Enrollment
1,254
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Taylorsville, NC
Alexander Central High
Federal NCES profile for Alexander Central High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370009000028
👥 S:T ratio 42
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Alexander Central High earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #9 of 9
- public schools in Taylorsville · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 45.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Alexander Central High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Alexander Central High ranks #9 of 9 public schools in Taylorsville, NC.
School address
District: Alexander County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370009000028 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
87.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Alexander Central High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Alexander Central High
Alexander Central High is a large high school in Taylorsville, North Carolina, enrolling 1,254 students.
At 14.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 45.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,254 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 225 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #12, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 36/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 314 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 20.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 264 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,254 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Taylorsville's high schools, it stands alongside Alexander Early College (172 students): Alexander Central High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.4:1 vs 24.6:1).
Alexander County Schools also operates East Alexander Middle (510 students) and West Alexander Middle (467 students) alongside Alexander Central High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Alexander Central High compares
Alexander Central High on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.4% | ▼ 31% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,254 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,254
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,879
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 314 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
160
in-school suspensions + 104 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 79.1%
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
Two or More 4.9%
African American 4.7%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 79.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.9, Alexander Central High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alexander County Schools, which includes Alexander Central High.
$12,879
Per student
+7%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.3%
State 63.6%
Federal 20.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Alexander Central High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Alexander Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Alexander Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bethlehem Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hiddenite Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wittenburg Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Alexander Central High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 467
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 370
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 294
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar high schools in Taylorsville
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,254 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Alexander Central High's federal record.
- Compare Alexander Central High against another school. Compare schools
- Alexander County Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Alexander Central High
How many students attend Alexander Central High?
Alexander Central High has 1,254 students enrolled. It is a high school in Taylorsville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Alexander Central High?
The student-teacher ratio at Alexander Central High is 14.4:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Alexander Central High?
45.4% of students at Alexander Central High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Alexander Central High?
The largest demographic group at Alexander Central High is White at 79.1% of enrollment, in Taylorsville, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Alexander Central High?
Alexander Central High has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Alexander Central High rank among public schools in Taylorsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Alexander Central High ranks #9 of 9 public schools in Taylorsville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Taylorsville on the city page.
Is Alexander Central High a good school?
Alexander Central High earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Alexander County Schools?
Besides Alexander Central High, Alexander County Schools also operates East Alexander Middle (510 students), West Alexander Middle (467 students), and Bethlehem Elementary (435 students). See the Alexander County Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.