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#1958 of 2,648 schools in NC

Benson Middle

Middle School · Johnston County Public Schools · Benson, NC

A Johnston County Public Schools middle school serving grades 5th – 8th.

1600 N Wall Street, Benson, NC 27504

  • Math 49% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 47% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.4Below Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.01 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.9Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency48.4% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency46.3% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-8.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-5.9 pts
Overall Proficiency47% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+0.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile42th
Resources & Environment4.9Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.4:1
District spending per student$11,352
Chronic Absenteeism33.3%

Students at Benson Middle score 47% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency49%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency47%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 18 points since 2020, reaching 48% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
80%
ELA
69%
2010
Math
74%
ELA
63%
2011
Math
81%
ELA
70%
2012
Math
24%
ELA
34%
2013
Math
27%
ELA
34%
2014
Math
30%
ELA
41%
2015
Math
31%
ELA
38%
2016
Math
26%
ELA
37%
2017
Math
23%
ELA
34%
2018
Math
21%
ELA
29%
2019
Math
21%
ELA
29%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
33%
ELA
41%
2025
Math
49%
ELA
47%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 40% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 43% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Benson Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Raleigh map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 6Car-Dependent
  • Bike 21Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,567/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Benson), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$68,376

Median home value

$217,400

Median rent

$995/mo

College educated

18.3%

Homeownership

77.5%

Poverty rate

16%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27504; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 in Johnston County Public Schools

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Archer Lodge MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.56–8Not available1,223Compare →
Cleveland MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.66–8Not available923Compare →
Four Oaks MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.76–8Not available486Compare →
Swift Creek MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.76–8Not available698Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Johnston County Public Schools

Schools in district
48
Rank in district
#35 of 48
District spending per student
$11,352NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Benson Middle is listed in Johnston County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Benson Middle

Benson Middle is a public middle school in Benson, NC, part of Johnston County Public Schools, serving approximately 493 students in grades 5th-8th with a 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 out of 10 and ranks #1,958 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 43% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Benson Middle

What grades does Benson Middle serve?

Benson Middle serves students in grades 5th through 8th.

How many students attend Benson Middle?

Benson Middle has an enrollment of approximately 493 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Benson Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Benson Middle is 15.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Benson Middle rank in NC?

Benson Middle ranks #1,958 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Benson Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Benson Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Benson Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Benson Middle has 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 43% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Benson Middle a charter school?

No, Benson Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Benson Middle a Title I school?

No, Benson Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Benson Middle?

99.4% of students at Benson Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
5th – 8th
Enrollment
493
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
32
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Johnston County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.3%
Area population (ZIP 27504)
15,999
Area average commute
29.7 min
Area median age
38.9
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 27504; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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