- Enrollment
- 1,832
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Grand Junction, CO
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080435000600
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Grand Junction · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.3:1
- students per teacher
- 34.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Grand Junction, CO.
School address
District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Colorado
NCES ID 080435000600 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-170 students YoY
Central High School shrank from 1,613 students in 2022-23 to 1,443 in 2023-24 (-10.5%).
Teacher FTE lost 83.8 → 79.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-170 students YoY 080435000600 · Grand Junction, CO High · MID · TRAD
1,352 enr · 16.3:1 · 34.5% lunch · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: Grand Junction High School (1,832 students)
Central High School shrank from 1,613 students in 2022-23 to 1,443 in 2023-24 (-10.5%). Teacher FTE lost 83.8 → 79.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Colorado schools → · Find another →
Central High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Grand Junction
Grand Junction High School
1,832 students
- Fruita Monumen
Fruita Monument High School
1,427 students
- This school
Central High School
1,352 students
- Palisade High
Palisade High School
1,073 students
- Fruita 8/9 Sch 704
Fruita 8/9 School
704 students
- Fruita Middle 690
Fruita Middle School
690 students
What this shows Central High School reports 1,352 students on the CCD universe file.
How Central High School compares
Central High School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.3:1 | ▼ 2% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.5% | ▼ 10% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,352 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.3:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,352
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
34.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% below the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.3:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 56% in Colorado - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
60.5%
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
$12,834
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $17,910
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors6.3 FTE
Per 216 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
127
in-school suspensions + 127 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 11 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 57.1%
Hispanic or Latino 37.0%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 0.8%
African American 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 57.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.6, Central High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 reports $12,834 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita Monument High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palisade High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita 8/9 School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita Middle School | Smaller | 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
- 1,427
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,073
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 704
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,352 students)
Frequently asked questions about Central High School
How many students attend Central High School?
Central High School has 1,352 students enrolled. It is a high school in Grand Junction, CO. CCD year-over-year: 1,613 (2022-23) → 1,443 (2023-24), down 170.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 16.3:1, which is 2% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 4% 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?
34.5% of students at Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Central High School is White at 57.1% of enrollment, in Grand Junction, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central High School rank among high schools in Grand Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Grand Junction, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Grand Junction on the city page.
What other schools are in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?
Besides Central High School, Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students), Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students), and Palisade High School (1,073 students). See the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 district page for the complete list.