Benton Area High School

Q: Is Benton Area High School a good school?

Benton Area High School ranks 404 th of 686 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Benton Area High School is a public high school located in Benton, Pennsylvania, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 200 students. The school is part of the Benton Area School District, which is ranked 194 out of 610 school districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Benton Area High School has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, ranging from a high of 66 out of 693 Pennsylvania high schools in 2018-2019 (with a 5-star rating) to a low of 404 out of 686 in the current 2023-2024 school year (with a 2-star rating). The school's rankings for specific student subgroups also show disparities, with male students ranked 311 out of 662 (3-star rating) and female students ranked 466 out of 665 (2-star rating). Additionally, white students are ranked 439 out of 595 (1-star rating), and low socioeconomic status students are ranked 351 out of 664 (2-star rating). The school's four-year graduation rate has been relatively strong, ranging from 87.0% to 100.0%, but its dropout rate has fluctuated from 0.0% to 1.6%.

When compared to nearby high schools, such as Central Columbia Senior High School, Benton Area High School generally performs in the middle to lower range. The school's performance on the Keystone Exams has been mixed, with stronger results in Literature but lower proficiency rates in Algebra I and Biology compared to the state average. Additionally, Benton Area High School has seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 5.76% in 2020-2021 to 40% in 2022-2023, suggesting a growing population of students from lower-income households. The school's spending per student has also fluctuated, which may impact its ability to provide consistent educational resources and support for its students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

400 Park St
Benton, PA 17814

(570) 925-6651

District: Benton Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
404^th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,220

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 202

Racial breakdown:

White:

95.0%

African American:

2.5%

Hispanic:

2.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Benton Area High School ranks worse than 58.9% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 47.64. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Benton Area High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (95%), African American (2.5%), Hispanic (2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 98.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Benton Area High School is 14.3. (See more...)

Compare Benton Area High School employs 14 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Benton Area High School is $19,220.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Benton Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Benton Area High School 404^th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Benton Area High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Benton Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Benton Area School District 194^th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Benton Area High School

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Rank History for all students at Benton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2019	84.93	66^th	693	90.5%
2021	53.92	313^th	537	41.7%
2022	55.44	342^nd	634	46.1%
2023	58.92	306^th	674	54.6%
2024	47.64	404^th	686	41.1%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Benton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	58.70	275^th	652	57.8%
2024	48.71	351^st	664	47.1%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Benton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	35.98	466^th	665	29.9%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Benton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	55.66	311^th	662	53.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Benton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	43.61	337^th	577	41.6%
2024	31.35	439^th	595	26.2%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania 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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Benton Area High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2019	171	2	3	2	1	0	179
2020	176	1	1	1	2	0	181
2021	185	1	2	1	2	0	191
2022	178	1	2	3	1	1	186
2023	191	1	1	4	2	1	200
2024	192	5	1	4	0	0	202

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 Area High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	179	20.7	8.6	43
2020	181	20.9	8.6	24.9
2021	191	22.0	8.6	5.8
2022	186	20.8	8.9	25.3
2023	200	17.4	11.4	40
2024	202	14.0	14.3	98.5

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 Benton Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	179	20.7	8.6	43
2020	181	20.9	8.6	24.9
2021	191	22.0	8.6	5.8
2022	186	20.8	8.9	25.3
2023	200	17.4	11.4	40
2024	202	14.0	14.3	98.5

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 Benton Area High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$17,053 (100.0%)	$17,053
2020	$741 (3.2%)	$22,371 (96.8%)	$23,112
2021	$334 (3.0%)	$10,717 (97.0%)	$11,050
2022	$913 (4.8%)	$18,307 (95.2%)	$19,220

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Benton Area 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 66^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 306^th of 674 High schools	35.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Benton Area High School)	81.5	25	56.5%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Benton Area High School)	90.7	54.9	35.8%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Benton Area High School)	85.2	69.2	16%
11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)	71.5	65.3	6.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	179	200	11.7%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	2	4	100%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	171	191	11.7%
Two or More Races	0	1
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	43%	40%	3%

