Roanoke-Benson Jr High School

Set in Benson, Illinois, Roanoke-Benson Jr High School is an one-room-style middle school, part of Roanoke Benson CUSD 60. It serves 142 students across grades 5 through 8. By comparison, Illinois's public schools average about 462 students each, so Roanoke-Benson Jr High School sits 69% leaner than that benchmark.

Roanoke Benson CUSD 60 comprises 3 schools with combined enrollment of 449 students; Roanoke-Benson Jr High School is among them.

Demographically, Roanoke-Benson Jr High School logs that 94% of students identify as White, making the school strongly White-majority. Beyond that, the school reports 3% multiracial, 2% Hispanic. That composition is broadly in line with Woodford County as a whole.

On the income-and-resources front, Roanoke-Benson Jr High School reports 11 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.4:1. The state averages about 13.0:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. An estimated 25% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Roanoke-Benson Jr High School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 57.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 60.7%.

Around the school, census data for Woodford County shows median household income runs about $91,483, roughly 36% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Woodford County's 32 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,338 students), Roanoke-Benson Jr High School is one campus in the mix.

Sowers Elementary School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 5.1 miles from this campus. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Roanoke-Benson Jr High School at 2nd of 7; the average score across the group is 51.7%.

The campus sits in a low-density setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged up 6%: 134 students in 2018 compared to 142 in 2025. Class-load math has widened: from 12.2:1 in 2018 to 13.4:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.