Enrollment
796
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Tuscaloosa, AL
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 010336001608
👥 S:T ratio 31
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #2 of 4
- high schools in Tuscaloosa · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.3:1
- students per teacher
- 79.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #2 of 4 high schools in Tuscaloosa, AL.
School address
District: Tuscaloosa City · Alabama
NCES ID 010336001608 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
79.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+36% 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 high-poverty, large high school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, enrolling 796 students.
At 17.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alabama median, within a few percentage points of the 17.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 79.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 796 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 162 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #23.
Its student body is predominantly African American (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 23/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 265 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 257 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 796 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Tuscaloosa's high schools, it stands alongside Hillcrest High School (1,434 students): Central High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.3:1 vs 20.2:1).
Tuscaloosa City also operates Northridge High School (1,153 students) and Paul W Bryant High School (1,134 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 | 17.3:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 79.8% | ▲ 36% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 796 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
796
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
79.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 49% in Alabama - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.7%
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
$12,947
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 265 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 253 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.3 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 87.2%
Hispanic or Latino 6.9%
White 4.6%
Asian 0.8%
Two or More 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 87.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.3, Central High School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tuscaloosa City, which includes Central High School.
$12,947
Per student
+4%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 42.3%
Federal 18.0%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Paul W Bryant High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northridge Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastwood Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rock Quarry Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar 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
- 1,153
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 775
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 711
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar high schools in Tuscaloosa
3 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 (~796 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Tuscaloosa 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 796 students enrolled. It is a high school in Tuscaloosa, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 17.3:1, which is 2% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 10% higher 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 School?
79.8% 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 87.2% of enrollment, in Tuscaloosa, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 high schools in Tuscaloosa?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #2 of 4 high schools in Tuscaloosa, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Tuscaloosa on the city page.
Is Central High School a good school?
Central High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. 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 Tuscaloosa City?
Besides Central High School, Tuscaloosa City also operates Northridge High School (1,153 students), Paul W Bryant High School (1,134 students), and Northridge Middle School (775 students). See the Tuscaloosa 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.