Enrollment
1,256
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Louisville, KY
Central High Magnet Career Academy
Federal NCES profile for Central High Magnet Career Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210299000730
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High Magnet Career Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Kentucky schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky.
- #13 of 18
- high schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.4:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 64.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High Magnet Career Academy has class sizes larger than 80% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High Magnet Career Academy ranks #13 of 18 high schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000730 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
72.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.8%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High Magnet Career Academy compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High Magnet Career Academy
Central High Magnet Career Academy is a higher-need, large high school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 1,256 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,256 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 87 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #63, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 43/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 419 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Jefferson County spends $17,376 per pupil, 32% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 320 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,256 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Louisville's high schools, it stands alongside Ballard High (2,148 students): Central High Magnet Career Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.4:1 vs 19.9:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Central High Magnet Career Academy.
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 High Magnet Career Academy compares
Central High Magnet Career Academy on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.4:1 | ▲ 14% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.8% | ▲ 9% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,256 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,256
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 80% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.6%
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
$17,376
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 419 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
221
in-school suspensions + 99 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.5 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
African American 73.7%
Hispanic or Latino 14.1%
White 4.8%
Two or More 4.4%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 73.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.2, Central High Magnet Career Academy is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Central High Magnet Career Academy.
$17,376
Per student
+32%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.8%
State 30.9%
Federal 22.3%
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 High Magnet Career Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central High Magnet Career Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,892
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,790
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar high schools in Louisville
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Ballard High
Standard public school
2,148 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Dupont Manual High
Standard public school
1,899 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Pleasure Ridge Park High
Standard public school
1,777 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Louisville Male High
Standard public school
1,763 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Southern High
Standard public school
1,725 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Fern Creek High
Standard public school
1,525 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,256 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High Magnet Career Academy's federal record.
- Compare Central High Magnet Career Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson County'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 High Magnet Career Academy
How many students attend Central High Magnet Career Academy?
Central High Magnet Career Academy has 1,256 students enrolled. It is a high school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High Magnet Career Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High Magnet Career Academy is 17.4:1, which is 14% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High Magnet Career Academy?
64.8% of students at Central High Magnet Career Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High Magnet Career Academy?
The largest demographic group at Central High Magnet Career Academy is African American at 73.7% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High Magnet Career Academy?
Central High Magnet Career Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 High Magnet Career Academy rank among high schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High Magnet Career Academy ranks #13 of 18 high schools in Louisville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Louisville on the city page.
Is Central High Magnet Career Academy a good school?
Central High Magnet Career Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Kentucky schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky. 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Central High Magnet Career Academy, Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students), Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students). See the Jefferson County 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.