Robert Semple Elementary

Located at 2015 East Third St., in Benicia, California, Robert Semple Elementary is a reasonably sized elementary-level community that works with 480 students (grades K through 5), operated by Benicia Unified.

Within Benicia Unified, which oversees 8 schools and 4,343 students, Robert Semple Elementary is one campus in the system.

On demographics, Robert Semple Elementary shows that the largest single group is White at 37%, but no single group is in the majority. Beyond that, the school logs 34% Hispanic, 16% multiracial, 9% Asian, 5% Black. That mix tracks the wider county fairly closely.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Robert Semple Elementary records 23 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 20.9:1. The state averages around 22.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 36% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Solano County runs at roughly 60%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat below the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Robert Semple Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 58.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 49.3%.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Solano County put median household income runs about $100,401, 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. Robert Semple Elementary is one of 110 public schools in Solano County (combined enrollment of about 60,765 students).

The closest other public school is Liberty High, roughly 0.7 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 6 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Robert Semple Elementary ranks 5th on composite proficiency, behind the local average of 57.1%.

The school occupies a suburban site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Robert Semple Elementary has grew 3%, going from 467 students in 2018 to 480 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 29% to 34% across the same window. Class-load math has narrowed: from 27.5:1 in 2018 to 20.9:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Robert Semple Elementary typically covers open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.