2	11.1
1989	656	34.8	18.8	6.7
1990	670	37.5	17.8	5.7
1991	697	40.2	17.3	7
1992	701	39.5	17.7	7.8
1993	740	40.6	18.2	8.6
1994	691	40.5	17.1	10.6
1995	760	42.4	17.9	8.5
1996	760	42.4	17.9	8.5
1997	754	40.8	18.5	10.4
1998	716	41.9	17.1	9.2
1999	719	41.1	17.5	10.6
2000	760	42.2	18.0	9.3
2001	733	42.7	17.2	9.7
2002	752	43.6	17.2	13.3
2003	752	43.6	17.2	13.3
2004	759	43.2	17.6	13
2005	746	43.8	17.0	13.8
2006	742	42.9	17.3	17.1
2007	744	n/a	n/a	15.9
2008	763	42.3	18.0	15.6
2009	804	41.4	19.4	13.9
2010	803	45.5	17.6	18.4
2011	785	41.4	18.9	17.5
2012	761	48.9	15.5	18.9
2013	791	45.5	17.3	20.1
2014	867	47.9	18.1	21
2015	832	47.0	17.7	19.4
2016	816	47.0	17.3	17.3
2017	729	47.8	15.2	16.9
2018	798	51.6	15.4	21.1
2019	820	45.0	18.2	23
2020	828	49.0	16.8	22.6
2021	812	47.5	17.0	23
2022	815	54.0	15.0	23.1
2023	821	50.6	16.2	22.2

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 Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	596	32.6	18.2	11.1
1989	656	34.8	18.8	6.7
1990	670	37.5	17.8	5.7
1991	697	40.2	17.3	7
1992	701	39.5	17.7	7.8
1993	740	40.6	18.2	8.6
1994	691	40.5	17.1	10.6
1995	760	42.4	17.9	8.5
1996	760	42.4	17.9	8.5
1997	754	40.8	18.5	10.4
1998	716	41.9	17.1	9.2
1999	719	41.1	17.5	10.6
2000	760	42.2	18.0	9.3
2001	733	42.7	17.2	9.7
2002	752	43.6	17.2	13.3
2003	752	43.6	17.2	13.3
2004	759	43.2	17.6	13
2005	746	43.8	17.0	13.8
2006	742	42.9	17.3	17.1
2007	744	n/a	n/a	15.9
2008	763	42.3	18.0	15.6
2009	804	41.4	19.4	13.9
2010	803	45.5	17.6	18.4
2011	785	41.4	18.9	17.5
2012	761	48.9	15.5	18.9
2013	791	45.5	17.3	20.1
2014	867	47.9	18.1	21
2015	832	47.0	17.7	19.4
2016	816	47.0	17.3	17.3
2017	729	47.8	15.2	16.9
2018	798	51.6	15.4	21.1
2019	820	45.0	18.2	23
2020	828	49.0	16.8	22.6
2021	812	47.5	17.0	23
2022	815	54.0	15.0	23.1
2023	821	50.6	16.2	22.2

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 Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$27 (0.3%)	$8,762 (99.7%)	$8,789
2020	$34 (0.4%)	$8,532 (99.6%)	$8,566
2021	$55 (0.6%)	$9,149 (99.4%)	$9,204
2022	$282 (2.9%)	$9,433 (97.1%)	$9,715

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Benjamin Franklin 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 24^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 17^th of 489 Middle schools	1.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Benjamin Franklin Middle School)	82.1	67.7	14.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Valparaiso Community Schools)	73.9	64.5	9.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Benjamin Franklin Middle School)	75.3	68.4	6.9%
6th Grade Math (Valparaiso Community Schools)	70.9	63.9	7%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Benjamin Franklin Middle School)	81.4	63.1	18.3%
6th Grade Science (Valparaiso Community Schools)	75.4	60.2	15.2%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Benjamin Franklin Middle School)	73.5	59.3	14.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Valparaiso Community Schools)	71.4	52.8	18.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Benjamin Franklin Middle School)	65.6	57.4	8.2%
7th Grade Math (Valparaiso Community Schools)	64.8	53.9	10.9%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Benjamin Franklin Middle School)	63.5	67.1	3.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Valparaiso Community Schools)	63	64.5	1.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Benjamin Franklin Middle School)	48.5	47.7	0.8%
8th Grade Math (Valparaiso Community Schools)	45.8	46.8	1%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%
End of Course Biology (Benjamin Franklin Middle School)	100	94	6%
End of Course Biology (Valparaiso Community Schools)	59.9	47.9	12%
End of Course Biology (Indiana)	38.6	29	9.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	820	821	0.1%
African American	23	23
American Indian	0	1
Asian	13	22	69.2%
Hispanic	92	99	7.6%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	665	640	3.8%
Two or More Races	26	36	38.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	23%	22.2%	0.9%

