Summary:
Benton Community School Corp serves about 1,601 students in three schools: Benton Central Junior-Senior High School (grades 7–12), Prairie Crossing Elementary School (K–6), and Otterbein Elementary School (K–6). The district ranks 140 of 374 in Indiana, in the 63rd percentile with 3 stars. Its schools range widely: Benton Central ranks 76 of 415 (82nd percentile, 4 stars), Otterbein ranks 409 of 1,015 (60th percentile, 3 stars), and Prairie Crossing ranks 736 of 1,015 (27th percentile, 1 star).
For parents comparing options, Benton Central has the strongest secondary outcomes. Its SAT EBRW is 60% proficient vs. state 51.9%, SAT Math 33.6% vs. 25.6%, and graduation rate 94.6% vs. 89.7%. Its ILEARN results are mixed by grade, though 7th-grade Math is strong at 47.83% vs. state 35.9%. Otterbein is the stronger elementary: all-grade ILEARN ELA 37.16%, Math 52.03%, Science 41.56%, all above district. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism at 6.8%, lowest student-teacher ratio at 11.2, and highest per-student spending at $15,714. Prairie Crossing is the lowest performer: all-grade ILEARN ELA 20.00%, Math 32.46%, Science 27.92%, with 4th-grade ELA at 9.21% vs. state 42.2%. It has the highest chronic absenteeism at 13.9%, highest student-teacher ratio at 14.9, and lowest per-student spending at $12,388.
Trends matter too. Benton Central improved from the 71st percentile in 2024–2025 to 82nd in 2025–2026. Prairie Crossing slipped from 43rd percentile in 2023–2024 to 37th to 27th, losing a star. Otterbein remains steady near 60th percentile with 3 stars, though some upper-elementary grades lag: 5th-grade ELA is 26.32% vs. state 42.2%, and 5th-grade Math is 36.84% vs. 42%. Chronic absenteeism is below the state’s 16.7% in all three schools. Grade-level scores are not cohort-controlled, and spending and lunch data come from different years, so use these patterns as a guide rather than a verdict.
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