Enrollment
1,733
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Phoenix, AZ
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 040633000542
👥 S:T ratio 40
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona.
- #9 of 65
- high schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 88.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #9 of 65 high schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Phoenix Union High School District (4286) · Arizona
NCES ID 040633000542 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
115.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+82% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High School
Central High School is a high-poverty, large high school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 1,733 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 88.0% of students qualify for free meals, 82% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,733 students.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (67%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 52/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 248 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
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: 350 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,733 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Phoenix's high schools, it stands alongside Madison Highland Prep (510 students): Central High School is larger than that campus by headcount.
Phoenix Union High School District (4286) also operates Trevor Browne High School (2,850 students) and Cesar Chavez High School (2,598 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 Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.1:1 | ▼ 11% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.0% | ▲ 82% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,733 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,733
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 82% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 37% in Arizona - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$11,816
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 248 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
163
in-school suspensions + 187 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 67.3%
African American 15.1%
White 6.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.5%
Two or More 2.7%
Asian 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 67.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.5, Central High School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Phoenix Union High School District (4286), which includes Central High School.
$11,816
Per student
-10%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.9%
State 24.1%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Browne High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cesar Chavez High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maryvale High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Mountain High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alhambra High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher 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
- 2,850
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,598
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,532
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,207
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 2,169
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar high schools in Phoenix
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Madison Highland Prep
Standard public school
510 students
Arizona Preparatory Academy
Alternative education program
233 students
Ombudsman - Charter West
Alternative education program
176 students
Skyline Prep High School
Alternative education program
167 students
Intelli-School - Paradise Valley
Alternative education program
63 students
Think Through Academy
Standard public school
61 students
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,733 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Phoenix Union High School District (4286)'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 1,733 students enrolled. It is a high school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 15.1:1, which is 11% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 4% 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 School?
88.0% of students at Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Central High School is Hispanic or Latino at 67.3% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 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 School rank among high schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #9 of 65 high schools in Phoenix, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Central High School a good school?
Central High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona. 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 Phoenix Union High School District (4286)?
Besides Central High School, Phoenix Union High School District (4286) also operates Trevor Browne High School (2,850 students), Cesar Chavez High School (2,598 students), and Maryvale High School (2,532 students). See the Phoenix Union High School District (4286) 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.