Enrollment
1,998
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Rapid City, SD
Central High School - 41
Federal NCES profile for Central High School - 41, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 465982000529
👥 S:T ratio 20
📚 AP courses 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School - 41 earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota.
- #3 of 5
- high schools in Rapid City · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 30.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School - 41 has class sizes larger than 95% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School - 41 ranks #3 of 5 high schools in Rapid City, SD.
School address
District: Rapid City Area School District 51-4 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465982000529 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
100.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+47% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.9%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High School - 41 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High School - 41
Central High School - 41 is a large high school in Rapid City, South Dakota, enrolling 1,998 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20:1 is larger than about 95% of South Dakota schools and 47% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 30.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,998 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 691 South Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 4 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 400 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Rapid City's high schools, it stands alongside Stevens High School - 42 (1,771 students): Central High School - 41 is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20:1 vs 19.9:1).
Rapid City Area School District 51-4 also operates Stevens High School - 42 (1,771 students) and South Middle School - 36 (618 students) alongside Central High School - 41.
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 School - 41 compares
Central High School - 41 on the metrics families compare, against South Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Dakota | South Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20:1 | ▲ 47% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.9% | ▲ 7% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,998 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,998
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% above the South Dakota average of 28.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20:1
students per teacher
- 47% above state mean
Top 95% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.3%
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
$11,191
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Dakota avg of $13,477
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 400 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
150
in-school suspensions + 162 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.6 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 48.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 23.3%
Two or More 13.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.0%
African American 1.6%
Asian 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 48.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, Central High School - 41 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rapid City Area School District 51-4, which includes Central High School - 41.
$11,191
Per student
-17%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.3%
State 26.7%
Federal 18.9%
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 High School - 41 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stevens High School - 42 | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Middle School - 36 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southwest Middle School - 38 | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Middle School - 30 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Valley View Elementary - 13 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central High School - 41's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,771
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 618
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 605
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar high schools in Rapid City
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Stevens High School - 42
Standard public school
1,771 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Rapid City High School - 45
Alternative education program
356 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Rapid City Online High School - 92
Standard public school
73 students 73:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Building - 44
Special-education school
23 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of South Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,998 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High School - 41's federal record.
- Compare Central High School - 41 against another school. Compare schools
- Rapid City Area School District 51-4'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 School - 41
How many students attend Central High School - 41?
Central High School - 41 has 1,998 students enrolled. It is a high school in Rapid City, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School - 41?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School - 41 is 20:1, which is 47% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High School - 41?
30.9% of students at Central High School - 41 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School - 41?
The largest demographic group at Central High School - 41 is White at 48.1% of enrollment, in Rapid City, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School - 41?
Central High School - 41 has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (lower 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 School - 41 rank among high schools in Rapid City?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School - 41 ranks #3 of 5 high schools in Rapid City, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Rapid City on the city page.
Is Central High School - 41 a good school?
Central High School - 41 earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota. 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 Rapid City Area School District 51-4?
Besides Central High School - 41, Rapid City Area School District 51-4 also operates Stevens High School - 42 (1,771 students), South Middle School - 36 (618 students), and Southwest Middle School - 38 (614 students). See the Rapid City Area School District 51-4 district page for the complete list.
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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.