Enrollment
1,115
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Grand Forks, ND
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 380813000254
👥 S:T ratio 47
📚 AP courses 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of North Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Grand Forks · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 24.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes larger than 70% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Grand Forks, ND.
School address
District: Grand Forks 1 · North Dakota
NCES ID 380813000254 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
84.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.2%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High School
Central High School is a large high school in Grand Forks, North Dakota, enrolling 1,115 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the larger third of North Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 24.2% lands close to the North Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,115 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 26 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #10.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Two or More (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 10 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 279 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Grand Forks 1 spends $14,844 per pupil, 20% below the North Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Grand Forks's high schools, it stands alongside Red River High School (1,190 students): Central High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 14.9:1).
Grand Forks 1 also operates Red River High School (1,190 students) and Schroeder Middle School (569 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 North Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Dakota | North Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.3:1 | ▲ 13% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.2% | ▼ 14% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,115 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,115
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% below the North Dakota average of 28.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 70% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
49.9%
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
$14,844
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $18,450
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 279 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
78
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 60.4%
Two or More 14.8%
Hispanic or Latino 14.0%
African American 5.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.3%
Asian 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 60.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.9, Central High School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Forks 1, which includes Central High School.
$14,844
Per student
-20%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.3%
State 53.5%
Federal 19.2%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red River High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Schroeder Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Discovery Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Valley Middle 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
- 1,190
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 569
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 549
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 508
- Students per teacher
- 9.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar high schools in Grand Forks
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,115 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Grand Forks 1'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 1,115 students enrolled. It is a high school in Grand Forks, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 13.3:1, which is 13% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High School?
24.2% of students at Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Central High School is White at 60.4% of enrollment, in Grand Forks, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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 Grand Forks?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Grand Forks, ND. 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 Forks on the city page.
Is Central High School a good school?
Central High School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of North Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota. 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 Grand Forks 1?
Besides Central High School, Grand Forks 1 also operates Red River High School (1,190 students), Schroeder Middle School (569 students), and Discovery Elementary School (567 students). See the Grand Forks 1 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.