Enrollment
1,529
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Baton Rouge, LA
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 220012500363
👥 S:T ratio 34
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median. It is also one of the largest schools in Louisiana.
- #1 of 14
- high schools in Baton Rouge · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.6:1
- students per teacher
- 39.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes near the Louisiana median. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #1 of 14 high schools in Baton Rouge, LA.
School address
District: Central Community School District · Louisiana
NCES ID 220012500363 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
92.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.1%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High School
Central High School is a large high school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, enrolling 1,529 students.
At 16.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Louisiana median, within a few percentage points of the 16.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 39.1% free-meal eligibility runs 37% below the Louisiana average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Louisiana, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,529 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 57 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #12.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and African American (24%) (diversity index 53/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 382 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Central Community School District spends $11,628 per pupil, 29% below the Louisiana average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 28 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Baton Rouge's high schools, it stands alongside Baton Rouge Magnet High School (1,593 students): Central High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.6:1 vs 19.9:1).
Central Community School District also operates Central Intermediate School (1,039 students) and Central Middle School (1,012 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 Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.6:1 | ▼ 1% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.1% | ▼ 37% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,529 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,529
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% below the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 52% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,628
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 382 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
137
in-school suspensions + 95 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 28 expulsions.
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 63.8%
African American 24.3%
Hispanic or Latino 8.5%
Two or More 2.4%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 63.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.6, Central High School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Central Community School District, which includes Central High School.
$11,628
Per student
-29%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.1%
State 48.1%
Federal 12.8%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Intermediate School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tanglewood Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bellingrath Hills Elementary School | Smaller | Higher 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
- 1,039
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 1,012
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 622
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 378
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar high schools in Baton Rouge
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Baton Rouge Magnet High School
Standard public school
1,593 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Woodlawn High School
Standard public school
1,331 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Liberty High School
Standard public school
1,218 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Tara High School
Standard public school
1,016 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Scotlandville Magnet High School
Standard public school
837 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Broadmoor Senior High School
Standard public school
791 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,529 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Central Community School District'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 1,529 students enrolled. It is a high school in Baton Rouge, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 16.6:1, which is 1% lower than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 6% 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?
39.1% of students at Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Central High School is White at 63.8% of enrollment, in Baton Rouge, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher 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 Baton Rouge?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #1 of 14 high schools in Baton Rouge, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Baton Rouge on the city page.
Is Central High School a good school?
Central High School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median. It is also one of the largest schools in Louisiana. 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 Central Community School District?
Besides Central High School, Central Community School District also operates Central Intermediate School (1,039 students), Central Middle School (1,012 students), and Tanglewood Elementary School (622 students). See the Central Community School District 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.