Enrollment
1,579
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Phenix City, AL
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 010270001088
👥 S:T ratio 20
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama.
- #12 of 12
- public schools in Phenix City · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 66.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes larger than 84% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #12 of 12 public schools in Phenix City, AL.
School address
District: Phenix City · Alabama
NCES ID 010270001088 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
79.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High School
Central High School is a higher-need, large high school in Phenix City, Alabama, enrolling 1,579 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,579 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 41 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #22.
Its student body is led by African American (64%) and White (21%) (diversity index 54/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 526 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 978 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,579 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Phenix City's high schools, it stands alongside Central Freshman Academy (513 students): Central High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20:1 vs 17.1:1).
Phenix City also operates Phenix City Intermediate School (1,068 students) and Ridgecrest Elementary School (722 students) alongside Central High School.
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 compares
Central High School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20:1 | ▲ 13% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.1% | ▲ 12% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,579 | top 2% | - | - |
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.
1,579
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 84% in Alabama - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.3%
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
$11,818
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 526 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
699
in-school suspensions + 279 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 44.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 61.9 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 63.7%
White 20.8%
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
Two or More 4.6%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 63.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.8, Central High School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Phenix City, which includes Central High School.
$11,818
Per student
-5%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.1%
State 57.8%
Federal 23.2%
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 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phenix City Intermediate School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ridgecrest Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Phenix City Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westview Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Central Freshman Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,068
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 722
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 683
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 513
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar high schools in Phenix City
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,579 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Phenix City'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
How many students attend Central High School?
Central High School has 1,579 students enrolled. It is a high school in Phenix City, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 20:1, which is 13% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High School?
66.1% of students at Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Central High School is African American at 63.7% of enrollment, in Phenix City, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 School rank among public schools in Phenix City?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #12 of 12 public schools in Phenix City, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Phenix City on the city page.
Is Central High School a good school?
Central High School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama. 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 Phenix City?
Besides Central High School, Phenix City also operates Phenix City Intermediate School (1,068 students), Ridgecrest Elementary School (722 students), and Phenix City Elementary School (683 students). See the Phenix City 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.