Enrollment
1,966
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Harrisburg, PA
Central Dauphin Shs
Federal NCES profile for Central Dauphin Shs, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 420540001745
👥 S:T ratio 36
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Dauphin Shs earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Pennsylvania.
- #5 of 7
- high schools in Harrisburg · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 31.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Dauphin Shs has class sizes larger than 86% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Dauphin Shs ranks #5 of 7 high schools in Harrisburg, PA.
School address
District: Central Dauphin Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420540001745 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
122.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Dauphin Shs compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Dauphin Shs
Central Dauphin Shs is a large high school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling 1,966 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.1:1 is larger than about 86% of Pennsylvania schools and 18% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 31.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Pennsylvania, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,966 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 90 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #88, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and African American (13%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 20 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 492 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 17 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Harrisburg's high schools, it stands alongside Central Dauphin East Shs (1,573 students): Central Dauphin Shs is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 15.7:1).
Central Dauphin Sd also operates Central Dauphin East Shs (1,573 students) and Linglestown Ms (841 students) alongside Central Dauphin Shs.
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 Dauphin Shs compares
Central Dauphin Shs on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▲ 18% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.0% | ▼ 47% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,966 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,966
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 86% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.9%
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
$15,143
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 492 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
203
in-school suspensions + 114 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 17 expulsions.
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 60.5%
African American 12.9%
Asian 9.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
Two or More 6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 60.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.4, Central Dauphin Shs is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 20
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Central Dauphin Sd, which includes Central Dauphin Shs.
$15,143
Per student
-16%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.5%
State 22.6%
Federal 8.9%
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 Dauphin Shs Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Dauphin East Shs | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Linglestown Ms | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Dauphin Ms | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Side El Sch | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Dauphin East Ms | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Dauphin Shs's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,573
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 841
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 834
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 722
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 702
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar high schools in Harrisburg
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Central Dauphin East Shs
Standard public school
1,573 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Harrisburg Hs
Standard public school
1,343 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Dauphin County Technical School
Vocational / career-technical school
1,187 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Susquehanna Twp Hs
Standard public school
767 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Harrisburg Hs - Scitech Cmp
Standard public school
347 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Capital Area School for the Arts Cs
Standard public school
193 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Pennsylvania, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,966 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Dauphin Shs's federal record.
- Compare Central Dauphin Shs against another school. Compare schools
- Central Dauphin Sd'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 Dauphin Shs
How many students attend Central Dauphin Shs?
Central Dauphin Shs has 1,966 students enrolled. It is a high school in Harrisburg, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Dauphin Shs?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Dauphin Shs is 16.1:1, which is 18% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Dauphin Shs?
31.0% of students at Central Dauphin Shs are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Dauphin Shs?
The largest demographic group at Central Dauphin Shs is White at 60.5% of enrollment, in Harrisburg, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Dauphin Shs?
Central Dauphin Shs has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical 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 Central Dauphin Shs rank among high schools in Harrisburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Dauphin Shs ranks #5 of 7 high schools in Harrisburg, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Harrisburg on the city page.
Is Central Dauphin Shs a good school?
Central Dauphin Shs earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Pennsylvania. 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 Central Dauphin Sd?
Besides Central Dauphin Shs, Central Dauphin Sd also operates Central Dauphin East Shs (1,573 students), Linglestown Ms (841 students), and Central Dauphin Ms (834 students). See the Central Dauphin Sd 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.