Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 88 schools in district

Ben Franklin Academy

2270 PLAZA DR, HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO 80129Douglas County School District No. Re 1 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Charter
893
Students
Total enrolled
$14,103
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
19.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 27% vs nat'l
57/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↑ 15% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 893 students in grades PK–08 in HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colorado.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,103 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Above-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 57th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Ben Franklin Academy is a large elementary in HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colorado, serving grades PK–08 with 893 students. The district invests $14,103 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 19.6:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 3% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Ben Franklin Academy

893
Total Students
19.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
3%
Free Lunch
46
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution440 male · 453 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility3%
National avg 52% · 30 students
Student Composition
77%
12%
Asian4%
White77%
Hispanic / Latino12%
Black1%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 080345006492

Academic Outcomes at Ben Franklin Academy

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
57
/ 100
Above-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 57th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 96th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 80129

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,103Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,103
State avg
$22,657
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,205
Student Support$2,680
Administration$1,692
Operations$2,115
Other$1,410
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,103 spent per student, an estimated $6,248 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
41%
53%
State government
40.8%
Local (property tax)
52.8%
Federal programs
6.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 3% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Charter school — may offer specialized curriculum or alternative teaching approaches
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
American AcademyLeman Classical AcademyAspen View AcademyPine Lane Elementary
+6 more
↓
Middle
Rocky Heights Middle SchoolCimarron MiddleMesa Middle SchoolMountain Ridge Middle School
+4 more
↓
High School
Rock Canyon High SchoolMountain Vista High SchoolLegend High SchoolChaparral High School
+6 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyDouglas County
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictDouglas County School District No. Re 1 →
Phone: (720)383-4519
NCES ID: 080345006492
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in HIGHLANDS RANCH seeking a charter elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Douglas County School District No. Re 1
Elem
American Academy
2,559 students · PK–08
4% FRL
High
Rock Canyon High School
2,377 students · 09–12
● 42 opp
High
Mountain Vista High School
2,259 students · 09–12
● 51 opp
High
Legend High School
2,228 students · 09–12
● 50 opp
High
Chaparral High School
2,009 students · 09–12
● 50 opp
High
Castle View High School
1,990 students · 09–12
High
Thunderridge High School
1,881 students · 09–12
● 57 opp
High
Douglas County High School
1,758 students · 09–12
● 41 opp
District School Rankings
Location
2270 PLAZA DR, HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO 80129
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.