Benjamin Franklin School

Summary:

Benjamin Franklin School is an elementary school located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 786 students. The school is part of the Harrisburg City School District, which is ranked 575 out of 610 school districts in Pennsylvania and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Benjamin Franklin School consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Pennsylvania, with its academic performance on PSSA tests significantly below the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 6.4% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to the state average of 40.4%. When compared to other nearby schools in the Harrisburg City School District, Benjamin Franklin School generally performs worse on PSSA tests, with its PSSA Math proficiency rate of 6.4% being lower than the district average of 5.7% and the other nearby schools like Melrose School (10.2%), Foose School (7.8%), and Downey School (1.9%).

The school's persistent low performance may be attributed to the high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in recent years. Additionally, the school has a high proportion of minority students and English Language Learner (ELL) students, which are often associated with educational challenges. Despite the significant increase in per-student spending, from $9,328 in 2019-2020 to $25,282 in 2021-2022, the school's academic proficiency rates have remained stagnant or declined, suggesting that the school may be facing unique challenges in providing a high-quality education to its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1205 N 6th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102

(717) 703-1200

District: Harrisburg City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1502^nd of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $25,282

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 740

Racial breakdown:

African American:

52.0%

Hispanic:

36.9%

Two or more races:

5.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Benjamin Franklin School ranks worse than 98.4% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 2^nd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Harrisburg City School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.68. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Benjamin Franklin School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Harrisburg City School District. Racial makeup is: African American (52%), Hispanic (36.9%), two or more races (5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Harrisburg City School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Benjamin Franklin School is 16.3. 2 elementary schools in the Harrisburg City School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Benjamin Franklin School employs 45.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Benjamin Franklin School is $25,282, which is the 2^nd highest among 5 elementary schools in the Harrisburg City School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Benjamin Franklin School:

SchoolDigger ranks Benjamin Franklin School 1502^nd of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Benjamin Franklin School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Harrisburg City School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Harrisburg City School District 575^th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Benjamin Franklin School

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Rank History for all students at Benjamin Franklin School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2015	2.19	1467^th	1474	0.5%
2016	2.50	1529^th	1554	1.6%
2017	4.18	1470^th	1547	5.0%
2018	3.34	1476^th	1530	3.5%
2019	2.68	1515^th	1544	1.9%
2021	2.92	1427^th	1433	0.4%
2022	4.23	1500^th	1534	2.2%
2023	3.19	1523^rd	1534	0.7%
2024	3.68	1502^nd	1526	1.6%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Benjamin Franklin School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	13.96	193^rd	196	1.5%
2024	14.96	194^th	200	3.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Benjamin Franklin School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	4.60	1402^nd	1414	0.8%
2024	5.53	1405^th	1432	1.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Benjamin Franklin School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	4.24	1451^st	1488	2.5%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Benjamin Franklin School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	12.29	1010^th	1043	3.2%
2024	12.80	1027^th	1084	5.3%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Benjamin Franklin School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	3.98	1473^rd	1495	1.5%

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

Rank History for African American students at Benjamin Franklin School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	15.01	426^th	437	2.5%
2024	14.48	423^rd	437	3.2%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Benjamin Franklin School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	10.91	417^th	432	3.5%
2024	12.11	429^th	454	5.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept 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 Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Benjamin Franklin School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	22	532	35	145	3	0	6	743
2015	28	559	34	140	3	1	12	777
2016	36	561	43	156	2	0	23	821
2017	35	567	42	153	4	0	24	825
2018	45	505	44	174	2	1	33	804
2019	40	462	45	185	0	0	49	781
2020	33	488	28	182	0	0	39	770
2021	30	463	23	179	0	0	39	734
2022	26	406	15	190	0	0	42	679
2023	42	439	15	234	0	0	56	786
2024	29	385	16	273	0	0	37	740

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 Benjamin Franklin School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	743	45.4	16.3	89
2015	777	56.0	13.8	99.6
2016	821	57.0	14.4	83.2
2017	825	55.0	15.0	85.2
2018	804	57.6	13.9	88.9
2019	781	62.1	12.5	100
2020	770	56.1	13.7	100
2021	734	59.8	12.2	99.6
2022	679	54.6	12.4	99.6
2023	786	48.5	16.1	100
2024	740	45.2	16.3	100

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 Benjamin Franklin School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	743	45.4	16.3	89
2015	777	56.0	13.8	99.6
2016	821	57.0	14.4	83.2
2017	825	55.0	15.0	85.2
2018	804	57.6	13.9	88.9
2019	781	62.1	12.5	100
2020	770	56.1	13.7	100
2021	734	59.8	12.2	99.6
2022	679	54.6	12.4	99.6
2023	786	48.5	16.1	100
2024	740	45.2	16.3	100

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 Benjamin Franklin School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,411 (10.2%)	$12,460 (89.8%)	$13,871
2020	$937 (10.0%)	$8,391 (90.0%)	$9,328
2021	$860 (5.2%)	$15,574 (94.8%)	$16,433
2022	$656 (2.6%)	$24,626 (97.4%)	$25,282