Schools Near Benjamin Franklin Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)					ILEARN Math (2024)					ILEARN Social Studies (2024)	ILEARN Biology (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Benjamin Franklin Middle School	Public	6-8	605 Campbell	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 531-3020	821	51	16.2	22.2%	640 (78.0%)	23 (2.8%)	99 (12.1%)	22 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.4%)	92.9	28^th of 485 public middle schools	94.2%		94.2	17^th of 489 public middle schools	96.5%	11		66.7	60.5	63.1	63.3		63.0	55.1	48.7	55.5		98.5	$9,715	$282	$9,433
Thomas Jefferson Middle School	Public	6-8	1600 Roosevelt Rd	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 531-3140	640	45	14.3	40.8%	448 (70.0%)	41 (6.4%)	97 (15.2%)	16 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.9%)	77.8	91^st of 485 public middle schools	81.2%		86.8	52^nd of 489 public middle schools	89.4%	39		41.8	58.3	46.5	48.8		45.9	47.3	44.3	45.8		94.0	$10,582	$153	$10,428
Union Township Middle School	Public	6-8	599 W 300 N	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Union Township School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 759-2562	324	24	13.5	30.2%	270 (83.3%)	6 (1.9%)	37 (11.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	94.7	19^th of 485 public middle schools	96.1%		86.2	54^th of 489 public middle schools	89.0%	35		64.6	72.6	73.3	70.0		51.8	62.8	61.0	58.3			$10,046	$235	$9,811
Liberty Intermediate School	Public	5-6	50 W 900 N	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(219) 983-3690	351	23	15.3	24.2%	272 (77.5%)	7 (2.0%)	54 (15.4%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)								(n/a)	68.0	60.7			64.4	71.3	61.9			66.7	69.1		$12,071	$531	$11,540
Boone Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	325 W 550 S	Boone Grove	46302	Porter County	Porter Township School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 464-4828	323	22	15.0	34.1%	253 (78.3%)	11 (3.4%)	49 (15.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	67.5	154^th of 485 public middle schools	68.2%		61.5	175^th of 489 public middle schools	64.2%	21		40.5	54.4	46.8	47.2		40.5	39.1	27.5	35.2			$9,647	$179	$9,468
Westchester Intermediate School	Public	5-6	1050 S 5th St	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 983-3710	478	29	16.7	35.6%	369 (77.2%)	15 (3.1%)	60 (12.6%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	28 (5.9%)								(n/a)	59.7	70.2			65.1	61.8	72.6			67.4	54.0		$11,920	$514	$11,406
Chesterton Middle School	Public	7-8	651 W Morgan Ave	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(219) 983-3776	884	51	17.3	30.1%	669 (75.7%)	22 (2.5%)	147 (16.6%)	10 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	33 (3.7%)	96.6	6^th of 485 public middle schools	98.8%		94.2	18^th of 489 public middle schools	96.3%	12			66.2	65.4	65.8			65.7	61.6	63.6		94.0	$10,646	$163	$10,483
Willowcreek Middle School	Public	6-8	5962 Central Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8090	949	62	15.4	59.0%	483 (50.9%)	148 (15.6%)	266 (28.0%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (5.0%)	41.6	290^th of 485 public middle schools	40.2%		42.8	271^st of 489 public middle schools	44.6%	19		27.1	31.3	37.5	32.1		25.8	25.9	25.9	25.9		74.4	$10,764	$898	$9,866
William Fegely Middle School	Public	6-8	5384 Stone Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8150	633	41	15.6	66.2%	283 (44.7%)	111 (17.5%)	188 (29.7%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.1%)	36.8	317^th of 485 public middle schools	34.6%		38.9	304^th of 489 public middle schools	37.8%	13		32.0	29.5	30.3	30.6		15.2	27.9	24.1	22.2		62.5	$11,068	$915	$10,153
Hobart Middle School	Public	6-8	36 E 8th St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	School City of Hobart	No	No	No	No	(219) 942-8541	917	49	18.9	53.7%	546 (59.5%)	78 (8.5%)	239 (26.1%)	14 (1.5%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	37 (4.0%)	60.3	184^th of 485 public middle schools	62.1%		56.9	207^th of 489 public middle schools	57.7%	23		41.7	43.0	43.9	42.9		41.8	29.1	26.2	32.5		60.7	$10,636	$916	$9,720

Frequently Asked Questions about Benjamin Franklin Middle School

What high school do graduates of Benjamin Franklin Middle School attend?

Students who attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School usually go on to attend Valparaiso High School

What district is Benjamin Franklin Middle School in?

Valparaiso Community Schools

How many students attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 821 students attended Benjamin Franklin Middle School.

Is Benjamin Franklin Middle School a good school?

Yes. Benjamin Franklin Middle School ranks in the top 5.8% of Indiana middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Benjamin Franklin Middle School?

Students at Benjamin Franklin Middle School are 78% White, 12% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American, 3% Asian.

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