Enrollment
1,326
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Traverse City, MI
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263387006949
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan.
- #9 of 16
- schools in Traverse City · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.7:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 24.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes larger than 92% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #9 of 16 schools in Traverse City, MI.
School address
District: Traverse City Area Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263387006949 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-54% 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 large combined-grade school in Traverse City, Michigan, enrolling 1,326 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.7:1 is larger than about 92% of Michigan schools and 35% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 24.9% free-meal eligibility runs 54% below the Michigan average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,326 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 143 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #48.
Its student body is predominantly White (90% of enrollment) (diversity index 19/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 265 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Traverse City's public schools, it stands alongside The Greenspire School (93 students): Central High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.7:1 vs 8.5:1).
Traverse City Area Public Schools also operates West Senior High (1,384 students) and West Middle School (1,081 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 | 23.7:1 | ▲ 35% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.9% | ▼ 54% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,326 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.7:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,326
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
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
23.7:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 92% in Michigan - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.0%
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
$12,932
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 265 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
84
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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 89.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%
African American 2.9%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 89.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.1, Central High School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 26
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Traverse City Area Public Schools, which includes Central High School.
$12,932
Per student
-4%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.6%
State 40.7%
Federal 10.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Senior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Grade School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern Elementary School | Smaller | Similar 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
- 1,384
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,081
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 829
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 475
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Traverse City
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~1,326 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Traverse City Area Public Schools'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 1,326 students enrolled. It is a public school in Traverse City, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 23.7:1, which is 35% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 51% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High School?
24.9% 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 White at 89.8% of enrollment, in Traverse City, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 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 schools in Traverse City?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #9 of 16 schools in Traverse City, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Traverse City on the city page.
Is Central High School a good school?
Central High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan. 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 Traverse City Area Public Schools?
Besides Central High School, Traverse City Area Public Schools also operates West Senior High (1,384 students), West Middle School (1,081 students), and East Middle School (829 students). See the Traverse City Area Public Schools 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.