The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Benson Primary School
Benson Primary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Benson Unified School District. It is a regular public school, and its campus is located south of downtown alongside the district’s middle and high school. The school is moderate in size for an elementary school, with classrooms spanning kindergarten through fifth grade and a small pre-kindergarten program.
On state assessments from the most recent school year, proficiency rates varied by subject and grade. In mathematics, roughly two-fifths of students met the state standard across grades three through five, with a slightly higher share in fifth grade. In English language arts, about a third of students scored proficient, with the rate declining slightly from third to fifth grade. Fifth-grade science results also came in around a third. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint relative to districts in Cochise County, though the spread among county districts is wide. The numbers suggest that a sizable portion of students are not yet meeting grade-level expectations, particularly in reading and writing. A parent may want to ask the school directly about its literacy interventions and how it supports students who are below benchmark.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population making up roughly three in ten students. Smaller shares identify as Native American, Black, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or multiracial. Data on economic disadvantage, special education eligibility, and English learner status were not available in the public record, so a family interested in those support programs should check with the school. Because Benson Primary does not serve high school grades, no graduation rate is reported; that metric is not applicable here.
Benson itself is a small desert city at the junction of Interstate 10 and several state highways. It has grown faster than any other municipality in Cochise County in recent years, and a large master-planned community of several thousand homes is in early development, which could bring many new families to the district over the next decades. The current population includes a notable share of retirees and seasonal winter visitors. Many working residents commute to Tucson or Sierra Vista for employment. Major local employers include a power cooperative, a chemical plant, the city government, the school district, and the nearby Army installation at Fort Huachuca. Housing in Benson is relatively more affordable than the Arizona state average, with monthly rental costs generally lower than the estimated mortgage payment on a median-priced home. The district has not reported any major recent changes in policy, bond measures, or curriculum based on publicly available information.
For families evaluating Benson Primary, the key factors are its mixed academic results on state tests, a moderate-size student body in a growing community, and a traditional public school setting that shares a campus with older grades. The school’s location within a county experiencing development pressure may be relevant for parents thinking about long-term neighborhood growth. Those seeking strong elementary test scores may want to explore the school’s academic support offerings further. The school’s website and district office are the best places to start for current information on programs and student services.
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