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Benjamin Franklin 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 1515^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 1523^rd of 1534 Elementary schools	1.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Benjamin Franklin School)	5.5	9.6	4.1%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Benjamin Franklin School)	11.9	16.5	4.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Benjamin Franklin School)	10.4	3.5	6.9%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Benjamin Franklin School)	42.3	19.1	23.2%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Benjamin Franklin School)	20.8	10.7	10.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
All Grades Math (Benjamin Franklin School)	7.9	4.8	3.1%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Benjamin Franklin School)	42.3	19.1	23.2%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Benjamin Franklin School)	16.3	11.8	4.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	781	786	0.6%
African American	462	439	5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	45	15	66.7%
Hispanic	185	234	26.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	40	42	5%
Two or More Races	49	56	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Benjamin Franklin School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				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	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Benjamin Franklin School	Public	PK, KG-5	1205 N 6th Street	Harrisburg	17102	Dauphin County	Harrisburg City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 703-1200	740	45	16.3	100.0%	29 (3.9%)	385 (52.0%)	273 (36.9%)	16 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.0%)	3.7	1502^nd of 1526 public elementary schools	1.6%		3.2	1523^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	0.7%	21	8.2	9.0	2.0	6.4	39.2	39.2	11.8	12.0	9.8	11.2	$25,282	$657	$24,626
Pennsylvania STEAM Academy Charter School	Public, Charter	K-4	1500 North Third Street	Harrisburg	17102	Dauphin County	Pennsylvania STEAM Academy Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(717) 991-4334	279	18	15.5	100.0%	22 (7.9%)	174 (62.4%)	50 (17.9%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	28 (10.0%)	20.7	1209^th of 1526 public elementary schools	20.8%					(n/a)	33.3	22.2		28.0	61.1	61.1	35.9	36.2		36.0	$16,570	$270	$16,301
Downey School	Public	PK, KG-5	1313 Monroe St	Harrisburg	17103	Dauphin County	Harrisburg City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 703-1240	406	33	12.2	100.5%	4 (1.0%)	190 (46.8%)	184 (45.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.7%)	2.2	1525^th of 1526 public elementary schools	0.1%		2.3	1533^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	0.1%	8	2.3	1.7	1.9	1.9	15.0	15.0	9.5	3.2	7.4	6.3	$24,370	$633	$23,737
Premier Arts and Science Charter School	Public, Charter	K-3	500 North 17th Street	Harrisburg	17103	Dauphin County	Premier Arts and Science Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(717) 234-3200	163	13	12.5	100.0%	5 (3.1%)	104 (63.8%)	46 (28.2%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.7%)								(n/a)	10.7			10.7			21.4			21.4	$2,554	$2,554	$00
Scott School	Public	K-5	1900 Derry Street	Harrisburg	17104	Dauphin County	Harrisburg City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 703-4560	489	30	16.5	100.0%	9 (1.8%)	192 (39.3%)	254 (51.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.7%)	3	1519^th of 1526 public elementary schools	0.5%		2.9	1528^th of 1534 public elementary schools	0.4%	9	8.5	4.5	2.9	5.1	22.4	22.4	10.7	8.5	9.9	9.7	$27,242	$707	$26,534
Sylvan Heights Science Charter School	Public, Charter	K-4	915 S 13th Street	Harrisburg	17104	Dauphin County	Sylvan Heights Science Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(717) 232-9220	209	13	15.7	100.0%	4 (1.9%)	136 (65.1%)	60 (28.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.3%)	16.9	1259^th of 1526 public elementary schools	17.5%		10.4	1353^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	11.8%	94	24.3	14.6		19.3	65.9	65.9	34.2	29.3		31.6	$14,987	$2,923	$12,064
Melrose School	Public	K-5	2041 Berryhill St	Harrisburg	17104	Dauphin County	Harrisburg City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 703-1440	605	36	17.0	100.0%	15 (2.5%)	276 (45.6%)	252 (41.7%)	27 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (5.8%)	5.3	1460^th of 1526 public elementary schools	4.3%		4.6	1490^th of 1534 public elementary schools	2.9%	30	18.5	4.2	7.6	10.2	45.3	45.3	18.7	10.5	14.7	14.6	$23,011	$598	$22,413
Washington Heights Elementary School	Public	K-5	531 Walnut St	Lemoyne	17043	Cumberland County	West Shore School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 761-8040	399	31	12.6	55.6%	192 (48.1%)	68 (17.0%)	69 (17.3%)	25 (6.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	42 (10.5%)	44.4	955^th of 1526 public elementary schools	37.4%		46.1	935^th of 1534 public elementary schools	39.0%	20	35.9	49.2	51.7	46.1	76.9	76.9	30.2	49.2	45.9	42.5	$18,510	$1,487	$17,023
Foose School	Public	PK, KG-5	1301 Sycamore St	Harrisburg	17104	Dauphin County	Harrisburg City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 703-1280	511	48	10.6	100.0%	8 (1.6%)	207 (40.5%)	273 (53.4%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.7%)	3.4	1510^th of 1526 public elementary schools	1.0%		2.9	1529^th of 1534 public elementary schools	0.3%	19	10.7	9.1	3.1	7.8	32.5	32.5	17.6	7.8	3.1	9.8	$23,694	$615	$23,078
West Creek Hills Elementary School	Public	K-5	400 Erford Rd	Camp Hill	17011	Cumberland County	East Pennsboro Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 732-0142	584	41	14.3	57.5%	336 (57.5%)	56 (9.6%)	79 (13.5%)	67 (11.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (7.9%)	60.7	696^th of 1526 public elementary schools	54.4%		61	675^th of 1534 public elementary schools	56.0%	21	45.2	60.5	52.7	53.3	78.1	78.1	60.3	56.6	55.9	57.4	$11,579	$1,450	$10,129

Frequently Asked Questions about Benjamin Franklin School

What district is Benjamin Franklin School in?

Harrisburg City School District

Is Benjamin Franklin School a good school?

Benjamin Franklin School ranks in the bottom 1.6% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

How many students attend Benjamin Franklin School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 740 students attended Benjamin Franklin School.

What is the racial makeup of Benjamin Franklin School?

Students at Benjamin Franklin School are 52% African American, 37% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% White, 2% Asian.

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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.