Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 10 schools in district

BENTON ELEM.

1120 CARL SWEENEY PKWY, NEOSHO, MO 64850NEOSHO SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–04Non-Charter
505
Students
Total enrolled
$11,187
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 22% vs nat'l
14.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 9% vs nat'l
42/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 16% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 505 students in grades KG–04 in NEOSHO, Missouri.
22% below average funding
District spends $11,187 per pupil, 22% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 42th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

BENTON ELEM. is a large elementary in NEOSHO, Missouri, serving grades KG–04 with 505 students. The district invests $11,187 per student — 22% below the national average of $14,347, with a 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 69% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at BENTON ELEM.

505
Total Students
14.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
69%
Free Lunch
36
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–04) are served by this school
Gender Distribution257 male · 248 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility69%
National avg 52% · 350 students
Student Composition
53%
26%
8%
11%
Asian1%
White53%
Hispanic / Latino26%
Multiracial8%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander11%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 292181001203

Academic Outcomes at BENTON ELEM.

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
42
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 42th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 40th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 64850

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,187Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,187
State avg
$15,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,922
Student Support$2,126
Administration$1,342
Operations$1,678
Other$1,119
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,187 spent per student, an estimated $4,956 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
41%
42%
State government
41.1%
Local (property tax)
42.5%
Federal programs
16.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,187/student, 22% less than the national average
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER ELEM.SOUTH ELEM.GOODMAN ELEM.CENTRAL ELEM.
↓
Middle
NEOSHO JR. HIGHMIDDLE SCH.
↓
High School
NEOSHO HIGH
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 04
Location—
CountyNewton County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictNEOSHO SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (417)451-8610
NCES ID: 292181001203
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in NEOSHO seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in NEOSHO SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
NEOSHO HIGH
1,491 students · 09–12
● 42 opp47% FRL
Mid
NEOSHO JR. HIGH
748 students · 07–08
● 42 opp58% FRL
Mid
MIDDLE SCH.
720 students · 05–06
● 42 opp62% FRL
Elem
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER ELEM.
551 students · KG–04
● 42 opp49% FRL
Elem
SOUTH ELEM.
277 students · KG–04
● 42 opp68% FRL
Elem
GOODMAN ELEM.
255 students · KG–04
● 42 opp76% FRL
Other
FIELD EARLY CHILD./KDGN. CTR.
191 students · PK–PK
● 42 opp54% FRL
Elem
CENTRAL ELEM.
159 students · KG–04
● 42 opp75% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1120 CARL SWEENEY PKWY, NEOSHO, MO 64850
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.