Enrollment
568
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Athens, TX
Central Athens
Federal NCES profile for Central Athens, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 480887000282
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Athens earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Texas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Athens · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.2:1
- large classes for Texas
- 72.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Athens has class sizes larger than 73% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Athens ranks #3 of 3 schools in Athens, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.9%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Athens compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Athens
Central Athens is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Athens, Texas, enrolling 568 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 568 students, its enrollment sits close to the Texas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Against 2,009 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #903.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and White (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 568 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 19.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Athens Isd also operates Athens H S (879 students) and Athens Middle (660 students) alongside Central Athens.
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 Central Athens compares
Central Athens on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▲ 10% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.9% | ▲ 18% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 568 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
568
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 73% in Texas - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,015
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 568 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
Hispanic or Latino 41.9%
White 32.6%
African American 17.6%
Two or More 5.1%
Asian 2.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.4, Central Athens is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Athens Isd, which includes Central Athens.
$12,015
Per student
-12%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.1%
State 31.3%
Federal 19.6%
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 Central Athens Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Athens Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bel Air El | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Athens El | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Athens's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 879
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 660
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 457
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~568 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Athens's federal record.
- Compare Central Athens against another school. Compare schools
- Athens Isd'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 Central Athens
How many students attend Central Athens?
Central Athens has 568 students enrolled. It is a public school in Athens, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Athens?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Athens is 16.2:1, which is 10% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Athens?
72.9% of students at Central Athens are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Athens?
The largest demographic group at Central Athens is Hispanic or Latino at 41.9% of enrollment, in Athens, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Athens?
Central Athens has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central Athens rank among schools in Athens?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Athens ranks #3 of 3 schools in Athens, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Athens on the city page.
Is Central Athens a good school?
Central Athens earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Texas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools. 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 Athens Isd?
Besides Central Athens, Athens Isd also operates Athens H S (879 students), Athens Middle (660 students), and Bel Air El (465 students). See the Athens Isd 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.