Enrollment
403
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Detroit, MI
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 260110304670
👥 S:T ratio 20
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Michigan schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #15 of 16
- high schools in Detroit · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 89.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes larger than 81% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #15 of 16 high schools in Detroit, MI.
School address
District: Detroit Public Schools Community District · Michigan
NCES ID 260110304670 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
89.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High School
Central High School is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Detroit, Michigan, enrolling 403 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 89.2% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 403 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 378 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #294, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (98% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 3/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 403 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 85.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Detroit Public Schools Community District spends $21,771 per pupil, 61% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Detroit's high schools, it stands alongside East English Village Preparatory Academy at Finney (639 students): Central High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.1:1 vs 15.6:1).
Detroit Public Schools Community District also operates Cass Technical High School (2,493 students) and Western International High School (1,959 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 Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.1:1 | ▲ 15% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.2% | ▲ 64% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 403 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
403
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
89.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
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
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 81% in Michigan - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
85.1%
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
$21,771
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 403 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
African American 98.3%
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%
White 0.2%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 98.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 3.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 3.4, Central High School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Detroit Public Schools Community District, which includes Central High School.
$21,771
Per student
+61%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.1%
State 41.7%
Federal 19.1%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass Technical High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western International High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Renaissance High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Earhart Elementarymiddle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Martin Luther King Jr Senior 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
- 2,493
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,959
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,197
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,002
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 976
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Similar high schools in Detroit
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
East English Village Preparatory Academy at Finney
Standard public school
639 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Henry Ford High School
Standard public school
607 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Southeastern High School
Standard public school
602 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Voyageur College Prep
Standard public school
524 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Denby High School
Standard public school
464 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
University Preparatory Science and Math Psad High School
Standard public school
452 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~403 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Detroit Public Schools Community 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 403 students enrolled. It is a high school in Detroit, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 20.1:1, which is 15% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High School?
89.2% of students at Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Central High School is African American at 98.3% of enrollment, in Detroit, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (lower 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 Detroit?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #15 of 16 high schools in Detroit, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Detroit on the city page.
Is Central High School a good school?
Central High School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Michigan schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools. 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 Detroit Public Schools Community District?
Besides Central High School, Detroit Public Schools Community District also operates Cass Technical High School (2,493 students), Western International High School (1,959 students), and Renaissance High School (1,197 students). See the Detroit Public Schools Community 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.