- Enrollment
- 633
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Cape Girardeau, MO
Central High
Federal NCES profile for Central High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 290712000186
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Missouri schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Missouri.
- #10 of 11
- public schools in Cape Girardeau · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 1,278
- students enrolled
Central High has class sizes larger than 74% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High ranks #10 of 11 public schools in Cape Girardeau, MO.
School address
District: Cape Girardeau 63 · Missouri
NCES ID 290712000186 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-26 students YoY
Central High held near 1,315 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-26 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 89.0 → 89.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-26 students YoY 290712000186 · Cape Girardeau, MO High · MID · TRAD
1,278 enr · 14.4:1 · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: Central Jr. High (633 students)
Central High held near 1,315 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-26 headcount). Teacher FTE added 89.0 → 89.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Missouri schools → · Find another →
Central High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Central High
1,278 students
- Central Jr. Hi
Central Jr. High
633 students
- Central Middle
Central Middle
623 students
- Jefferson Elem 494
Jefferson Elem.
494 students
- Clippard Elem. 383
Clippard Elem.
383 students
- Alma Schrader 332
Alma Schrader Elem.
332 students
What this shows Central High reports 1,278 students on the CCD universe file.
How Central High compares
Central High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▲ 12% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 1,278 | top 3% | - | - |
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.
1,278
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 74% in Missouri - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
36.2%
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
$12,129
per pupil, district-wide
- below Missouri avg of $14,087
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.2 FTE
Per 307 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
250
in-school suspensions + 165 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 47.6%
African American 31.7%
Two or More 10.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 47.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.5, Central High is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Cape Girardeau 63 reports $12,129 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Central High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Jr. High | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Central Middle | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Elem. | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Clippard Elem. | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alma Schrader Elem. | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 494
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 383
- Students per teacher
- 9.1:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 332
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,278 students)
Frequently asked questions about Central High
How many students attend Central High?
Central High has 1,278 students enrolled. It is a high school in Cape Girardeau, MO. CCD year-over-year: 1,341 (2022-23) → 1,315 (2023-24), nearly flat (-26).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High is 14.4:1, which is 12% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High?
The largest demographic group at Central High is White at 47.6% of enrollment, in Cape Girardeau, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High?
Central High has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central High rank among public schools in Cape Girardeau?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High ranks #10 of 11 public schools in Cape Girardeau, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Cape Girardeau on the city page.
What other schools are in Cape Girardeau 63?
Besides Central High, Cape Girardeau 63 also operates Central Jr. High (633 students), Central Middle (623 students), and Jefferson Elem. (494 students). See the Cape Girardeau 63 district page for the complete list.