Benton High School had an enrollment of 620 students, 81 percent are white and 17 percent are African American with the remaining 2 percent consisting of Asian, Indian, and Hispanic (p. 3-37). An interesting statistic is that Benton High School’s enrollment is almost equally divided between males and females (p. 3-37).

A survey of students (see appendix) revealed that 19 percent are from single parent homes; 50 percent live with both parents; 22 percent live with a parent and a stepparent; and 8 percent live with another relative or guardian. This also revealed that 41 percent of our students have a parent with a college degree; 20 percent have a parent with a post-graduate degree; and 33 percent have a parent with a high school diploma. Only 5 percent have a parent who did not graduate from high school.  Although 15 percent of our students have always lived in their present home, 41 percent have moved three or more times. This mobility is to be expected with our close proximity to an air force base.

The number of students enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program varies with our enrollment. Approximately 20 percent of the school’s population receives free or reduced lunch each year (p. 3-37).

Our special education department meets the needs of students with various exceptionalities. Forty students (6.5% of the student population) presently qualify for special education services. Twenty-nine students are full inclusion and are working on high school diplomas while eleven students are working toward alternate assessment certification. This percentage has increased over the last fouryear period from approximately 4 percent to the current 6.5 percent.

Benton High School’s average daily student attendance has remained steady with a .04 fluctuation. As a result, Benton High School has won the Parish Attendance Award for the past five years.

Benton’s in-school student suspension is significantly higher than the state’s high school in-school suspension rate. However, Benton had a lower out-of-school suspension rate for 1999-2001, and even though our out-of-school suspension rate rose from 2002-2004, it was still only slightly above the state’s rate. This reflects our belief that out-of-school suspensions deprive students of valuable classroom instruction. Students are placed in the Guided Alternative to Suspension Program (GASP) for in-school suspension when appropriate (p. 3-38).

Benton’s in-school expulsion rates are higher than the state’s average, but our outof-school expulsion rates are lower. We are able to offer those students who are expelled the option of attending Charlotte Mitchell EducationalCenter to continue their education. Moving students to an alternative setting accomplishes our mission of keeping them in a learning environment. Another alternative for students who have difficulty adjusting to a structured environment is to offer them the option of attending the Bossier Achievement Center. This school is a different approach for the at-risk student who has had a child, has excessive absences, has medical problems, is disadvantaged, or is a possible drop-out. The school is a year-round school with flexible scheduling, individualized, self-paced instruction, computerassisted learning, and on-site counseling assistance. Those who are not behavior problems are encouraged by our counselors to choose this form of schooling so that they will not drop out and will remain in school.