- Enrollment
- 1,155
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Kansas City, MO
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 291640000840
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 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 larger than 74% of Missouri schools.
- #7 of 20
- high schools in Kansas City · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 99.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes larger than 74% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #7 of 20 high schools in Kansas City, MO.
School address
District: Kansas City 33 · Missouri
NCES ID 291640000840 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-1 students YoY
Central High School held near 534 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 37.0 → 41.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-1 students YoY 291640000840 · Kansas City, MO High · MID · TRAD
519 enr · 14.4:1 · 99.4% lunch · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: East High School (1,155 students)
Central High School held near 534 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount). Teacher FTE added 37.0 → 41.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Missouri schools → · Find another →
Central High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- East High Scho
East High School
1,155 students
- Lincoln Colleg
Lincoln College Prep.
997 students
- M. L. King El
M. L. King Elementary
768 students
- Northeast High
Northeast High
732 students
- Paseo Acad. of
Paseo Acad. of Performing Arts
669 students
- This school
Central High School
519 students
What this shows Central High School reports 519 students on the CCD universe file.
How Central High School compares
Central High School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▲ 12% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.4% | ▲ 116% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 519 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
519
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
99.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 116% above the Missouri average of 46.1%
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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 74% in Missouri - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
64.9%
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
$18,743
per pupil, district-wide
- above Missouri avg of $14,087
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 260 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 136 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 78.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.6%
White 5.6%
Two or More 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 78.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.5, Central High School is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Kansas City 33 reports $18,743 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln College Prep. | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| M. L. King Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northeast High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Paseo Acad. of Performing Arts | Larger | 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
- 997
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 768
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 669
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools in Kansas City
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~519 students)
Frequently asked questions about Central High School
How many students attend Central High School?
Central High School has 519 students enrolled. It is a high school in Kansas City, MO. CCD year-over-year: 535 (2022-23) → 534 (2023-24), nearly flat (-1).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 14.4:1, which is 12% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High School?
99.4% of students at Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Central High School is African American at 78.6% of enrollment, in Kansas City, MO.
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 Kansas City?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #7 of 20 high schools in Kansas City, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Kansas City on the city page.
What other schools are in Kansas City 33?
Besides Central High School, Kansas City 33 also operates East High School (1,155 students), Lincoln College Prep. (997 students), and M. L. King Elementary (768 students). See the Kansas City 33 district page for the complete list.