Enrollment
1,428
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Springfield, MO
Central High
Federal NCES profile for Central High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 292886001786
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Missouri median. It is also one of the largest schools in Missouri.
- #9 of 30
- schools in Springfield · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.6:1
- students per teacher
- 40.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High has class sizes near the Missouri median. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High ranks #9 of 30 schools in Springfield, MO.
School address
District: Springfield R-Xii · Missouri
NCES ID 292886001786 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
113.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.9%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High
Central High is a large combined-grade school in Springfield, Missouri, enrolling 1,428 students.
At 12.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Missouri median, within a few percentage points of the 12.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 40.9% lands close to the Missouri typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Missouri, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,428 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Among 56 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Missouri schools statewide, it ranks #5, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 286 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Its district draws 15.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Springfield R-Xii also operates Kickapoo High (1,923 students) and Glendale High (1,357 students) alongside 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 Central High compares
Central High on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.6:1 | ▼ 2% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.9% | ▼ 11% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,428 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
1,428
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% below the Missouri average of 46.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 49% in Missouri - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$13,404
per pupil, district-wide
- above Missouri avg of $12,931
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 286 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
120
in-school suspensions + 108 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.0 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 62.7%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
African American 9.5%
Two or More 8.1%
Asian 6.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 62.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.1, Central High is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 22
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Springfield R-Xii, which includes Central High.
$13,404
Per student
+4%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 63.1%
State 21.8%
Federal 15.1%
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 Central High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickapoo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glendale High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parkview High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hillcrest High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cherokee Middle | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher 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
- 1,923
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,357
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,182
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,065
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 765
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Missouri, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,428 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High's federal record.
- Compare Central High against another school. Compare schools
- Springfield R-Xii'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
How many students attend Central High?
Central High has 1,428 students enrolled. It is a public school in Springfield, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High is 12.6:1, which is 2% lower than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 20% 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 Central High?
40.9% of students at Central High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High?
The largest demographic group at Central High is White at 62.7% of enrollment, in Springfield, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High?
Central High has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central High rank among schools in Springfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High ranks #9 of 30 schools in Springfield, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Springfield on the city page.
Is Central High a good school?
Central High earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Missouri median. It is also one of the largest schools in Missouri. 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 Springfield R-Xii?
Besides Central High, Springfield R-Xii also operates Kickapoo High (1,923 students), Glendale High (1,357 students), and Parkview High (1,182 students). See the Springfield R-Xii 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.