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Below Average

#3656 of 4,742 schools in NY

Ben Franklin Middle School

Middle School · Kenmore-tonawanda Union Free School District · Buffalo, NY

A Kenmore-tonawanda Union Free School District middle school where students score 18 points below what's typical for similar communities.

540 PARKHURST BLVD, Buffalo, NY 14223

  • Math 36% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 32% proficient (2022)
  • 9.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.8Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.66 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics4.6Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency35.5% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency31.7% (2022 EdFacts)
Math vs. State Avg-7.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-16 pts
Overall Proficiency34% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)52% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-18.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile27th
Resources & Environment8.5Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio9.1:1
District spending per student$28,097
Chronic Absenteeism24.4%

Students at Ben Franklin Middle School score 34% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 52%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NY average.

Math Proficiency36%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency32%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 5 points since 2019, to 34% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
91%
ELA
75%
2010
Math
73%
ELA
54%
2011
Math
71%
ELA
59%
2012
Math
27%
ELA
34%
2013
Math
30%
ELA
26%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
24%
2015
Math
35%
ELA
28%
2016
Math
37%
ELA
27%
2017
Math
38%
ELA
29%
2018
Math
44%
ELA
34%
2019
Math
44%
ELA
34%
2020*
Math
26%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
26%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
36%
ELA
32%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

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

Based on 34 test records from NY state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

49.4%

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 Ben Franklin Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 52Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 26Some Transit
  • Bike 40Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,549/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Buffalo), 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

$83,528

Median home value

$202,200

Median rent

$976/mo

College educated

43.8%

Homeownership

81%

Poverty rate

8.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 14223; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Herbert Hoover Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.95–71.7 mi764Compare →
Sweet Home Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.66–81.8 mi800Compare →
Amherst Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.16–82.4 mi646Compare →
Nativitymiguel Middle School, St Monica CampusPrivate · tuition6.1private5–82.7 mi59Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Kenmore-tonawanda Union Free School District

Schools in district
10
Rank in district
#5 of 9
District spending per student
$28,097NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Ben Franklin Middle School is listed in KENMORE-TONAWANDA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Ben Franklin Middle School

Ben Franklin Middle School is a public middle school in Buffalo, NY, part of Kenmore-tonawanda Union Free School District, serving approximately 616 students in grades 5th-7th with a 9.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.9 out of 10 and ranks #3,656 of 4,742 schools in NY. State assessment records show 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Ben Franklin Middle School

What grades does Ben Franklin Middle School serve?

Ben Franklin Middle School serves students in grades 5th through 7th.

How many students attend Ben Franklin Middle School?

Ben Franklin Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 616 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Ben Franklin Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Ben Franklin Middle School is 9.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Ben Franklin Middle School rank in NY?

Ben Franklin Middle School ranks #3,656 of 4,742 schools in NY.

What is Ben Franklin Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Ben Franklin Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.9 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 Ben Franklin Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Ben Franklin Middle School has 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Ben Franklin Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Ben Franklin Middle School a Title I school?

No, Ben Franklin Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Ben Franklin Middle School?

49.4% of students at Ben Franklin Middle School 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 – 7th
Enrollment
616
Student-Teacher Ratio
9.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
68
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Erie County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
24.4%
Area population (ZIP 14223)
22,363
Area average commute
19.4 min
Area median age
42.1
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 · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • 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 · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • 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 14223; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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