Schools Near Benton Area High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2024)	Keystone Exams Biology (2024)	Keystone Exams Literature (2024)	PSSA Math (2024)			PSSA Science (2024)		PSSA English Language Arts (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	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Benton Area High School	Public	9-12	400 Park St	Benton	17814	Columbia County	Benton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 925-6651	202	14	14.3	98.5%	192 (95.0%)	5 (2.5%)	4 (2.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47.6	404^th of 686 public high schools	41.1%		58.9	306^th of 674 public high schools	54.6%	98	34.3	50.0	58.4									$19,220	$913	$18,307
Millville Area Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	345 School House Lane	Millville	17846	Columbia County	Millville Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 458-5538	240	34	7.0	42.9%	226 (94.2%)	1 (0.4%)	7 (2.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.7%)	41.1	462^nd of 686 public high schools	32.7%		86.4	68^th of 674 public high schools	89.9%	394	42.8	34.4	55.1	42.8	46.0	44.5	75.0	75.0	59.6	80.4	70.9	$28,142	$2,598	$25,544
Northwest Area High School	Public	7-12	243 Thorne Hill Rd	Shickshinny	18655	Luzerne County	Northwest Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 542-4126	420	38	11.0	47.1%	405 (96.4%)	2 (0.5%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.7%)	55.3	341^st of 686 public high schools	50.3%		64.7	256^th of 674 public high schools	62.0%	85	45.3	44.6	64.6	18.3	16.4	17.3	64.4	64.4	55.0	64.4	60.1	$21,662	$560	$21,102
Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School	Public	9-12	5050 Sweppenheiser Drive	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School	No	No	No	No	(570) 784-8040	617	47	13.2	52.4%	559 (90.6%)	12 (1.9%)	23 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (2.6%)	15.8	575^th of 686 public high schools	16.2%		56.9	324^th of 674 public high schools	51.9%	251	22.0	31.0	27.4
Berwick Area High School	Public	9-12	1100 Fowler Ave	Berwick	18603	Columbia County	Berwick Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 759-6400	721	50	14.4	99.7%	578 (80.2%)	12 (1.7%)	124 (17.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.7%)	53.7	359^th of 686 public high schools	47.7%		35.4	478^th of 674 public high schools	29.1%	119	32.3	51.0	67.1									$12,062	$82	$11,980
Central Columbia Senior High School	Public	9-12	4777 Old Berwick Rd	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Central Columbia School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 784-2833	606	47	12.8	28.7%	537 (88.6%)	8 (1.3%)	27 (4.5%)	16 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.8%)	86.6	66^th of 686 public high schools	90.4%		87.8	57^th of 674 public high schools	91.5%	9	63.1	75.0	77.8									$21,169	$1,080	$20,089
Bloomsburg Area High School	Public	9-12	1200 Railroad St	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Bloomsburg Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 784-6100	389	28	14.0	42.2%	311 (79.9%)	14 (3.6%)	33 (8.5%)	10 (2.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (4.9%)	61.7	276^th of 686 public high schools	59.8%		60.3	294^th of 674 public high schools	56.4%	18	37.0	52.4	74.1									$14,399	$232	$14,166
Sullivan County Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	749 South Street	Laporte	18626	Sullivan County	Sullivan County School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 946-7001	280	27	10.4	98.9%	272 (97.1%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	64.9	248^th of 686 public high schools	63.8%		45	422^nd of 674 public high schools	37.4%	174	57.9	53.9	60.5	30.2	27.1	28.6	43.8	43.8	46.5	50.0	48.4	$25,764	$1,288	$24,476
Hughesville Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	349 Cemetery St	Hughesville	17737	Lycoming County	East Lycoming School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 584-5111	731	47	15.6	41.2%	681 (93.2%)	3 (0.4%)	10 (1.4%)	10 (1.4%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	23 (3.1%)	68.5	219^th of 686 public high schools	68.1%		37.5	467^th of 674 public high schools	30.7%	248	61.1	56.9	61.6	44.4	48.3	46.3	61.6	61.6	58.8	50.0	54.6	$15,353	$00	$15,353
Lycoming Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	293 Cemetery Street	Hughesville	17737	Lycoming County	Lycoming Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(570) 584-2300	0	9	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Benton Area High School

What is the racial makeup of Benton Area High School?

Students at Benton Area High School are 95% White, 2% African American, 2% Hispanic.

How many students attend Benton Area High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 202 students attended Benton Area High School.

Is Benton Area High School a good school?

Benton Area High School ranks 404^th of 686 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Benton Area High School in?

Benton Area 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 Pennsylvania 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.